EloHIP Poetry Based Session

EloHIP was at it again (Heart, Ink and Paper – Art Beyond Limit). The session was hosted by Zealot and Onela, just adjacent to Mabhabhela Fruit & Verge Stall (opposite Makhaza Centre and Desmond Mpilo Tutu Hall) on Saturday, November 30. The session was beset by technical problems earlier whereby the sound did not generate the quality output. As soon as the problem got remedied, the laptop’s monitor couldn’t display songs from inserted discs. The organizer’s opted on bringing the desktop personal computer. That whole process delayed the commencement of the session.

Eventually, the session commenced just after 16:00 PM. The consciousness in art was regurgitated on the microphone by the likes of Zealot, Onela, Master P, Elle, Jah Fire, Broken English, Spider, Divine, M’Zet, Thobile, Sapta and Sarhili. To me, Broken English is the radical Pan-Afrikanist . That hip hop head was walking barefooted and I could see that he did not care what someone else thinks or say about him. He reminded me that our forebears used to walk barefooted before we could have shoe brands.

The highlight of the session was Spider’s performance when he was performing his song “Ihule le ndoda.” The song is challenging the myth that a man has to be promiscuous to be a real man. That song needs to be given airplays in all the radio stations countrywide. On the real, most men couldn’t build wealth for themselves and their families due to bribing and buying love from different women. That phenomenon had been going on for decades and it needs to be addressed. Spider did exactly likewise on that song. I captured Spider’s performance and here is the link: http://youtu.be/RWrDygNTjpI

The EloHIP Session shall recess for the whole of December. The session shall resume at the end of January 2014. For further information, visit this page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/182286005172053/

Hereunder are some of the session pics, courtesy of Amalahle Ashushu

Silver Shaka >> ONE OF CAPE TOWN'S HIDDEN TALENT

Reggae music is one of those music genres that don’t get much attention and in many instances; this genre is rejected like a bubonic plague by the masses. That is fully comprehensible if one cares to consider the deep consciousness and spirituality within this majestic music genre. That can always create boredom and utter disgust to people who undermine and underestimate the wealth of their own wisdom. This music genre has produced many legends and unsung warriors. And round-a-bout now, I’m about to present one of the unsung talented musos that Cape Town has under her belly. And that is non other than Silver Shaka.

Silver Shaka (birth name Thulani Mjoli) is a reggae and dancehall artist, born and bred in Gugulethu. He is the good vocalist that grew up in a musical family. He had been an artist since pre-school. Along the way he partook in girl’s choir, boy’s choir, junior choir, senior choir et cet-era. He grew up singing with live band in public places such as Marcus Garvey (Philippi), Peter Tosh Hall (Site C), Nyanga East Terminus and at some point they performed in King William’s Town.

Due to the growth of the artist in him and the artistic need in him to shine, he bought himself a personal computer and started recording in his room with his friends. They used to hustle in dancehall sessions, selling cassette records they recorded on their sound system until they got to record on CD. They relied on Bush Radio, Radio Zibonele, UCT Radio, Radio 2000, Umhlobo Wenene FM, Taxi Radio et cet-era for promotion. They had been receiving a massive support from people around them and according to him, their families had been assisting them in every step of the way. He has worked with Shiloh Ites – a Sweden based recording label. His song “Never Give Up” was released on Zimbabwean Compilation alongside Daddy Spencer.

Silver Shaka was inspired by many groups such as Ghetto Muffin, Boom Shaka to name few. With the help of different producers, he managed to get his music on record.  He released his first album titled “Nah Bow Records” in December 2010. He featured Ginjah Cobra (Vumile Sitokisi). According to him, the album made headlines in the reggae scenes. He released his second album titled “Tow2Tow” which also featured Ginjah Cobra (Vumile Sitokisi) in March 2013 with the help of Red Bull Studios, VNG Sony, Hemporium and others. Both albums were released under his record label Nah Bow Records which he started in 1999.

He said his mission is to build the label and make it a success so he could open doors for other ghetto youth who possess a vision for peace and justice. I asked him why he calls himself Silver Shaka and he answered: “Silver represents the shining stars above and even water. It’s like the spear of the nation or should I say Umkhonto Wesizwe? Shaka is the glorification of our legendary King Shaka Zulu.”

He had shared the stage with likes of Ntando Bangani, Teba Shumba, Spencer from Tribe, his cousin Black Dillinger, Zulu Boy, Nkuli Dube, Jah Mason, Ringo Madlingozi, Tony Rebel, Queen Afrika, Tabulance, Rudimentals, Sizzla, Capleton, Sons of Azania, Rockstone Band, Thandiswa Mazwai, Gang of Instrumental, Bunny Wailer and many more.

You can catch Silver Shaka on Facebook.


Written by

Amalahle Ashushu

Ndiyabulela

2lee the Female Emcee

Thulisile Ntombela also known as 2lee or Mantombela (Injakazi Yasekasi) is the female emcee from Alexandra Township which forms part of Johannesburg, close to the wealthy suburb of Sandton and is bounded by Wynberg on the west, Marlboro and Kelvin on the north, Lombardy West and Lombardy East on the south. She is just a humble youth who loves hip hop. According to her, the rap music helps her to express herself. She was introduced to hip hop by his brother Mandla who used to bump the likes of Wu-Tang Clan, KRS ONE and other real emcees. Unfortunately, his brother moved out of their home in 1999 and left with all his collection, but that did not bother 2lee that much even though she felt that something was missing. She would watch TV or listen to radio. 

She then joined a gymnastic course at Thusong Youth Centre which reconnected her to her brother who was also in the same course. According to 2lee, there was a bloke by the name Pule who also loved rap music. He used to bring a small CD player to the training session. She then had an opportunity to listen to rap music for a period spanning two hours a day, five days a week. After a little while, her gymnastic coach stopped her from training sessions due to her sequential late coming hence she had to do couple of domestic tasks at home when it was her turn to do those tasks. She was banned from training sessions for a period spanning four months. 

She then had to find something to do after school. Eventually, she joined a female soccer team called “The Girls” where she played soccer for a period of three years.  When she was a novice at Kwa-Bhekilanga High School, there was a call up for students who would like to partake in a school drama festival. She wasted no time and jumped in. The drama school was directed by Bongani Ngumede (who acts on Sibaya drama series) at Market Theatre. They sang, danced and did poetry. That’s where she found herself as an artist. She had also been part of Ubuhle Bemvelo Theatre Group for a period of two years. She then rehearsed with three ladies and they ended up forming a group. They performed at Monte Casino for a period spanning three years. 

She pursued rap music full time thereafter, performing in places such as Soweto, Thembisa, East London, Durban and others. I asked her to take me to the journey of how the 7 deadly sins mixtape emanated, and this is what she had to say: “I really enjoyed working with my girls. It was Nosipho Khulu a.k.a Uvy Ray who called me and explained everything. What I liked about it ukuthi she wanted to work with ladies only. The first thing that came to my mind was that it has never happened before. We recorded everything in New Town OST. Thanks to Ozmic because he allowed us to record in his studio. It was seven ladies and the whole mixtape was recorded in one day. Polite Sithole a.k.a P2daO is the one who produced our beats and the mixtape was issued with HYPE Magazine. It was a great opportunity to be on HYPE Magazine and late last year we shot a music video for the song DEATH BY 8 BARS.”

She is currently heading for the finals of the Red Bull competition which started on the 13th of September 2013. The competition is hosted by Kleva Ungagiv’aphi show on Ukhozi FM. Her first interview with Ukhozi FM was on the 31st of August 2013. This is what she had to say about that interview: “I remember that night like yesterday. I’m this excited because I only had a five minute interview. The show’s anchor played my beat and I dropped my lines. At the end of the song, I told everyone to follow me on FB. To my surprise, I found 109 friend requests when I logged in on my FB account. It was an amazing feeling man. I feel blessed.”

She said she is going to drop a vernacular rap mixtape very soon which would cater for everyone. Her message to the young girls who would like to be femcees goes like this: “It is very important to know yourself and what you want. And always pray.”

You can get a taste of her music on this site: http://www.zithole.com/


Written by


Amalahle Ashushu

Ngiyabonga

The Creative Arts Alive

The Creative Arts Alive has brought Simbone (one of the most popular artists in East Cape) to the Mother City. They had been touring around the ghettos and slums of Cape Town since the beginning of the month (November). Simbone is promoting his new album “Uzulibambe Lingatshoni Reloaded.” I had a privilege of witnessing him live at Blue Hall in Site C, Khayelitsha on the 9^th of November 2013.

He was flanked by local artists such as Anele Kose, Mnqobi The Zulu Poet, Mr P, G.O.T, Black Scientist (The Lab), Ndlulamthi and Zanzolo. In the mix, there was Qalazive (also one of the most popular artists in East Cape). One of his songs “If You Feel Me” was featured on HYPE Sessions Vol. 39. It was an honour to see him performing live.

There was a little bit of drama in the beginning where the Hall was hit by power outage for a period spanning nearly ten minutes but that did not deter our spirits. The show went on very well with electrifying sounds of words and beats. These artists are very talented.


Hereunder are some of the pictures taken at the event by Amalahle Ashushu.

EloHIP Session - Art Beyond Limit

Like a rose that grows through the concrete and blossom to produce the edible food that feeds the souls with eternal wisdom that immortalize their spirits to profit the coming generation when adversity prevails. It is through adversity and harsh upbringing that tales, legends, wisdom and wise beings emanate. These tales and legends had been narrated orally for years up until the ancient Egyptians started civilization which incorporated the culture of reading and writing. Civilization heralded the art of story telling, not only orally, but also in writing through Heart, Ink and Paper. The conscious artists are avid readers but if you go to any ghetto or slum, you can always find vast amount of artists who had been made conscious by the daily harsh realities that comes with living in those vicinities. Harsh reality which includes but not limited to starvation, deprivation, hate and dejection. Every now and then, when their HEART is touched by their living experiences, they sometimes take a pen and regurgitate INK on the PAPER to generate Poems, Spoken Word verses, Songs, Paints and anything art to express their feelings.

Zealot (the Rastafari artist extraordinaire and brain behind EloHIP Session – Art Beyond Limit) and his team had once again organized an EloHIP Session which was hosted by Khusta, just adjacent to Mabhabhela Fruit Stall (opposite Makhaza Centre and Desmond Mpilo Tutu Hall) in Makhaza on Saturday, November 02. The session gave platform to different artists and activists who were spitting their wisdom, frustration and pain. Artists such as Zealot himself, Acumen, Sarhili, Omen, Brother Shapiro, Spaza Enforcement, Sapta, Zukiswa, Jah Fire, Big D, Mawethu, Ras Judah, Ashur, Master P, Khusta et cet-era.

There is too much talent in Khayelitsha. I could not film all the performances because I feared that my second hand digital camera’s batteries might lose power. However, I made an effort to at least film Master P’s performance. I won’t say anything about it, just view this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIwYYD5PeuE&feature=youtu.be.

Zealot bestowed me with a precious gift. The painting that he painted by himself with the “Heart, Ink & Paper” logo. People are beginning to recognize and appreciate my works. I feel honoured. The next session will be on the 30th of November 2013.

For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/182286005172053/

Hereunder are some of the session pics, courtesy of Amalahle Ashushu.