Hundreds of people embodied the punk spirit of resistance and freedom by supporting a Pro-Palestine fundraiser at the Zoo Lake Bowls Club last weekend.
In a unique and inspiring collaboration, the Joburg punk and metal scene teamed up with Gift of the Givers to host a live music event supporting Palestine on August 11, 2024.
Organized by Motel Studios alongside Gift of the Givers, the event featured a lineup of brazen and bold bands who are regulars in the punk music scene.
Run by Jesse Elk and Lucas Cowling, Motel Studios is a homegrown music studio founded by two established musicians.
“As young artists and musicians we [have] an opportunity to use our platforms for something positive and meaningful” the co-founders said.
Radio Islam helped them link up with Gift of the Givers, and together the two made magic. A table selling Palestine merch stood at the entrance, always attracting a crowd. At the ticket stand, custom ‘Free Palestine’ shirts sold out within a few hours, and attendees could already be seen wearing them.
On the lineup were four excellent bands: Zondo Commission, Buru Azeban, Lerato Orchestral Collective (LOC), and Sextape.
Lerato Orchestral Collective. Photo: Ruby DelahuntAttendee Kyle Cantrell. Photo: Ruby DelahuntPalestine merch on sale. Photo: Ruby Delahunt
The bands were excellent at keeping the audience focused on the serious purpose of the event, whilst also maintaining the punk spirit of anarchy and chaos. Lots of moshpits were formed, with punks pushing and shoving each other with glee.
One of the attendees, Kyle Cantrell, thought it was the perfect crossover. “Punks are the kindest, most passionate people I’ve come across”, they said. “We refuse to accept what is happening, and we will party and march and do anything and everything in our power to make a change”.
Even those outside of the punk scene who attended in solidarity with Palestine were impressed. Ameerah Nassiep noted that nearly all the other pro-Palestine events she had attended “were more catered to families”, but she was still enthusiastic about the event and its success.
Olivia Hawes, another newcomer to the scene, said “It was so fun to see a circle that I don’t have much interaction with”.
In many ways, the event was just as much about introducing the vibrant and creative music scene to a new audience as it was about showing solidarity with Palestine.
LOC was a personal highlight, largely for the lead vocalist’s sheer energy and upbeat spirit. The band got everyone clapping, stomping, headbanging and full-on moshing. For an event with such a solemn and grave purpose, everyone left with grins on their faces.
This was Motel Studios’ aim all along. Rather than feeling defeated and helpless in the face of the devastating war on Gaza, they wanted to focus on how “we are all capable of making a difference, even if it is small. We aren’t powerless or insignificant.” They were certainly proven right.
FEATURED IMAGE: People gathered at the Punks for Palestine event at the Zoo Lake Bowls Club. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
The recent revival of dance-pop and clubbing music is reminiscent of the 2010’s ‘recession pop’ era, recent social media buzz seems to suggest. Could this mean another economic recession is on the horizon?
Between 2008 and 2009, The Great Recession rocked the global economy, plunging millions into unemployment, poverty, and homelessness. The South African economy plummeted from a high growth rate of over 5% in 2007 to a negative growth rate of -1.5% in 2009.
Also between 2008 and 2009, songs like Flo Rida’s “Low”, Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance”, and The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” topped the billboard charts.
These songs which centered around going out, spending money, getting drunk, and generally forgetting about one’s woes, became known as recession pop.
The fast and hard beats, catchy hooks, and upbeat lyrics coloured this period of economic difficulty with a rosy shade of optimism.
Now in 2024, pop music is sounding a whole lot like it did in the late 2000s; from Charli XCX’s “365 party girl album”, Brat, to the return of wild- child Kesha on “Joyride”, to Chapell Roan, Camila Cabello, Kim Petras and countless others. Fun music to dance the night away to is back in a big way.
But does this return of recession pop signal a global economic recession around the corner?
The internet certainly seems to think so, and the facts do not necessarily contradict this idea.
Across the globe, and certainly here in South Africa, the cost of living is pushing many working and middle-class families to the brink. The South African economy only barely escaped a technical recession at the end of last year.
Elsewhere in the world, the situation is just as grim. The United States just hit its highest rate of homelessness since 2007, and the number of children living in poverty in Britain is almost 1 in 3.
Economists Harry Dent and David Rosenberg are concerned by how similar the stock market is looking to its pre-Great Recession state, and even predict a possible 2025 market crash.
So, it isn’t impossible to say this resurgence of pop-y, ‘dance-your-worries-away’ music is related to the flailing economy. What audiences want and what musicians release are interdependent phenomena, and if the people want to let loose and dance, the music will follow. It just remains to be seen whether a real recession will come along to cement this new wave as a real incidence of recession pop.
FEATURED IMAGE: Brat album by Charli XCX over a pile of bills. Photo: Ruby Delahunt.
People have been part of fandoms for years, finding a sense of community in shared interests. However, these ‘havens’ are not safe from public ridicule, and women know that best.
Screaming, cheering, and a little infighting all come with the territory of being a fan of anything. As someone who is part of both football and music fanbases, I have seen how patriarchy can make fandoms, especially on Twitter and other social media sites, hellish.
When people think of fandoms, the concept of ‘fangirling’ often comes to mind, conjuring images of hysterical women and massive crowds. These visuals can be accurate, but the hysterics and crowds are not exclusive to female fanbases and are a huge part of male fan culture too.
I come from a very big football loving family, with weekends spent watching Arsenal, Pirates, or Barcelona games, and I am no stranger to the highs and lows of football fan spaces. As a part of many online football spaces, I have seen the celebrations and conflicts that take place when teams win or lose and the vitriol that even players can face, and this is a much less discussed aspect of fan culture.
Football fandoms have historically been heavily male-dominated. The perception of men as reasonable and logical has managed to shield them from the criticism that has plagued women in more female-dominated fandoms like music and pop culture.
At the recent Copa America final, Argentina vs Colombia fans caused chaos by storming Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium before kick-off. Huge crowds of ticketless fans attempted to enter the stadium and had to be forcibly removed from the premises, while others climbed into the stadium’s vents to try to gain entry. These fans fought the police and destroyed the stadium’s escalators. This type of behaviour from sports fans is usually described as ‘passionate’ and ‘dedicated’ instead of ‘rabid’ and ‘crazy’ in the way female fans’ behaviours tend to be considered.
A perfect example is the perception of fans of the K-pop group, BTS, who are known for being committed to and protective over the group. As a member of this fandom, I have often seen the ridicule that fans face for collecting albums, or attending BTS events, with many being considered ‘shallow’ and ‘irrational’.
BTS has sold out stadiums like Wembley and the Rose Bowl and has never had issues with fans fighting or destroying property, instead, BTS fans tend to organise care packages and goodie bags for fellow fans whenever they attend these events, and they have even helped to clean up after shows. Despite this, only one of these groups is seen as ‘wild’ and it is not the sports fans.
These perceptions are just some of the many that position women’s interests and their enthusiasm as obsessive and childish while men are just viewed as excitable. To me, this indicates a bigger societal issue of misogyny, which reinforces gender stereotypes that harm women and validate men.
While these examples showcase the most extreme on either end, it is obvious that there may be obsessive female fans and more temperate male fans, which is exactly why it is important to avoid generalising these topics as this can easily spread harmful rhetoric.
Overall, many fan activities are similar across different fields: baseball fans collect player cards, and K-pop fans collect photocards. Basketball fans collect signed jerseys, and hip-hop fans collect signed albums. Football fans paint their faces, and pop fans wear costumes. I have seen women scream as Justin Bieber sang on stage and I have seen men cry as Messi scored a penalty which I think makes it safe to say that they all sit at the same table.
FEATURED IMAGE: A crowd of fans at the Hey Neighbour festival. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
Many traditions and cultures have subconsciously aided the wellbeing of one’s mind through music and sound.
A neurologist and music psychotherapist tackled the maze of the mind together on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the Wits Origins Centre through a mental wellness and brain health seminar on International Museum Day.
Human brains have a potential that is unfathomable, and whilst people think we only use 10% of our brains at a time, they are mistaken.
Most of our brain is being used most of the time, even while sleeping, and over 85 billion neurons in our brains are always firing some sort of signal.
However, with all this brain power comes the largest emotional intelligence amongst all mammals. This EQ of humans is the area studied by neurologist and brain health specialist, Dr Kirti Ranchod, and music psychotherapist, Nsamu Moonga.
Music psychotherapist, Nsamu Moonga, leading the audience through a series of musical workshops to release their inner voice and learn to trust in a collective conscious. Photo: Victoria HillDr Kirti Ranchod during her seminar at the Origins Centre, speaking about all things brain health and wellness. Photo: Victoria Hill
Music is all around us — at birthdays, funerals, weddings, political rallies — and each scene sounds very different from the next, which is a subconscious understanding, Dr Ranchod explained.
Dr Ranchod said music is linked to both memory and emotion. When a person hears a specific song, they relive a specific experience, which leads to them feeling a specific emotion.
This is the basis from which Moonga bases his therapy techniques. He explained how humans forget things as a survival technique yet create rituals to ensure they do not forget what is important — the earth rotating completely around the sun, a human life ending, a life of two people beginning for instance.
Yet, Dr Ranchod said how music is exceptionally personal where one type of tune will relax someone whilst it will trigger another. .
To pay homage to International Museum Day, Dr Ranchod spoke about the San Trance Dance which is one of the earliest rituals known to date that used music to bind a group together.
The Trance Dance is a permanent feature at the Origins Centre — which traces human life back nearly two million years — because it sees the beginning of humans living in communities and activating their energies to connect with the spirit world.
With sound, rhythm, movement, and dance used to alter reality, shift consciousness, and change perception, this was the start of music therapy in practice.
Museums document the history we all share and allows for the interception of the past, present, and future. They allow us to understand who we are, where we come from and are the physical pallbearers of memory.
FEATURED IMAGE: Modern-day rock art as appearing in the Origins Centre to showcase how the past is still very much in the present. Photo: Victoria Hill
The local punk, rock, and metal scenes are bursting with talent, and international artists are beginning to take notice.
The suburb of Melville in Johannesburg is always buzzing and lively on weekends, drawing crowds from all corners of the city. On Friday, May 17, 2024, Melville was overtaken by punks and metalheads in crust pants and spikes, all coming to see the coolest show of the weekend, headlined by Matrak Attakk.
Matrak Attakk is a self-described ‘anarcha-feminist crust band’ (translation: really cool), hailing from Europe, but they fit right in at Smoking Kills, a beloved dive bar that sits at the heart of the local underground music scene. For as long as the bar has been open, it has been hosting up-and-coming bands of the hardcore sort, giving them a space to be creative and an enthusiastic audience to perform for.
Matrak Attakk were joined on the lineup by some of the best bands the scene has to offer currently. Lefokolodi was one of these acts, and for good reason; they are a spectacular quartet and seeing them perform is a fully physical experience. Lefokolodi brings a crowd of strangers together instantly, screaming and moshing with such vibrant energy that the room overflows with it. Their lead vocalist, Lerato, oozes showmanship and flair with his breakdancing and crowd surfing; seeing them perform their latest single, “Disillusioned,” was a highlight of the night.
The crowd watching Lefokolodi.
Lerato performing for the audience.
The crowd at Smoking Kills on May 17, 2024.
If you’re not a fan of politics, then punk isn’t the genre for you, but on the day, likeminded individuals got to share their thoughts in a space that actively champions community and solidarity. Bands like Mean Girls embody this; they have given the profits from merch sales to solidarity organisations, played shows celebrating youth day in South Africa, and written songs about anti-imperialism and feminism. Their popularity in the scene shows how much their message resonates with young people, but also stems from their musical finesse and talent.
Matrak Attakk took to the stage just past midnight and were easily the loudest band of the night. Their lead vocalist, Cristina, has a ferocious and intimidating scream, but her speaking voice between songs was soft and kind. She profusely thanked the audience for being so receptive, and said the South African scene has a lot to teach the European punk community. Being able to tackle subjects like racism, imperialism and colonization is all part of this specific music scene, and South African punks do it phenomenally, she said.
Matrak Attakk headed up to Pretoria on Saturday evening to perform and came back down to Soweto for a show on Sunday. On the weekend of May 24 and 25, 2024, they will be performing in Cape Town and Stellenbosch. This tour shows just how widespread the love for punk is here, and just how eager international acts are to explore every corner of our burgeoning little scene. Though the underground scene is far from being a profitable giant like other South African music genres, it is fierce, raw, and real.
FEATURED IMAGE: Lead vocalist of Matrak Attakk, Cristina, performs at Smoking Kills. Photo: Ruby Delahunt
Have we overlooked the corpses left behind in this battle of the Hip-Hop Gods?
Conflict (or ‘beef’) is an inevitable product of Hip-Hop culture. In a genre where egoism, braggadocio and constant one-upping form an essential component of the rap identity, it is only natural that heads will clash from time to time.
After all, Hip-Hop is somewhat like a competitive sport where being in the top spot guarantees access to money, acclaim, and power. It is essentially a fight for a pedestal, and in this context the ongoing beef between Drake (Aubrey Graham) and Kendrick Lamar – two of the genre’s biggest names – is a heavyweight showdown for the crown of modern Hip-Hop.
The conflict began when Lamar featured on Future and Metro Boomin’s track ‘Like That’ where he laid his claim to the crown of hip-hop in the now viral line “motherf**k the big three, n***a it’s just big me” in reference to J. Cole labelling himself, Drake, and Lamar as the three biggest names in Hip-Hop on the track ‘First Person Shooter’.
Lamar’s feature quickly sparked rumours of possible tensions between himself and Drake. Since, the rumours have escalated into a full-on war of words between the two. On April 30, Lamar released a six-minute diss track ‘euphoria’ attacking Drake for appropriating black culture and being a neglectful father amidst a series of pointed insults.
As a Hip-Hop lover and Lamar fan, this diss track excited me. It was to me a masterful display of what a Hip-Hop beef is all about: using lyrical prowess to attack your enemy’s character. The creativity and wordplay used to insult Drake reminded me of why I fell in love with rap in the first place. But the developments since then have been disheartening and exposed the ugly truth behind Hip-Hop and the music industry at large.
Since ‘euphoria’, both have released further diss tracks aimed at one another. Whilst at first glance this should excite fans of Hip-Hop and lovers of scandal, one listen to any of the diss tracks on offer makes it abundantly clear that what’s at play is deeper than Hip-Hop or petty conflict.
Both parties have made serious allegations against one another. Drake has accused Lamar of domestic abuse and Lamar has accused Drake of paedophilia and associating with sex traffickers. While all allegations deserve exposure, the way it has been done is questionable.
Instead of acknowledging the gravity of the allegations, both seem to be using them to simply hurt each other. It appears as if accusations of serious crimes have been reduced to schoolyard insults.
In ‘Family Matters’ Drake says: “When you put your hands on your girl, is it self-defence ‘cause she bigger than you?”. While accusing Lamar of abuse, this is a mere set up for the punchline that Lamar is short. Furthermore, on ‘Not Like Us’ Lamar states: “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor”, using wordplay to refer to Drake’s alleged paedophilia.
Should matters as serious as woman and child abuse be reduced to punchlines and wordplay? It’s one thing to attack your competitor, but it’s completely different when other people have been potentially hurt by their actions, especially women and young girls. To have their potential trauma reduced to tools to attack your competitor appears selfish and insensitive, particularly in a genre notoriously accused of misogyny.
The important question is whether these alleged crimes have been exposed in the name of justice or vanity. Based on the lyrics on display, I would think the latter. It appears as if the ego essential to the rap identity has consumed the two to the point that they have become blind to the world around them – all they see is each other. And for artists as influential as Drake and Kendrick Lamar, undermining abuse and molestation sends a harmful message to their fanbase.
This beef is a warning to fans of music. We tend to mystify and glorify the artists we love. I have made the mistake of attaching a prophet’s status to Lamar. But this has showed that they are no less broken than we are – the only difference is that they have power and a platform.
As the audience, the question should no longer be about who is beating who in a petty beef. Rather, the question should be: are the allegations true or not and if so, will justice be delivered to the women and children affected?
In the ever-evolving music streaming landscape, how can listeners balance costs and morals when deciding on how to listen to their favourite artists?
Choosing a platform to listen to music in 2024 has been made difficult; not only by the abundance of options at audiences’ fingertips, but by also lingering concerns regarding fair compensation for artists’ work.
The growth of music streaming in the past decade has empowered artists to reach much larger audiences however, they have been short-changed when it comes to earning streaming royalties.
An example of a student study set-up, while music is being streamed in the background. Photo: Tristan Monzeglio
A common misconception about the royalties afforded to artists is that they are solely dependent on the number of streams a particular song generates. However, the royalties paid out to artists are determined by their streaming performance relative to the overall streaming revenue generated by a platform. This means that as platforms make more revenue, there is a “bigger royalties pie to share” for artists, but their individual success is not necessarily the main determining factor for the revenue they ultimately receive.
Royalty rates also change based on different countries’ “own set of payout rates”. This is due to the difference in subscription prices offered in countries across the world. For example, in America, a Spotify Student subscription costs $5.99 (R112.28) per month, while in South Africa the same student subscription costs R34.99 per month.
Many streaming platforms offer various tiers with differing price points, respectively. However, this means if you listen to the same song on a Spotify Student plan, by virtue of its lower subscription price, an artist will make less money from your stream than from a Spotify Premium subscriber.
This can pose a dilemma, especially for university students who want to best support the artists they care about, but may not be able or willing to pay a higher price for essentially the same product.
According to VIRPP, as of 2023, Tidal offers the highest average royalty rate for artists at R0.24 (as of May 3, 2024, 1 USD equals 18.54 ZAR) per stream, followed by Apple Music at R0.15 per stream. On the other hand, Spotify at R0.059 and YouTube Music at R0.037 per stream, a fraction of what Apple Music offers.
Streaming Platform
Average Payout per Stream
Tidal
$0.01284 (R0.24)
Apple Music
$0.008 (R0.15)
Amazon Music
$0.00402 (R0.074)
Spotify
$0.00318 (R0.059)
YouTube Music
$0.002 (R0.037)
Pandora
$0.00133 (R0.025)
Deezer
$0.0011 (R0.020)
Figure 1: A table comparing how much major streaming platforms pay artists per listen, adapted from VIRPP to include rand values.
Average royalty rates calculations such as these are generally accepted as accurate, but they are merely estimates and not wholly accurate representations for every platform or artist. In addition, as these companies are driven by profits, there is a tendency to promote artists that are already successful, while disincentivising those trying to make a name for themselves.
One could also argue that larger platforms compensate artists for their relatively low royalty rate by offering a larger user-base and untapped audience. However, much of their discoverability, is tied to curated playlists, based on a collected user data and algorithms. This still promotes selected artists and makes it more difficult for new artists to develop organically.
Some artists choose to circumvent larger streaming services altogether. For example, Cindy Lee’s Diamond Jubilee – a critically acclaimed psychedelic pop album released this year – is only available for free on the band’s official website and can only be streamed on YouTube.
Figure 2: Cindy Lee’s Diamond Jubilee album cover.
However, the band is requesting $30 CAD (R405,71) donations for those wishing to show their support.
As a Spotify user, I feel conflicted. My personal experience using the app has been mostly positive, and I have created various playlists and discovered thousands of songs and artists I love. However, every time I open the app, part of me can’t let go of the fact that I am contributing more to the bottom-line of a large company than to the artists I listen to.
I feel it is only fair as a music consumer to pay artists what they deserve for delivering us their musical products, which – in many cases – can transcend their form as mere pieces of art into impactful feelings and memories that help us narrate our lives.
That is why I feel it is important to learn about the streaming platforms so we can make informed choices that align with our differing views and values.
For individuals wishing to support artists they care about most effectively, more direct avenues for purchasing might be preferable. For example, on platforms like Bandcamp that allow artists to self-publish and set their own prices may be the most ethical way to support artists. For buying digital copies of music, audiences also have the option to use iTunes for a more diverse catalogue.
Music-lovers united to watch a jazz trio groove up the stage at Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall.
The stage was adorned with a gorgeous baby grand piano, a bronze trumpet, and a larger-than-life cello, all waiting to play a tune. The music hall was designed with acoustic architecture and welcoming colours added to the ambience. The stage was awaiting South African trumpet legend, Sydney Mavundla, who was accompanied by Africa Mkhize on keys and Dalisu Ndlazi on strings, to debut his single, Dirge for our fathers.
The stage is set with a grand piano, a shiny trumpet, and an impressive cello. Photo: Victoria Hill
Mavundla “hated the beginning” of his music career, and it took him “quite some time to get into it”. He told Wits Vuvuzela how he “used to come home, drop [his] school bag, and run [away] before [his] dad comes, because if he gets here, it’s ‘let’s go to the trumpet’”. His father was a colonel with the Salvation Army and encouraged Mavundla to join their band.
It was around the age of 14 years, when he began to love the brass instrument. Interestingly, he had auditioned for Wits and got rejected, but soon found a home at the University of Natal, studying under prestigious musicians and creating unique pieces he went on to perform all over the world.
From left to right, Africa Mkhize, Sydney Mavundla, and Dalisu Ndlazi, take a final bow to close their jazz performance. Photo: Victoria HillThe trio in their element, performing a composition called Dirge For Our Fathers. Photo: Victoria Hill
Silence fell over the audience as they waited in anticipation for the first note to sound. The three men looked in their element, waiting for each other’s cues and then, suddenly, a symphony hit everyone’s ears. The audience become one, each in their own bubble interpreting the music as they pleased — an old-school pipe-smoker, a young head-bopper, and a curious foot-tapper.
The first song of the evening paid homage to the time of covid-19 lockdown, when all social circles were broken. The tune was melancholic, with a slow blending of piano, trumpet, and cello sounds. Each musician had a solo which drove home the idea of isolation, yet finding the beauty within it. Now that society has returned to normal, Mavundla says the places available for jazz musicians to share their music is limited, so even though one has music, there is no one for whom to play it.
The next composition was an ode to his daughter, the song recreated her happy and lively nature. The music consisted of high-and-low points and soft-and-loud blends. The three gentlemen were living in the moment, dancing to their own music and smiling at each other whilst performing. The feeling was contagious throughout the audience, with many “whoops” and “yes’s” echoing around the hall.
Contrasting this energy was a composition referring back to Mavundlas’s roots. It was whole-heartedly melancholic, with a contagious silence falling amongst the audience. A general emotion of lost-yet-found was tangible. But, as they transitioned into their next melody, everything gained momentum again, resulting in a sound that has “everything to do with happiness”. The three musicians were sweating at this point — they were playing their instruments with their full bodies and encouraged the audience to feel the beat through their whole bodies too.
Dalisu Ndlazi can be seen emerged in his cello solo, physically exerting his mind, body, and soul. Photo: Victoria Hill
The climax of the evening was when the trio played Dirge for Our Fathers, “paying tribute to all the people who have paved the way for us”. It doubles as a reference to African culture and the importance of the ancestors in life. Mavundla sings “may your soul rest in peace, know that you are so loved, tell all the others the same”. This drove people in the audience to sing and dance their hearts out.
FEATURED IMAGE: Sydney Mavundla on stage performing songs of his own composition. Photo: Victoria Hill
The spirit of Hip-Hop was on full display at the Red Bull event, through competitive breakdancing and headlining performances from A-Reece and Priddy Ugly.
The Red Bull BC One competition, which took place on March 23, 2024 at TMF Studios in Braamfontein saw scores of people gather to give the art of breakdancing its flowers.
The competition is a Red Bull initiative, intended to shine a light on South Africa’s breakdancing culture and provide a platform for professional breakdancers (known as B-Boys/Girls) to demonstrate their creativity and talent through competition.
A B-Boy performs before judges. Photo: Kabir Jugram
This was certainly the case for Joony Roc from Johannesburg South, a passionate B-Boy, who has been working on his craft for over 10 years. Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela after performing to the sound of deafening speakers and roaring applause from a jam-packed audience, he said: “Seeing the turnout tonight and some of the faces that are here… I’m happy. It feels like the culture is being sparked again and people are starting to pay attention to breaking because breaking is one of the original elements of Hip-Hop.”
While the event gave exposure to an unsung art form, it also paid homage to an iconic one: Hip-Hop. With the likes of A-Reece and Priddy Ugly headlining the event, hundreds of young artists and hip-hop lovers were seen filling up the stands.
As A-Reece quietly emerged from the crowd to perform, cheers only grew louder the closer he got to the stage. This excitement would soon build into a hysteria of moshing bodies, strained voices and enchanted minds as the crowd was reciting A-Reece’s verses bar for bar throughout his performance.
A-Reece performing to a packed crowd. Footage: Kabir Jugram
The spirit of hip-hop had people enchanted. An up-and-coming artist named ‘OG Wanton’ summed this up neatly, “Without Hip-Hop I’d be lost. It gave me a safe space to create, write and express how I feel… Without that in life, I wouldn’t be who I am right now”. His collaborator ‘Pxzess’ added: “It (Hip-Hop) puts us (the youth) in a position of being something bigger than us as individuals. Hip Hop is a movement, not a genre.”
Rapper and headliner artist, Priddy Ugly told Wits Vuvuzela that hip-hop played a pivotal role in his life and development: “Hip-hop culture raised me. I wouldn’t be here without it. Hip-hop taught me to believe in myself, taught me confidence… it taught me my language!”
Priddy Ugly headlined the Red Bull One Event on Saturday. Photo: Kabir Jugram
In an age where Amapiano has become a global phenomenon and artists like Tyla and Black Coffee have achieved global acclaim, hip-hop has fallen by the wayside in terms of its mainstream appeal. However, it is events such as this that remind us that while the culture has been neglected in recent times, it has certainly not lost its relevance or importance.
The event united people around their common love for a genre that grew them, moulded their identities and taught them self-expression. Not only was this event an exhibition of a growing breakdance culture, but it also served as a timely reminder of the importance of hip-hop to the lives of many South African youths.
FEATURED IMAGE: A-Reece engages the crowd at the Red Bull One event. Photo: Kabir Jugram.
Powerful African rhythms and poignant reflections on post-apartheid complexities.
Bokani Dyer performing one of Vuma Levin’s movements titled, Chaphela. Photo by: Ayanda Mgwenya
Renowned jazz artists, Vuma Levin and Benjamin Jephta, took to the Chris Seabrooke Music Hall stage, on July 29, 2023, for a combined album launch called The Narratives.
Jephta is a bassist and composer and has performed with prominent international artists like Dianne Reeves and Terri-lyne Carrington.
Levin is a jazz studies lecturer while Jephta lectures in both jazz and film music.
Renowned jazz maestros, such as Sisionke Xonti (saxophonist), Bokani Dyer (pianist), Tlale Makhene (percussionist), and Jonno Sweetman (drummer), performed alongside the two during the launch.
The evening was divided into two sets. Levin kicked off the night with tracks from his fifth album, The Past is Unpredictable, Only the Future is Certain, performing 2/3 parts of the album: The first one titled The Past is Unpredictable with movements Gijima and Chaphela and the second one titled Prayers Made From Grass with Homily and Rites.
Led by Tlale’s poetic chants and Xonti’s melodious sounds, an African rhythmic experience was created. The inclusion of African instruments like the udu ceramic drum, cymbals, chimes, ankle rattles, and triangles added a distinct African essence.
Levin said, “The album blends indigenous and western musical instruments, making it a unique and special representation of Pan Africanism in music.”
Following a short intermission, the spotlight shifted to Jephta’s set, performing hisBorn Coloured, not Born-Free album, Jephta’s compositions delve into the complexities of race in South Africa. The music encapsulated his personal experiences as a coloured male in post-Apartheid South Africa.
Jephta’s set featured soulful tracks like An Incomplete Transition and Gadija (part 1), a heartfelt tribute to his grandmother. The bass-driven Ben-Dhlamini Stomp earned him a standing ovation. Closing the show, Jephta’s last two movements, Acceptance/metamorphosis and Resurgence, delighted the crowd with its infectious rhythm and captivating melody, leaving them singing and bobbing along.
Speaking about the two musicians, Wits Music lecturer, Dr Peter Cartwright said, “They are both new in the permanent staff… so it’s a way to welcome them, you know, with their first public concert.”
Elliot Rogers, third year music student said, “Benjamin Jephta is my lecturer for ensemble, and I do guitar [classes] with Vuma Levin; and seeing this concert where their music is coming together is a beautiful sight, looking at it from a [scholastic] lens.”
The Narratives concert got the audience singing and clapping throughout, the multiple standing ovations received on the night spoke to the pair’s expansive talents.
FEATUREDIMAGE: Benjamin Jephta performing his bass-driven composition, Ben-Dhlamini Stomp, at the Chris Seabrooke Music Hall. Photo by: Ayanda Mgwenya
Jazz musician dazzles music lovers with an acoustic concert
Multifaceted South African musician, Gabi Motuba debuted her new project, The Sabbath in a concert held at Wits Chris Seabrooke music hall on Saturday, May 6.
Motuba is a Johannesburg-based vocalist, composer and music facilitator whose music is centred around world politics, black studies, religion and genre studies. She released her first album, Sanctum Sanctorium in 2016 and Tefiti Goddess of Creation in 2019.
In the project, released on June 28, 2022, Motuba shifted her focus to talk about her experience with grief; as her father lost his battle against Covid-19, during the pandemic. As a result, the project consists of five lamentation songs that would leave any listener in a state of melancholy. Motuba told Wits Vuvuzela that: “The project is largely a very reflective work for me in terms of moving from trauma into grief and into the pursuit of restoration”.
Wits music alumni, Tembinkosi Mavimbela, who played double bass during the performance said that in The Sabbath, Motuba showed immense vulnerability. He described her performance as a form of supplication to a higher power. “Her performance was a prayer indeed; it takes courage to be vulnerable on stage and we shouldn’t look at a Sabbath in one direction because we approach prayer in different ways.”
Thembinkosi Mavimbela interacting with friends and fans after the concert. Photo: Sfundo Parakozov
What added to her performance was the concert took place at the state-of-the-art music hall . The venue is the only space in the city that is exclusively designed to optimize live musical sound with modern acoustic design. This added to Motuba’s exceptional vocal range.
Wits art student, Rethabile Zilila said that she was surprised at how audible everything was but appreciated the spacious nature of the hall.
Motuba explained that as a composure, mostly working with string instruments, she chose the venue because she knew the acoustics of the room will produce a beautiful sound.
The attendees’ sight senses were also activated. While Motuba was performing, there was a background theme inspired by nature on display.
Wits Fine Arts lecturer, Zen Marie, who was in charge of the displays said he sets up the landscape in response to the music.
This was evident as he displayed dark clouds as she was performing a track titled, Nabu Lobosuku , which means here’s the night. This exuded a dimmer and sombre atmosphere with the mood in the room quietening down as everybody was enthralled by her voice.
The final part of the performance had a much lighter and brighter landscape, consisting of clear skies, which was an important moment showing the transition from grief to freedom. One could clearly feel the biblical reference as she sang the last track on the album, Amen, meaning the end.
The hour-long concert was attended by the likes of Thandiswa Mazwai and former head of the Wits School of Arts Professor Brett Pyper.
Rethabile Zilila and Thandiswa Mazwai posing for a picture. Photo: Sfundo Parakozov
FEATURED IMAGE:Gabi Motuba thanking her audiences after her performance. Photo: Sfundo Parakozov
A fantastic performance riddled with anecdotal but relatable scenes, tied together with beautiful music, making it a must watch for theatre lovers.
Wits University School of Arts lecturer, Fiona Ramsay and pianist Tony Bentel perform at the Iyabuya iPOPArt festival to showcase their talents and successful careers with over 35 years in the South African entertainment industry.
The talents of Ramsay and Bentel’s Old and the Beautiful, helped wrap up the festival as the final act on March 30 and 31, 2023, at the Red Roof Theatre in Milpark. The festival had a three month run from January 2023, with performances from a range of artists at various venues.
Wits School of Arts lecturer, Fiona Ramsay and pianist Tony Bentel smiling and posing for the camera on stage with a spotlight lighting up their faces before their Old and Beautiful performance at the AFDA Red Roof Theatre in Milpark during the Iyabuya Festival on March 31, 2023. Photo: Georgia Cartwright
The show opened with a spotlight centered on Ramsay surrounded by props of head statues bejeweled with fancy gems indicating wealth, with Bentel playing an upbeat tune. The pair then moved quickly into the next scene with jokes about how covid-19 gave people the ability to hide their identities because of the thousands of masks that were purchased, a joke received with loud, unmasked guffaws.
Ramsay and Bentel put on a show filled with humorous anecdotes related to the covid-19 pandemic, unemployment, loadshedding, gender inequality, and the unavoidable fact of getting old. The dynamic duo made reference to the well-known works of Marianne Faithfull and singing “Maybe this time” in their reenactment of the Broadway show Cabaret.
Each scene in the performance draws upon different issues people face in South Africa while adding a witty twist to create the ultimate form of escapism. The show begins with, “Who doesn’t want to be rich,” a song about struggles artists face when looking for work and the reality of unemployment in the arts industry. The stage props help set each scene with props of clown noses worn by Ramsay and Bentel to indicate that the real jokes are themselves for believing they could have successful careers in the arts but that their optimism, along with a little dope, helps them cope.
While the show deals with dull, often depressing topics, it also manages to make light of these issues through a satirical lens. When asked for their thoughts by Wits Vuvuzela, one audience member called it, “depressingly humorous”. Ramsay brings unique characters to life, such as Denise from an old age home in Welkom, who is staring “death” in the face while reliving her memories. The soundtrack to this is a mix of dramatic and calm classical music played by Bentel, which perfectly scores the emotional scenes as they unfold.
The stage is set with props and rugs from Bentel’s lounge, the stage of the pair’s first performance together eight years ago. Ramsay describes their act as a “satirical look on the madness of life,” and says that “if you don’t laugh, you get too stiff and serious but if you laugh, you are able to escape a little and move forward.”
The lighting changes for each scene and seems to reflect the emotions felt in every act – blue for the sadness and loneliness felt when getting old and red for the frustration brought on by loadshedding and potholes. Each scene tells a story of its own while adding the razzle dazzle qualities associated with theatre, a truly spectacular experience.
When asking the event organiser, Hayleigh Evans said the show exceeded her expectations, and going forward she hopes, “[Having] a live and consistent, permanent program where performers can thrive”, will bring people together.
Ramsay and Bentel are currently both working on projects of their own but plan on having many more magical performances together in the future.
FEATURED IMAGE: Wits School of Arts lecturer Fiona Ramsay singing during her performance of the Old and Beautiful at AFDA’s Red Roof Theatre in Milpark during the Iyabuya Festival on March 31. Photo: Georgia Cartwright
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