Pioneer Unit

Ben Sharpa and Milanese have been rocking crowds out in Europe for the last couple of months and the response to their unique brand of hip hop and UK bass music has been amazing. The day after rocking a crowd of around 4,000 people at Dour in Belgium, Sharpa and Milanese gave Extrema in Eindhoven a taste of the future.

Extrema is one of the largest festivals in The Netherlands, with an estimated 40,000 people in attendance. The musical line up was mostly commercial techno, so Sharpa and Milanese really stood out. The Novalectra tent was packed to capacity and the pair killed it with a big performance.

Check out the photos…

Ben Sharpa, Milanese, Dplanet (click for larger image).

Beach with fake palm trees! (click for larger image).

The Sharpest Knife in the Drawer + hottie (click for larger image).

Fuck me, I’m fabulous! (click for larger image).

Sharpa and Milanese rockin’ it (click for larger image).

The crowd feeling it (click for larger image).

The crowd feeling it even more (click for larger image).

Sharpa Soul Power (click for larger image).

Click here to see the full set of photos on Flickr

That’s how we rrrrrrrrroll!!

On Saturday night I went through to Albert Hall in Woodstock to watch Jaak performing at the Max Normal TV show. We’d been at the 7784 launch party in Khayelitsha all day so I was pretty exhausted, but Leon Botha was warming up the set with some classic old skool jams and some tight scratching, which helped give me some energy and get me in the mood.

Jaak, or Jaak ‘Paarl’ as he was introduced by Waddy, absolutely tore up the set and worked the crowd into a frenzy with some banging jams including How We Roll. I was incredibly impressed by Jaak’s stage craft - one of the tightest MC performances that I’ve seen in a while.

We took a breather outside while Die Vegas and Parow Show did their thing, then came back to check out Waddy, Yo-Landi and Neon Don do their thing. If you’ve never been to a Max Normal TV show you’ve really missed out. It’s pure, deranged entertainment.

Check out some photos:

Jaak and fan (click for larger image).

Jaak on set (click for larger image).

The crowd goes befok (click for larger image).

Max Normal TV doing what they do best (click for larger image).

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Pioneer Unit is taking Hip Hop entertainment back to the hood with a series of spectacular events that will showcase South Africa’s finest talent, both established and up and coming.

We’re keeping the price of entry down and the quality of the entertainment up at the highest level. There will be super-high quality sound, rap battles as well as dance and singing competitions where the crowd decides who takes home cash prizes. There will also be hot, home-cooked food on sale for only R2 a plate.

This is entertainment for the whole hood, so don’t miss out!

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To celebrate the release of Rattex’s new mixtape, Pioneer Unit Records proudly presents the first in a series of music spectaculars…

7784

“Lezi zezase kasi. Gcwala uchiteke.”

Featuring a full-length set by:
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
> Rattex
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Plus extra special guests:
> Driemanskap
> Jaak
> Garlic Brown
> Crosby
> Kanyi
> Sim
> Maxhoseni
> Mic Substance
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
> DJ Eazy (Faculty of Hip Hop)
> DJ Azuhl (Beatbangaz)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kritsi Ye’Spaza - Your host with the most!
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
> Huge super-high quality sound system!
> Rap / Dance / Singing competitions to win cash prizes!
> Hot home-cooked food for only R2 a plate!
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Date: Saturday 21 June, 2008
Time: 12 - 6pm
Venue: New Hall, Site C, Khayelitsha
Price: R10
Food: R2 plate
Competition prizes: R100 per competition

Click here to join the Facebook event for updates and reminders.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Just a quick post to big up Thando, Qhama, Sara and everyone else who made the effort to arrange the gig. I always have a great time in Gugs, and yesterday was no different. We were treated to some quality entertainment too.

I was having too much fun so I forgot to take photos, but here are a few…

Emile YX (click for larger image).

B Boyz (click for larger image).

The crowd (click for larger image).

Rah (click for larger image).

Rattex (click for larger image).

Rattex and Ma-B getting down (click for larger image).

Rattex and Ma-B finishing the set (click for larger image).

Africa unite. Say no to xenophobia.

The recent wave of brutal xenophobic attacks on fellow African brothers and sisters in South Africa has left 56 people dead, 650 injured and tens of thousands of innocent people displaced and living in fear. The situation is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis.

The South African government has begun to set up ‘shelters’ to house people seeking refuge from the violence. These ‘shelters’ are being described by international aid agencies as ‘refugee camps’.

The Hip Hop community has come together to raise its voice in protest against this unacceptable situation. We want to let the world know that we condemn these attacks, and that whilst many South Africans are living in situations of unacceptable poverty and hardship, turning on fellow Africans is not the solution.

Pioneer Unit is supporting various anti-xenophobia initiatives. Rattex and Ben Sharpa will be performing at 2 awareness and fund-raising gigs this weekend (see below). We have also contributed tracks to Emile YX’s Heal the Hood CD and book project (more details soon). We will also be contributing to Nymabz’s forthcoming anti-xenophobia mixtape as well as releasing our own material. Keep it locked for more info.

State of Emergency (CPT)_

Date and Time: Sunday 1st June @ 12.00 - 19.00
Venue: All NYz, Gugulethu Sports Complex, Cape Town.
Cost: FREE! Please donate clothes, blankets, nappies and non-perishable food.
Performances: Rattex, Driemanskaap, Nosisi, Tapedeck Circuitry, Jitsvinger, Sketch, Khanyi & many more.
Speakers: Emile YX, Lizo (Round Table), Xito
DJs: Quake
Dancers: Black Noise
State of Emergency Facebook Event page

Headz Against Violence (JHB)_

Date and Time: Sunday 1st June @ 12.00 - 22.00
Venue: Baseline, Newtown, Joburg.
Cost: R50 Please donate clothes, blankets, nappies and non-perishable food.
Performances: Ben Sharpa, Tumi, Tuks, The Hymphatic Thabs, Reason, Middle Finga, Snazz-D, Koldproduk, Jub Jub, Zubz, Jozi & many more.
DJs: Papercutt, Bionic, Kenzhero, Beatoven, Redwood & Raiko
Headz Against Violence Facebook Event page

Ben Sharpa will be taking his next-level robot army Hip Hop to Europe this coming June and July to create mayhem with heavyweight UK Bass Music producer, Milanese. For a taste of what to expect, check out the first track on Milanese’s Myspace page.

Ben Sharpa + Milanese Euro Tour Dates 2008:

• June 6th - Warp Light District - Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• June 28th - S7 (disko404) - Graz, Austria
• July 11th - Bangface - London, UK
• July 18th - Dour Festival - Dour, Belgium
• July 19th - Extrema Festival - Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Ben will also be participating in MCs for Life as part of Bass Festival in Birmingham, UK, on 28th and 29th of June. Other participants include Black Thought, Lord Finesse, Rich Medina, Ursula Rucker, DJ Spooky, Tumi, Nappo, Omekongo, Lebo Mashile, Charlie Dark, Hymphatic Thabs and many more.

If you would like to book Ben Sharpa & Milanese, contact Paul at Surefire Agency: paul [at] surefireagency [dot] com

That’s how we rrrrrrrrroll!!

The party on Saturday was OFF THE HOOK!! Big ups to Loggaheadz and everyone involved (Johnny Steaknife, Garlic Brown, Enmity and Diddi Yang) - definitely the most banging party since the Planetary Assault Launch.

People keep telling us that Hip Hop club nights just don’t work and that you need to make superficial pop music to bring in crowds and sponsors. We’ve never believed these people and we never will!

Naturally Pioneer Unit represented to the fullest with ill performances from The Realist, KONFAB, Ben Sharpa & Rattex.

Check out some photos…

Kid Klever in battle mode (click for larger image).

KONFAB artikulating (click for larger image).

KONFAB, gift of gab (click for larger image).

The crowd (click for larger image).

Ben Sharpa and The Realist (click for larger image).

Kid Klever (click for larger image).

Triplet of Bellville and the singer from Enmity (click for larger image).

It’s REAL! (click for larger image).

Salute the Kaptin (click for larger image).

B. Sharpa (click for larger image).

Rattex in the house! (click for larger image).

Sharpa and Rattex (click for larger image).

Sharpa and The Realist tell it like it is (click for larger image).

Check out the full set of photos here.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

If you’re in Cape Town this Saturday 24th May, come down to Mercury Live (43 De Villiers Street) to support Pioneer Unit in an international battle royale against Diddi Yang Records from Namibia.

Most of you already know Ben Sharpa and KONFAB, but you have to come and check out our newest signing, The Realist. Trust me, you’ve never heard anything like it!!

It’s gonna be a crazy evening full of suprise guests, giveaways, open mic battles and general chaos.

Here’s the info… see you there!…

The Lineup..

……………………………..
Pioneer Unit:
Ben Sharpa
The Realist
Konfab
……………………………..
Diddi Yang:
Die Vegas en Parow Show
Wyte Bread
Anonamystix
 ……………………………..

Beats all night will be presented by none other than DJ QUAKE (Choice Records)

Host for the night will be Johnny Steaknife

Special-Guest Performances by: Enmity (Band); Garlic Brown and the new Spaza sensation, Rattex.

VJ: Digital Lama

• Open-Mic MC Battle!!
• Free HeadKnocks Gear up for grabs
• Awesome Visuals
• Drink Specials all night

Tickets are on the door only.
R30 before 10.30 | R40 Thereafter

Doors open at 9.

Last Saturday 10th May I was honoured to be invited to be a judge at the Conscious Connectionz Be Heard! concert to celebrate the achievements of the learners from four schools in Cape Town; Andile Junior Secondary, Heideveld High School, Kensington High School and Lentegeur High School.

Over the past three months, learners from these schools have attended the Conscious Connectionz workshops that raise awareness of HIV/AIDS to fight its spread by promoting identity, self-empowerment and independent decision-making in response to meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MGD) in 2015.

In order to internalize the Conscious Connectionz workshops in their own lives, the learners were challenged to narrate what they have learned in the form of a poem, spoken word, lyricism or song. As part of the Conscious Connectionz project, these expressions were then recorded using a mobile recording studio. The learners that best narrated their peer’s voices from each school competed live against each other at Be Heard! for a grand prize of R5,000 (and R5,000 to their school) - and that’s where me (and the two other judges came in).

I got to Joseph Stone Auditorium in Athlone at 3pm and the place was already packed. The kids were going wild to all kinds of crunk and snap courtesy of DJ Azhul. A number of dance battles popped off in the auditorium while we waited for the show to begin.

I met up with the other two judges, Teba (The Original Social Worker) and the host of MK89’s Hip Hop, Contro’Versy, and we took our seats as the show began. We were treated to a really professional and entertaining show as the kids came out and performed their pieces. First up were the kids who didn’t qualify for the final. Some of them were obviously nervous stepping out in front of a packed auditorium, but they still managed to do their thing. The partisan support from the crowd was wild, although I did feel a bit sorry for the kids from Heideveld as they seemed to have brought the least people with them.

Before the main event, crews from the various schools held an impromptu dance battle. The standards were pretty high, but the attitude and energy was intense!

Then it was time for the main event - the competition to see who was going to walk away with R5,000 for themselves and an additional R5,000 for their school. There were four finalists, one from each school. First up was a learner from Kensington (I think) who rapped and sang. Next was a learner from Lentegeur who recited a poem. She was followed by a learner from Andile who also recited a poem, but this time in Xhosa. Finally a learner from Heideveld performed a rap.

It was tough to have to choose a winner when everyone had put so much work in, but that’s how it had to go down. Although everyone did really well, we felt that there was a clear winner. The person we chose impressed us because she wrote a memorable song with a catchy hook - perfect ‘edutainment’ to get the message across.

The winner was Amanda Bonani from Heideveld. It was really moving to see how much it meant to her. Her victory was even more impressive as she had performed earlier and forgotten her lyrics. When she tried again, she got feedback from the mic and left the stage having not managed to do her thing. It took a lot of courage to come back and perform again, especially as Heideveld had the least support in the audience (in terms of numbers).

Big ups to DJ Eazy and the whole Faculty of Hip Hop for giving me the chance to participate in this event, and maximum respect to Conscious Connectionz for their important work.

Check out some photos…

Impromptu dance battles (click for larger image).

DJ Eazy hosting the show (click for larger image).

More dance battles (click for larger image).

The big finale (click for larger image).

Teba addresses the crowd shortly before announcing the winner (click for larger image).

The kids posing for the photographers (click for larger image).

Check out the full set of photos here.

Check out the Conscious Connectionz website here.

Check out the Faculty of Hip Hop website here.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrroll!!

You asked for it, so here it is!… Pioneer Unit TV brings you Ben Sharpa LIVE!

Check out the videos of Ben performing at The Assembly in Cape Town.

The Eye Seen

Into the Black (Remix)

5ive Fingers

Hegemony

The Sick ‘n Tired

Off the Rails (EXCLUSIVE!!)

B to the E (EXCLUSIVE!!)

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrrroll!!

Cape Town was blessed with a typically massive performance by Lyricist Lounge all-star Wordsworth. The night, which also featured Pioneer Unit artists, Ben Sharpa and Rattex, was organised by Dominique from Unlearn Agency who cleverly took advantage of the fact that Words was in South Africa to judge the finals of the Sprite Emcee Africa battle competition.

Rah sets it off (click for larger image).

Rattex kicked off the live performances at The Assembly with his kasi anthem, Township Storm, from the Planetary Assault compilation. He then gave the crowd a taste of his forthcoming album Bread and Butter by performing Da Real Shit (produced by Planet Earth) and Welcome to Khaltsha (produced by Hipe). As usual, Rattex had the crowd going crazy with his punchlines and energetic performance.

Welcome to Khaltsha! (click for larger image).

Fire burn! (click for larger image).

Next up was Ben Sharpa and you know he always goes hard. He started his set with his classic, The Eye Seen, that always gets heads chanting “Ben Sharpa! Ben Sharpa!”. Ben’s 40 minute set also included crowd favourites, Into the Black (Remix), Hegemony, The Sick n Tired and Five Fingers. Ben also premiered two new tracks from his forthcoming album B. Sharpa, the dark and heavy, Off the Rails (produced by myself) and the fresh to death, B to the E produced by Sibot. Needless to say, the crowd was rocked.

Crowd goes wild for Sharpa (click for larger image).

Sharpa holds it down (click for larger image).

Why do we need a police protection service! (click for larger image).

Off the rails! (click for larger image).

Last, but definitely not least, Words took to the stage to huge applause. DJ Raiko cued him up and he went straight into his freestyle routine. I say ‘routine’ but there’s nothing routine about a Wordsworth freestyle - he has got to be one of the finest freestylers in the game today. The crowd were going bananas with every punchline - and they were coming thick and fast.

Words get busy (click for larger image).

Words then performed a selection of tracks from Mirror Music before driving the crowd wild with some of his older joints. He then freestyled again for what seemed like 30 minutes, almost non-stop. One of the highlights of any Wordsworth performance is when he gets in amongst the crowd and vibes with everyone. The energy is amazing.

Getting up close and personal with the crowd (click for larger image).

Feelin’ it (click for larger image).

Mic controller (click for larger image).

To round off the show, Words invited anyone who wanted to cypher with him, on stage to show off their skills. It was sad to see that too many cats seemed to want to take the oppotrtunity to diss, or battle, Words instead of taking their opportunity to shine. Either way, watching the ease with which Words dismantled anyone who tried to test him made for great entertainment.

Words (click for larger image).

All in all it was a great night. The Assembly is one of my favourite venues but because the event was organised at the last minute, there wasn’t enough promotion and therefore the venue wasn’t full to capacity. This was a real shame as we don’t get the opportunity to see artists of the calibre of Wordsworth up close and personal very often and he is a true master at work.

Words and Dplanet backstage (click for larger image).

Rumour has it that Words will be coming back to SA with his group EMC. Let’s hope this comes off and it gets the promotion it deserves. In the mean time, big up to Unlearn Agency for making this night happen.

Master of ceremonies (click for larger image).

Check out the full set of photos here.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Words don’t get any Sharpa than this!

As his name suggests, Brooklyn-bred microphone fiend Wordsworth is the epitome of a true Hip-Hop wordsmith. At a time when the rap market is flooded with cookie-cutter sensations who churn out forgettable pop hits rather than solid albums, this Lyricist Lounge all-star is looking to the past to reinvigorate the present by recalling Hip-Hop’s golden age of 1994 - when the beats were hard and emcees talked to listeners about relevant topics they could relate to.

Now back on stage together for a second time in SA, Unlearn brings to you two of the dopest lyrical emcees alive today, Wordsworth and Ben Sharpa for one night only at The Assembly in Cape Town. Rattex will also be adding his own lyrical Spaza flavour to proceedings. Big Dre and Raiko will be supplying the beats.

This event promises to unleash an avalanche of rhyme heavy, heart thumping music - nothing but that real Hip Hop ish!

Venue:
The Assembly
61 Harrington Street.

Date:
Thursday 3rd April, 2008

Doors open:
 9pm

Price:
 R70

Wordsworth on Myspace

Ben Sharpa on Myspace

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrrrroll!!

Big ups to Diggin Deep Productions for a great day at Mzoli’s in Gugulethu yesterday. Ill Literate Skills and Driemanskap were launching their latest mixtape, Battle of Gugulethu Vol. 2.

Rattex represented Pioneer Unit to the fullest with a performance that sent the crowd wild with a taste of tracks from his forthcoming album Bread and Butter.

Rah took to the stage (the back of a bakkie) and kicked off the set with a verse from his smash hit digital download RnD (we’ve just re-uploaded RnD on zShare after exceeding our bandwidth limits on SendSpace - click here to download RnD from zShare). Rattex then performed Da Real Shit on a blazing beat by Planet Earth, followed by Welcome to Khultsha on a classic Hipe beat that had everyone at Mzoli’s chanting the chorus.

Our boys TOP and Lolo from Archetypes held it down before ILS took to stage and gave a great performance. Sadly I had to leave before the end so I don’t know who else performed, but it was a perfect day.

Check out the photos…

Uno, Ootz the Afronaut and TOP (click for larger image).

Rattex takes to the stage (click for larger image).

Now pay attention (click for larger image).

The crowd goes wild (click for larger image).

Rah takes the applause (click for larger image).

Archetypes hold it down (click for larger image).

Ill Literate Skills on set (click for larger image).

Click here to see the full set of photos on Flickr

That’s how we rrrrrrrrroll!!

Attention all Durban heads! Catch a rare chance to see Ben Sharpa LIVE and DIRECT, this Saturday 1st March!

Ben will be performing at the BAT Centre alongside Hymphatic Thabs and Manelisi with DJs P-Kuttah + Rawkid.

Entrance is R40 and the doors open at 8pm.

For more information call blaQ on 084 646 8143.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

The Realist tore up the stage on a blisteringly hot evening at Summer X in Camps Bay, Cape Town yesterday. The venue, Camps Bay High School, has to be one of the most scenic venues in the world with views over Camps Bay and the 12 Apostles.

The whole event was very well organised, featuring freestyle motor cross, skateboarding, BMX, sport climbing, wakeboarding and other exhibitions. The Realist were in good company, performing on the same bill as The Dirty Skirts and Van Coke Kartel.

This was The Realist’s first big show and they demonstrated why we have so much faith in them with an intense performance. The Realist is TOB (Triplet of Belville), Kid Klever and Sinister Dexter. Their sound is a dark, textured electronica, hip hop mashup. We’re convinced that they’re going to be massive on the festival circuit in 2008 so watch this space.

The Realist on stage (click for larger image).

Kid Klever and Sinister Dexter (click for larger image).

Kid Klever rips the mic (click for larger image).

Kid Klever waves to the crowd (click for larger image).

Sinister Dexter rocks the crowd (click for larger image).

Kid Klever or Jimmy Hendrix? (click for larger image).

Double team (click for larger image).

TOB, Sinister Dexter and Kid Klever (click for larger image).

Click here for the full set of photos on Flickr.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrroll!!

Saturday morning was crazy. We launched the Pioneer Unit t-shirt range at Shelflife with the help of our boys, Archetypes.

Despite not having slept much, and with only a few quarts of Black to get them in the mood, Arche came through and set things off properly with an hour long jam session, much to the suprise and delight of the Saturday morning shoppers.

Having been to some great in-store promotions at Deal Real Records in London recently, we wanted to bring the same vibe back home. It certainly creates a buzz when you have dope artists performing live, up close and personal, in a shop environment.

We plan to do a series of these in-store promos at Shelflife over the coming months. We get to promote our artists and their work. The store gets to associate itself with real street culture and creates a theatrical element of excitement to draw in more customers and create a buzz.

If you don’t know Shelflife yet, where have you been?! It’s located at 119 Loop Street on the first floor. They stock the hottest, authentic streetwear from local and international designers, as well as all the paint and caps you could ever want. They also host exhibitions and put on events. They plan to start stocking an extensive collection of South African Hip Hop CDs in the new year. Go check them out.

Anyway,,, here’s some photos…

Arche performing in front of poster (click for larger image).

TOP spitting without spilling a drop (click for larger image).

Otis Larynx (click for larger image).

Arche in effect (click for larger image).

Enter the Dragon (click for larger image).

TOP off the dome (click for larger image).

Pioneer Unit t-shirts on display (click for larger image).

New Era fitteds on display (click for larger image).

Hyphen in LRG hoodie (click for larger image).

Check out the full set of photos on Flickr.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Last sunday Pioneer Unit was in full effect at the Hype Magazine park jam in Gugulethu. The sports complex grounds were full as an all-star line-up of Cape Town’s finest provided a full afternoon of entertainment.

My highlights of the the show were Ben Sharpa and Rato performing Trash Talkers on top of the sponsor’s vehicle, Jaak’s set and of course Driemanskap holding it down in their own back yard.

It was a great day but I have to be real, we must get these sound systems sorted out - these tin pot sounds are not allowing our artists to shine! A stage would have been good too.

Anyway, like I said, I had a great day and I don’t want to be negative. Big up to Mizi, Simone and all the artists that represented to the fullest. This has definitely inspired me to step up our game and do more shows in the hood. It’s about time these Cape Town brand managers woke up and realised that they need to start investing properly in our growing culture.

Check out these photos by Anne-Sophie…

Jaak and Mizi

Ma-B and me

Having fun

Jaak

Driemanskap hype up the crowd

Ben Sharpa & Rato perform Trash Talkers

El Nino from Driemanskap

The crowd watching Driemanskap

The crowd watching Driemanskap

Sharpa’s crowd

Ben Sharpa & Rato perform Trash Talkers

To see the full set of photos from the day at full size, click here

That’s how we rrrrrrroll!!

Check out some photos from a show Driemanskap did at Zula Bar on 14th September this year. They finished off their set with a huge performance of their street anthem, Go and Ask (Hamb’ubuza) from Planetary Assault.

Dla and El Nino

Dla AKA “Fullstop the Lastborn”

Dla feelin’ it

Driemanskap & Macho performing ‘Go and Ask’

El Nino, Dla & Planet Earth bringing the ruckus.

Ma-B in full effect

Check out the full set of photos at Flickr

As promised, here are some photos of the party courtesy of Anne-Sophie Leens. You can check out the full set of photos on her flickr album

We packed that mutha and rocked it all night…

Nic the cameraman tries to get a view of the stage

Charl the sound engineer making sure everything sounded proper

Heads in attendance

Driemanskap & Macho about to bring that fire

Like I said, we packed that mutha

Archetypes doing it like only they can

Otis Larynx reppin’ Pioneer Unit

TOP & Macho performing ‘Kakalaki’.

Rattex & Oracle Flo performing ‘Imbadla Yez’rhumsha’

Terror MC killing ya sound!

Driemanskap & Macho performing ‘Go and Ask’ to a packed club

KONFAB and Jaak - ‘How We Roll’, RRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrr!!!

DJ Eazy sporting his Pioneer Unit ‘How We Roll’ t-shirt

Jaak answers questions for MK89

What can I say? We killed it!

The night started with Nastie Ed spinning hard Hip Hop with an electronic edge to warm up the crowd as they arrived. The dancers from Hip Hop Connexion bust some nice moves to get the crowd hyper in readiness for the performances to begin. Eeshaam September and Sara Chitambo (from Goodhope FM and ETV respectively) were the hosts for the night, doing the job with style and grace.

All the performers gave 100% and the energy was intense inside the intimate surroundings of The Roosevelt. If I had to choose one highlight it would be all the artists coming on stage together at the end of the set and freestyling over the ‘Welcome to Jamrock’ dub. It was the perfect end to a massive performance.

South African beatbox champion Mr. Ray, who drove the crowd wild, had an impromptu battle with Kid Kleva from The Realists. Klinikal and DJ Hamma also put on an amazing display of live beat creation and scratching which was a uniquely inspired combination.

DJ Fletcher from African Dope and Nastie Ed kept the party going until the exhausted (but very happy) club manager finally shut us down at 3.30am - not bad for a Wednesday night.

All in all it was very satisfying to prove that Cape Town Hip Hop is very much alive and kicking. Watch out Joburg, you’re next!

Eish! I’ve just about recovered from the Planetary Assault launch party on Wednesday! It was a MASSIVE success - we packed out The Roosevelt from the time the doors opened at 9pm until the time we had to kick people out at 3.30am.

I’m going to be uploading photos in the next couple of days, but for now check out this review by Qhama Dayile.

That’s how we rrrrrroll!!

Another day, another radio show to promote the Planetary Assault launch party. This time DJ Eazy was nice enough to invite us on to his show on UCT Radio 104.5fm.

Sadly, I forgot to take photos so nothing to show you, but we had another great time. This time I went along with Terror MC and Oracle Flo. We also met up with a Miami-based Colombian MC by the name of EPHNIKO who’s in town trying to link up with heads and share in global Hip Hop culture.

Everyone got on the mic and spat a few verses. I have to give it to EPHNIKO though,,, he killed the freestyle.

Anyway, tomorrow is the launch party. If you’re not a confirmed guest on Facebook, get yourself over there right now and sign up!

See you at the party!

And we don’t stop! Another radio promo for the Planetary Assault launch party last night, this time on the Dirty Roots Show on Bush Radio 89.5 FM hosted by Buddhadda and Mr Nimbus.

I took Rattex with me and met Otis Larynx and Hyphen from Archetypes outside the spot. Hyph was seriously blazed (which always worried me for live radio). Once we got in front of the mics it was all love. We went through the CD playing tracks and giving some background info on the making of the album.

Hyphen, Otis and Rattex killed a freestyle over the Kakalaki beat. It always amazes me that Hyph can be so blazed that he can hardly talk, but when you put a beat on he can rhyme like a beast.

True to form, KONFAB turned up an hour and a half late, just as we were leaving. The boys from Bush were kind enough to put us back on air so that KON and Hyphen could bust another freestyle over the Township Storm beat.

Make sure you check out the Dirty Roots Show on Bush Radio 89.5 FM between 6-8pm on Saturday.

That’s how we rrrrrrroll!!

I’m suffering from a bit of a hangover today after last night’s appearance on Nick Knucklez show on UCT Radio with Archetypes and KONFAB. We were there to promote the Planetary Assault Cape Town launch party.

We arrived in high spirits after spending a good few hours at Joburg on Long Street. We definitely brought the party with us to the studio. TOP, Hyphen, Otis Larynx & KONFAB all spat bars live on air, and we got generally rowdy - what else would you expect from Archetypes?

Last night I was told that UCT Radio reaches out as far as Paarl. I’ll have to ask Jaak to confirm this, but if it’s true, I’m impressed. Hyphen told me he listens in Gugs so it reaches much further than I thought.

It was nice to run into Endzi who was at the station to promote her show this Friday at Mercury Live. I’ve seen her around, but never properly said hello - what’s up Endz, nice to meet you!

It wasn’t all fun and games earlier in the evening - we weren’t just at Joburg to drink R10 draughts. We were there on official Pioneer Unit business!

Dylan Culhane, a freelance journalist and photographer, is writing a piece on Planetary Assault for One Small Seed magazine, so he wanted to meet myself and some of the artists on the project. Rattex and Anne-Sophie Leens (who made the videos for ‘How We Roll’ and ‘Go Against Us’ were also there.

Anyway,,, off to meet Nastie Ed to discuss the music for the launch party.

That’s how we rrrrrrroll!!

Hey everyone,,,

Firstly, apologies for postponing the original launch party. I hope no one turned up at the Bang Bang club last week!

Anyway, we’re sorted again. This time the party is at The Roosevelt (160 Bree Street) on the 29th August. We really like The Roosevelt. For any of you that haven’t been there before, it’s chic and intimate, without being boojee.

We chose the date for two reasons. Firstly it’s month end so everyone’s gonna be paid. Secondly, it will mark the end of the annual Hip Hop Indaba so you can think of us as the unofficial afterparty.

We’re really excited. It’s not often you get to hear so many of Cape Town’s finest MCs jamming in one place at the same time. Don’t get it twisted though, this party isn’t just for hardcore ‘heads’ (Hip Hop aficionados), we’re gonna make sure it’s a proper party for everyone ‘cause that’s how we rrrrrroll!! :)

Don’t forget to invite your friends!…

Planetary Assault launch party on Facebook

See you there!

D_

The Bang Bang club has had to cancel our launch party on 25th July (tonight) for reasons outside their control.

Rest assured we’re busy looking for a new venue at a slightly later date in order to give us time to re-organise an even bigger and better party.

Stay tuned for more info!

Fresh from his exploits in Glastonbury, our boy Ben Sharpa tore up High on Dub at Roosevelt in Cape Town last week.

The packed club got down to the sound of Dubstep supplied by selectors Fletcher, Stephan Small, Binary & Hamish. Ben Sharpa controlled the crowd like only he can.

Click on the photos to see them bigger.

That’s how we rrrrrrroll!!

KONFAB brought his unique energy and lyrical dexterity to ‘You Don’t Know’, Ninja Tune’s regular club night at the Big Chill House in King’s Cross, London.

Mary Anne Hobbs got the crowd fired up with a heavy Dubstep selection before KON got things poppin’ like only he can. He started his set with the heavy intro ‘Of Hip Hop’ warning, “Let me impress upon you this stretches beyond music.” drawing the crowd towards the stage. He then hit them with a rapid-fire burst of seSotho acapella rap which had the audience bewildered and amazed all at once. KON then moved into the no holds barred ‘They Sleep’ where the audience chanted along with the hook, “that’s why they sleep”. It was pure rolling ‘r’s with ‘How We Roll’ next…

… KON also hit the crowd with ‘Swart Gevaar’, ‘They Don’t Know’ and ‘Sick Dictators’.

Big ups to Mary Anne Hobbs, Doug at Coda Agency and Sam from Ninja Tune!

Check out photos from the whole tour at Flickr.

That’s how we rrrrroll!!

KONFAB was invited to perform at Jonzi-D’s The Surgery at the venerable British institution that is Sadler’s Wells. The Surgery is experimental Hip Hop theatre designed to explore various socio-political issues through raw ‘workshop’ performances. The audience is encouraged to participate by asking questions and giving feedback after each performance.

KONFAB delivered a powerful theatrical acapella performance of ‘Swart Gevaar’ followed by a seSotho verse from ‘What’. The lively crowd were duly impressed and KON received his props. KONFAB’s dense and passionately political lyrics are perfectly suited to the theatre environment where each and every word can be heard and digested.

Mad respect to Jonzi D and UK DJ legend Pogo!

Check out Jonzi D’s myspace and his website.

That’s how we rrrrrrroll!!

KONFAB lit up London with his unique brand of conscious wordplay when he performed live at Deal Real Records just off Carnaby Street in the West End of London.

The in-store event was organised as a promo for EMC, a group comprising Wordsworth, Masta Ace, Punchline and Stricklin, who were in town as part of their European tour. We passed through to check out EMC and to drop off copies of Planetary Assault to one of Deal Real’s directors, Sef Khama.

Sef suggested we warm up the set for EMC and KONFAB duly obliged. KON hit the crowd with a couple of tracks before freaking out London heads with an acapella verse in seSotho. Props were duly given.

When it was EMC’s turn to do their thing, Wordsworth suggested a cipher. He invited any MCs in the shop to step up just for fun and rock 4 bars each…

Check out Hip Hop legend Masta Ace video taping the whole thing.

You know that’s how we rrrrroll!!

Pioneer Unit artist Ben Sharpa returned safely from Glastonbury where he rocked the BBC Introducing stage with his unique brand of conscious Hip Hop.

After a spot of bother with Her Majesty’s Immigration officials, Sharpa was allowed into the UK to do what he do best - rip mics.

The revellers that braved the foul weather were treated to a classic performance by Sharpa. He performed a variety of tracks from his forthcoming solo album B. Sharpa including ‘Into the Black’, ‘Hegemony’, ‘The Eye Seen’ and ‘Ason of Old’.

Check out Ben Sharpa on the BBC Glastonbury site

When Sharpa got back to South Africa he did an interview for Showbiz Report on Etv. Thanks to spo0ky for the photo!

You know that’s how we rrrrrrrroll!

That is how we rrrroll!

Flyer for the Big Dada / Ninja Tune night curated by Mary Anne Hobbs in London.

(click it to see bigger version, innit).

That’s how we rrrrroll!!

Just when we thought our trip to London couldn’t get any more exciting! The BBC will be launching a new stage at Glastonbury this year and we’re performing there!

24 acts will play on The BBC Introducing stage, which will feature artists nominated by