The Learnership Tour

I wrote the below article on Sunday, April 21 and I saved it on my laptop. About two weeks later, I submitted it to one of the big South African Hip Hop Magazines. After almost five months of it not being published, I considered to publish it on this blog but my mind decided otherwise. Then a friend of mine in Rhythm and Poetry “Acumen Sikutu” advised me to publish it.

Without any further shenanigans from me – hereunder it is:

The Last Poet has put together The Learnership Tour gig which was hosted by Sim The Bhaynari at Ragazzi Live Bar in Loop Street, Cape Town CBD on Saturday, April 20. The gig was strictly the promo for Tsviehloheem The Prince’s “Learn You” EP. Tsviehloheem The Prince was the headline artist and he was supported by the likes of Ndlulamthi, Sistah Anela, Blaq Umntu Omnyama, Khusta and Zanzolo (Uzwi Kantu).

The gig was scheduled to start at 19:00 PM but it delayed for nearly over two hours (African

Time). It started just after 21:00 PM. Sim The Bhaynari started by reciting on top of the dope beat that the Dee Jay dropped. The beat was too dope, even Zanzolo enquired about the man behind it when he was on stage. The opening artist was Khusta. His set kept the crowd bumping heads and it was more about socially commentary.

Khusta was followed by Ndlulamthi who kept most people listening with little movement. I still recall that I was breathing with my mouth than my actual nostrils. When he was rapping about his ghetto (New Crossroad), he reminded me that one should stay vigilant in this side of the world. He was followed by Blaq Umntu Omnyama who got the crowd bumping and jumping. I like the way he rides the beat. Sim The Bhaynari (The Host) kept on reciting every now and then, in between. Blaq Umntu Omnyama was followed by Tsviehloheem The Prince with energetic delivery.

That head doesn’t compromise on truth. The way he rebuked white supremacy in front of couple of white faces, I must admit that he is brave. There was a ten minute break after his performance. After the break, Sistah Anela hit the stage. I was breathing with my mouth again as I did when Ndlulamthi was on stage, with very little movement. I would love to see her performing again. After her performance, Zanzolo hit the stage. As he was approaching the stage, Sim The Bhaynari asked us to hail “Ah! Zanzolo!” but prior his performance, The Last Poet recited a poignant poem.

Zanzolo started by reciting in English. At the end of the song, he said: “Ubucinga ukuba andisazi isilungu – usivile esasilungu besipha? (You thought I do not know English – did you hear that level of English?)” I am not sure about the essence of those words but I believe that he was reacting to something. I enjoyed his “Ibhokhwe” song. He is very talented. Tsviehloheem The Prince came back again for his second set and killed it. After Tsviel’s second set, Sim opened the platform for rappers and poets who would like to recite. I only stayed to watch a certain head by the name Smokey who got the crowd laughing and jumping with his comic freestyle.

I left just after 00:00 AM with a written piece tucked in my leather jacket’s inner pocket. I was not brave enough to recite it.