Pioneer Unit was invited to take part in the ‘After Dark‘ sessions at the SAE Institute on Wednesday. As Ben Sharpa was in town rehearsing for his forthcoming European tour with Pure Solid, we decided it would be a good opportunity to get him involved. Hipe supplied a banger and Ben took care of business, dropping verses on the subject of ‘fallen heroes’.

The SAE students filmed the whole session as well as interviews with Ben, Hipe and Dplanet.

We ran a competition to join us at the recording session. The winner, Mahluli Mngadi Jr, chilled with us while we took care of business. Shout out to him.

Shout out to Trenton Birch, Itamar Weiss, Jerome Overmeyer and all the SAE students for making it happen.

Ben, Hipe and Mahluli

Hipe prepares for his interview

Itamar at the controls

Ben in the booth

Neve desk

Lethal combination

Ben and Hipe with Mahluli

Sharpa dropping science

Group shot

Keep following us for information about how to get hold of the track.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Driemanskap will be doing two special Joburg editions of their highly successful event, ‘The Jukebox Sessions’. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see Cape Town’s spaza sensations in your hood.

The line-up also includes Kanyi (Ingoma), Sbo Da Poet (Zone 14), Siya Shezi, Kay E (Bona Re Etsang), iFani (Ewe), Kweriez, F-Ezzy, Chillimane, Ma-B (Don’t Doubt Me), Natural Style and many more.

There are two shows…

4th May
Chaf Pozi
Soweto
Damage: R40

5th May
Club Illusions
Vanderbijl Park
Damage: R40

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrrroll!!

Three of Pioneer Unit’s finest will be throwing down at the SAE ‘After Dark’ session this coming Wednesday 11th April. Ben Sharpa, Jaak and Ma-B (Driemanskap) will be joined by Kanyi – who you will know from her verse on Driemanskap’s, ‘S’phum’eGugs’, and her own debut video single, ‘Ingoma’. Pioneer Unit’s own super producer Hipe will also be in attendance to make sure everyone does justice to his beat.

The SAE Institute is the largest provider of creative media education in the world. They hold monthly events where they invite prolific artists from the industry into their studios to record a track of their choice. The sessions are recorded in their spectacular live room via their Neve Genesys hybrid console by artist/engineer and former SAE student, Itamar Weiss. The sessions are filmed and photographed by their Film Department students.

WIN!

2 people can win a chance to hang out with Pioneer Unit as we record a track for this After Dark session.

Entering is simple:
1. Go to our Facebook page (and ‘like’ it if you have not done so already)
2. Post on our wall why we should choose you to attend
3. We choose our favourite 2 answers.

Please make sure you are available to come to central Cape Town on Wednesday evening.

Hopefully we’ll see you soon. Good luck!

That’s how we rrrrrrrrroll!!

A lot of people on Twitter and Facebook have been asking, ‘where’s Ben Sharpa at?’. It’s been 4 years since the release of his critically acclaimed first album, ‘B. Sharpa’, so it’s a fair question. However, it would be a mistake to think that Ben has been taking it easy, or gone into early retirement. Far from it…

The last few years have seen Ben hitting the festival circuit in Europe, performing at prestigious events such as Dour (BEL), Fête de la Musique (FR), Paleo (CH), Extrema (NL), Printemps de Bourges (FR), Batou Fou (Reunion), BASS Festival (British Arts and Street Sounds) (UK), 4 Elements Festival (AUS), Electron (CH), Sziget (HUN), and Rio Loco (FR).

During his time on tour Ben has also worked on a number of collaborations including features with Thavius Beck (US), Copywrite (US), Foreign Beggars (UK), DJ Rhettmatic (US), Wordsworth (US), K-the-I??? (US), John Robinson (US), Siete Neuve (PR), Hi-Tone (FR), DJ Cadik (HU), Grosso Gadgetto (FR), IDEM (FR), Maxine Delporte (FR), Wapi-Wap (FR), Niveau Zero (FR), R-Zatz (FR), Oddateee (US), Blurum 13 (FR), Drum Master D-Kay (RUS), Walter Gross (US), Picore (FR), DTL (FR), Mode9 (NIG), Milanese (UK), Trenton and the Free Radicals (RSA), Tumi (RSA), DJ Oyo (IT) and DJ Kostia (FR).

And this brings us to the present… Ben is about to drop his second album, ’4th Density Light Show’ (4DLS), which is a collaboration with Pure Solid, an audio visual production duo comprised of Dplanet (audio) and spo0ky (visuals).

Drawing heavily on his own experience, and against the backdrop of the 2012 phenomenon – where some believe that humankind will undergo a positive physical or spiritual transformation – Ben Sharpa has created a body of work that challenges the listener to transform their own lives using the power of positive thought and action. The album is set to drop on Jarring Effects in late May, 2012. Watch this space!

Check out the video for the first single, ‘Heroes’, which was shot on location in Cederberg Wilderness and Cape Town by spo0ky…

Check out the European tour dates

That’s how we rrrrrrroll!!

As we previously mentioned, Ben Sharpa is due to release his second full length solo album on May 21st through French label, Jarring Effects. The project is called 4th Density Light Show or 4DLS for short – it sees him collaborate with audio visual electro-dub crew Pure Solid, both in studio and live.

Ben Sharpa and Pure Solid will be in studio rehearsing for the next 2 weeks before heading off to Europe to start their promotional tour. Some highlights of the tour include opening for Roots Manuva (Tourcoing, Nancy and Mulhouse), Filastine (Bordeaux), Dope D.O.D. (Grenoble, Limoges), Aucan (Neuchatel) and Designer Drugs and Porter Robinson (Paris).

Be sure to follow them on Twitter for behind the scenes photos of life on tour:
@BenSharpa / @Pure_Solid

Confirmed Tour Dates:

Mon 23rd April, 2012
w/ Roots Manuva
Le Grand Mix
Tourcoing, France

Tues 24th April, 2012
Magasin 4
Brussels, Belgium

Wed 25th April, 2012
w/ Roots Manuva
L’autre Canal
Nancy, France

Thur 26th April, 2012
w/ Roots Manuva
Le Noumatrouff
Mulhouse, France

Fri 27th April, 2012
Festival ind’Hip-Hop w/ Enigmatik, Trainspotters & Zajaza
Le Molodoi
Strasbourg, France

Mon 30th April, 2012
Desi
Nuremberg, Germany

Wed 2nd May, 2012
w/ Nengato
Raymond Bar
Clermont-Ferrand, France

Thurs 3rd May, 2012
Marché Gare
Lyon, France

Fri 4th May, 2012
Queen’s Festival w/ Aucan
La Case a Chocs
Neuchatel, Switzerland

Sat 5th May, 2012
L’embobineuse
Marseille, France

Tues 15th May, 2012
w/ Dope D.O.D.
EVE
Grenoble, France

Wed 16th May, 2012
w/ Filastine
I.Boat
Bordeaux, France

Thurs 17th May, 2012
w/ Porter Robinson & Designer Drugs
Le Nouveau Casino
Paris, France

Fri 18th May, 2012
w/ Dope D.O.D.
La Fourmi
Limoges, France

Thurs 31st May, 2012
IOMMA Festival
Réunion Island

Check our Live Shows page for more details.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Driemanskap premiered their latest video, Ivamna (Love Potion), on SABC’s LIVE on Friday 30th March. As always, Twitter went crazy as soon as it was shown.

The video, which was directed by Ari Kruger from Sketchbook Studios and spo0ky, shows Driemanskap’s softer side with a song dedicated to the special women in their lives. Planet Earth sets the tone with his easy, laid-back production.

Ivamna is the fourth and final video from Driemanskap’s highly-acclaimed debut album, Igqabhukil’ Inyongo. The Gugulethu-based crew are currently in the final stages of production for their second album, Hlala Nam, which is expected to drop towards the end of 2012.

Check it out…

Click here for behind the scenes with Driemanskap at the Ivamna video shoot.

To celebrate the release of the video, Driemanskap have made Ivamna available as a free MP3 download…

Click here if you prefer downloading from Twitmusic

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrrroll!!

Driemanskap’s Ma-B just dropped this free-download banger on Pioneer Unit’s Soundcloud entitled “Don’t Doubt Me”. The brand new track produced by Hipe sees Ma-B follow up his recent single, “Make A Move”, where he dropped bombs on swagger emcees and challenged underground rappers to stop complaining and make a move. Naturally a few rappers caught feelings.

On “Don’t Doubt Me”, Ma-B demonstrates why he’s currently one of the hottest emcees in South Africa right now with a vicious flow and hard hitting lyrics. Enjoy…

Also, check out “Make a Move” if you don’t have it already…

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrrrroll!!

Ben Sharpa is due to release his second full length solo album in May through French label, Jarring Effects. The project is called 4th Density Light Show or 4DLS for short – it sees him collaborate with audio visual electro-dub crew Pure Solid, both in studio and live. Check out the album artwork…

Ben Sharpa and Pure Solid kick off their first international tour together by opening for Roots Manuva in Tourcoing (France) on 23rd April. The final date is at IOMMA Festival in Reunion Island on 30th May. Stay tuned for full tour details.

Before the release of 4DLS, Ben Sharpa will be dropping an 8 track EP called The Transition. It features John Robinson, Siete Nueve, Gin-i Grindith, Snazz the Dictator, Ootz tha Afronaut and Tebz. Production by Beatology, Hipe, Kanife and Dplanet.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrroll!!

We had a great weekend shooting the video for Driemanskap’s romantic summer anthem, Ivamna (Love Potion). For this shoot we were joined by Cape Town-based filmmaker, Ari Kruger, who runs Sketchbook Studios. Ari shot and co-directed the video with spo0ky – a great combination. We were also joined by a gang of beautiful and talented ladies who performed the roles of Driemanskap’s romantic partners.

Ivamna has been getting major airplay recently and, judging by the fans’ comments on Facebook and Twitter, it was the most popular choice for Driemanskap’s fourth video from their debut album, Igqabhukil’ Inyongo.

For day one of the two day shoot we were on location in Gugulethu. For the second day we moved to town and shot at The Company’s Garden and the beautiful waterfall at Deer Park. Two perfect locations for romance.

As always, shout out to Driemanskap Family, Butan Wear and Deep Settle Movement. Massive thanks also goes out to our stylist, Nande Njanya, who made the ladies look even more beautiful.

Check out some behind the scenes photos…

El Nino gets romantic

Biker Dla with his girl

Dla’s wife

Dla with his wife and baby

Ari Kruger and spo0ky getting the shot

Hair and makeup

El Nino gets a trim at the barber shop

Ari shoots Dla going for a romantic walk

Caution! El Nino and the ladies

Ma-B and his beautiful (video) wifey

El Nino performing his verse at the waterfall

Ari shooting the picnic scene

Planet Earth and his entourage

Click here for the full set of photos (47) on Flickr

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrrrroll!!

Driemanskap and Planet Earth tore the house down at a special live broadcast of SABC1′s primetime music show Live in Cape Town last Friday. We shot this video ‘backstage’ in the VIP section of Trinity, where this special edition of the show was broadcast from. The sound quality isn’t great, but Driemanskap’s energy as they performed a medley of their tracks, is unmistakeable.

The show’s producer told us that there was an estimated 4-5 million viewers for this broadcast. Crazy!

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!