Slege Lee > The Metropolitan Kingz Emcee

Slege Lee is a Metropolitan Kingz emcee based in J-Sec. Born by struggle stalwarts. According to Slege Lee, his father was one of the Treason Trialists of 1956, but he prefers not to reveal his name as his parents prefer to be out of the public eye. His parents were forced into exile by the racist apartheid government and consequently, he was born in Zambia in the eighties and came to South Africa in 1990.

Growing up in a politically inclined family, he was politicized from a young age. He was introduced to hip hop in 1990 and fell in love with it instantly. He said: “From the crazy outfits; the streetwise slang; the attitude, to the funky beats and the youthful expression it offered kids from the ghetto. As a young cat, I was not very loud. I was the type of kid who played the corner and analysed situations from a distance. Rhyming gave me a voice. Writing rhymes allowed me to release whatever shit I was bottling inside.”

He named himself Slege Lee when he was ten years old after watching a cartoon. Sledge was the name of one of the villains in that cartoon. He then spelled Sledge without alphabet “D.” According to Slege Lee, the philosophy behind how he decided to spell “Sledge” as “Slege” is that there can exist no (D)evils but only (G)od. He then added Lee as he had enormous respect for a martial arts actor Bruce Lee when he was very young.

 I asked him about what hip hop means to him and what inspired him to write his song ‘I am Hip Hop’ and this is what he had to say: “Hip Hop means home. Growing up, my parents were rarely around, so I learnt about life from the streets and rap music was a soundtrack to that life. Hip Hop to me is culture. The track ‘I am Hip hop’ basically explains my introduction to hip hop and how it eventually took over my whole life to a point where I’ll protect the art form, however I can with the might I possess. It speaks to my dedication to hip hop and the fact that I represent the art form to the fullest, making me the personification of hip hop in the flesh.”

He recently dropped a Renaissance King Freestyle Mixtape. This is what he had to say about the mixtape: “I chose old school beats that I always wanted to spit on growing up. It’s basically a showcase of my lyrical ability before I drop my solo project called ‘Knowledge is Power.’ On the Renaissance King Freestyle Project, it’s all Slege. I worked quite a lot with my boy Tresor on couple of videos.” You can download the mixtape on this link: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/a5lzkr1lmqlog/slege_lee_-_renaissance_king_freestyles_(2014)

According to Slege Lee, his next project ‘Knowledge is Power’ would be more diverse. It will feature Bonezitto of SMC, 12 Gage of Metropolitan Kingz and a young talented rapper called Replica. Some of the producers that he had worked with on Knowledge is Power are: DJ Cuebur from Soulcandi, R.O.X, Prince and 12 Gage. He will release the project independently under the Metropolitan Kingz imprint. It will be available as free digital download. Only hard copies would be sold.

I asked him if there is any future for rap music in South Africa and he said: “Hip Hop is an unstoppable force because it was born in the ghettos of this planet where the people are oppressed and have no place to get their voices heard. As long as there is injustice and inequality in the world, there will be a place for hip hop. Corporates and multinationals are doing their best to hijack hip hop, so that they determine the content of what we speak on. That is why all we see is hip hop that speaks about sex, partying, clothes, cars, money and drugs.”

I then asked him whether can rappers make money out of rap music and this is what he had to say: “Knowledge is Power. Unless rappers educate themselves about how to register their songs with all the correct institutions and educate themselves about how this industry works, they will not be able to make a living out of their own music. There is a lot of money in the music industry and it is possible to make a living off rap.”

He has done collaborations with the likes of Cush Solomon, Mizchif, P-Flow Ngulube and Roger Soulstar. His message to ghetto youth goes: “Your ancestors were great scientists, astrologists, mathematicians, artists, investors and children of the most high. Never forget that. Always strive to follow in the footsteps of the greatness that brought you to this world. The ghetto was created to kill your spirit… don’t let it.”

You can follow, watch videos and listen to audio of Slege Lee and his crew Metropolitan Kingz on the following links:

https://soundcloud.com/slegelee

https://soundcloud.com/metropolitankingz

https://www.youtube.com/user/SlegeLee/videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/mkmovement/videos

http://www.reverbnation.com/slegelee

www.slegelee.com

www.metropolitankingz.co.za

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slege-Lee/114083201145

https://twitter.com/slegelee


Written by:


Amalahle Ashushu

Ndiyabulela

WORDS OF A REBEL SISTAH(S)

And feminism is an on-going struggle. Few battles had been won. There is too much that needs to be accomplished. It’s a long road. In what one can term a predominantly patriarchal society that we live in; it very important that the word gets out there in all corners of society to conscientize the conscience of the masses at large about equality, respect, freedom et cet-era.

In commemoration of the International Women’s Day, Soundz of the South in conjunction with Democracy from Below organised a “Words of a Rebel Sistah(s)” event which launched Words of a Rebel Sistah(s) Project. The project comprises music and poetry. The Sistahz are spitting venom on the project, waxing lyrical about the struggles faced by women on daily basis.

The event was hosted at District Six Museum Homecoming Centre on the 8th of March 2014. I arrived a little bit late with Acumen by the time Sistah Anela was blessing the audience. If you take Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and India Arie, and combine them; they all form one package which is Sistah Anela. That’s me writing.

I learnt from Khusta (Mkhululi Sijora) that prior to Sistah Anela’s performance; the audience witnessed the talent of the likes of Mel J, Dejavu Tafari, Black Isis, Omnyama and Ngcwalisa. After couple of performances, we watched slide shows of Koni Benson’s presentation. The presentation was about the struggles faced by women in the past and in the present; the victories won and battles lost. Aluta Continua. There was a panel discussion about feminism thereafter.

Then the performances resumed. I was mesmerized by Sistah Hope’s performance. Khusta called me and Acumen, and ushered us to an improvised kitchen. He then offered us some take away food (salads and chicken with small bottle of juice). I wasn’t comfortable by the time I was eating because I was a little bit shy. I’m not sure whether I could have managed if Acumen was not there. They offered us some ride back home. Those guys (Soundz of the South) treated us like Kings.

Soundz of the South Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/soundzofthesouth?fref=ts

Hereunder are some of the pictures taken at the event, courtesy of Amalahle Ashushu and Mkhululi "Khusta" Sijora

Written by:

Amalahle Ashushu


Postscript:

"... to be 'feminist' in any authentic sense of the term is to want for all people, female and male, liberation from sexist role patterns, domination, and oppression." - Bell Hooks

Heart, Ink & Paper > Yintliziyo, Usiba Nephepha

It's Heart, Ink and Paper - Art Beyond Limit. For the second time this year, the EloHIP Poetry Based Art Session was hosted near the veranda of Desmond Mpilo Tutu Hall by Lord Zealot on Saturday (the 22nd of January 2014) . But this time around, we witnessed the reduction of audience due to numerous sessions and events that were hosted around Khayelitsha that same day.

The audience was blessed by the likes of Zealot, Omen, Karl Mics a.k.a Sarhili, Acumen, Sapta Lamas, Mthobeli, Truth over Lies, Jah Leader, Two Pistols, Tate and some juniors. The audience was also entertained by some sort of a Poetic Battle between Amalahle Ashushu and Acumen over a fusion of Jazz and Hip Hop beat. The theme of the session was poverty. The session was filled with the strength of music and poetry. Sapta Lamas closed it with a poignant Xhosa poem.

The next EloHIP Poetry Based Art Session will be on the 29th of March 2014.

For more information, visit:  

https://www.facebook.com/groups/182286005172053/

Written by:

Amalahle Ashushu

Ndatenda

With this Pen

And Poetry is ME, YOU and US! It gives one an opportunity to fully express one self with no shame or limit. All the pain, sorrow and happiness will always be reduced to writing; to inspire and uplift others. To me, POETRY is the covert overt vehicle that educates, emancipate and motivate.

I have been writing since 2002 but I fell off (through discouragements) and I resumed in 2008, when my life was moving from stagnant motion to backward movement. So, I kept on writing every time the inspiration hits me; but at sometimes, I would force myself and write anything, for the sake of writing, just to sharpen my writing skills. So, one afternoon, some time in 2008, as I was sitting in my hokkie, I faltered with writers block. Nothing could pitch my mind.

My intention was to write a poem. I would stand up and sit down, but my mind was blank. Then eventually, as I was sitting with my mind wandering in bewilderment (had no concept); my eyes caught sight of the black ball-pen on top of the sideboard within my hokkie. Then words started to flood my brain. I took the same pen and started writing on draft paper. I went on and on and eventually, I finished the poem.

I titled it "With this Pen" hence I was inspired by that black ball-pen. However, the poem was largely inspired by the status quo at that time (in 2008). I submitted it to Litsha Magazine on the 13th of May 2010. It was published by Litsha Magazine in their July/August 2010 Issue. My neighbours gave me a positive response after reading it from the magazine copy. 

I read this poem at one of the EloHIP Poetry Based Art Sessions and people clapped their hands when I finished reading it. So, I felt that I should share it to Amalahle Ashushu Blog readers.

Hereunder is the poem:

With this pen

I love this pen

This is a black ball-pen

With this pen, I can write dope lines and recite for street jams

With this pen, I can write an emotional poem that can touch that fragile heart and see tears

With this pen, I console that soul and I suppose, I heal them

With this pen, I uproot that mental root of servitude and free them

With this pen, I can write about my past and broadcast a revolution that was never televised

With this pen, I unite Africa and combat xenophobia in the sight of our eyes

With this pen, I convert global warming into global cooling

With this pen, I convert global recession into a financial emancipation

This is my pen

Oh, I love this pen

This pen allows me to write, recite and excite your ears

This pen allows me to strike, fight and wipe your tears

I am a writer and this is my pen

With it I write and kill your fears

I navigate through the radar screen the position of your future

With this pen, I envisage and envision the beauty of your future

This is a sword that records the vicissitude of the modern day world

This is a tool that puts a man's thoughts into a paper

This is my pen, where is the paper?

This is an embodiment, an epitome of civilization

This is an instrument, a part and parcel of education

With this pen, I reduce the whole world into writing

With this pen, ladies and gentlemen

I THANK YOU!!!  

Written by:

Amalahle Ashushu

Ndiyabulela