RATED 'G' MIXTAPE
'The word Galanga was borrowed from the Ikalanga language. In Ikalanga when somebody says they are “Galanga”, they mean they are the real thing, original, proud. So instead of saying “I am Kalanga” they would say “I am Galanga.” It is said with a lot of pride.
We chose this word to represent our label because it has a lot in common with who we are, what we stand for as a brand. It is original, unique and stands out from the crowd just like we are. It is a word that has now been adopted by people from all walks of life, brought together by a common interest in creative expression.
The meaning is defined by the person who wears the t-shirt or who represents the brand Galanga. it is a word that has now found a permanent place in street lingo, used extensively to reflect originality, pride and creativity.
Our networking spans from Namibia to S.A to Zambia to Australia, people from these different countries are now saying they are proudly Galanga! The Rated G mixtape is a celebration of the highest level of creativity. It brings together under one banner various artists, who identify with the values and beliefs of the Galanga label.'
Though just recently released the Rated 'G" mixtape is already making noise in the street so bw blog thought to dose the rest of the world,, so check it yea, The Rated G mixtape features a wide range of local emcees, from the top nukas in the game to those Undergrounds cats you catch every hip hop session hitting mad cyphers in the parking lot. The Mixtape is hosted by the Clothing label Young Galanga and Gifted 'YGG',and YO! this item is as dope as the label that brought it to us.
The Mixtapes features production from Altitude studios Man-E(Botswana),Infinity Records(Namibia),and gang of dope producers, Rimzy,Stan, N. Jones, Parable and a whole lot more.
TRACKLIST
01. Khwezi- Black Out
02. Lunatic ft. KUX-Crank it Up
03. Orakle-Head master
04. T.I.A ft. Young V.-We Grind
05. BP ft. Samba T - Tlhakantshuke
06. Ryan Blaze ft. Young V.-The way she move
07. A.T.I ft. EPIC Lil Miss Andy- Young Gifted and Galanga
08. Gp-Ntombo
09. S.E.G.- Raind dance
10. Percy Da Kidd ft. Ming- Where the yak at
11. Apollo Diablo ft. Cybl Nyt-Come Up story
12. Konkrete ft. Chub heights and Chopper-DOuble g Class
13. Milez-Tomati Sauco
14. Percy Da kidd- Im tha Man
15. Ming,Percy Da kiDd and Apollo diablo-turn it up
16. Sylfah ft. Lunatic and Ryan Blaze-Let em Hate
17. Konkrete ft. Gp and Percy Da kidd-YGG(bonus track)
18. T.I.A Namibia - This is YGG ( Bonus Track)
02. Lunatic ft. KUX-Crank it Up
03. Orakle-Head master
04. T.I.A ft. Young V.-We Grind
05. BP ft. Samba T - Tlhakantshuke
06. Ryan Blaze ft. Young V.-The way she move
07. A.T.I ft. EPIC Lil Miss Andy- Young Gifted and Galanga
08. Gp-Ntombo
09. S.E.G.- Raind dance
10. Percy Da Kidd ft. Ming- Where the yak at
11. Apollo Diablo ft. Cybl Nyt-Come Up story
12. Konkrete ft. Chub heights and Chopper-DOuble g Class
13. Milez-Tomati Sauco
14. Percy Da kidd- Im tha Man
15. Ming,Percy Da kiDd and Apollo diablo-turn it up
16. Sylfah ft. Lunatic and Ryan Blaze-Let em Hate
17. Konkrete ft. Gp and Percy Da kidd-YGG(bonus track)
18. T.I.A Namibia - This is YGG ( Bonus Track)
Suggested Singles :
1st single - Track 13- “Tomati Sauco” by Milan MIlez
2nd single - Track 16 : “Let Them Hate” by Slyfah, Lunatic, and Mista Ryan Blaze
2nd single - Track 16 : “Let Them Hate” by Slyfah, Lunatic, and Mista Ryan Blaze
3rd single - Track 4 : “We Grind “ by T.I.A and Young V
4th single - Track 11: “ Come Up Story” by Apollo Diablo and Cybil Nyte
5th – Track 5 : Tlhakantshuke by BP, Samba T and Melodramatic
6th – Track 6 :“The Way She Moves” by Ryan Blaze and Young V
To get yourself a copy of the Rated G mixtape Contact:
Remy – 75028035 , Swiss – 71998802
THATS LIFE VIDEO REVIEW
The Foundation team pushes the limits with the That's Life Flick, showing what street skating can look like. They hit everything in sight, hard and fast - not just rails and gaps, but everything. It's a good skate video with a lot of variety. For skaters who are looking for hype or special effects, you might want to look elsewhere, but for original, hard, fast street skating, check out That's Life Flick.
Anyone who knows me knows very well that I watch an obscene amount of skate videos. Also, anyone who knows me knows to listen up when I recommend a good skate video. “That’s Life Flick” (2004) by Foundation Skateboards is one of those videos. Featured riders include Matt Allen, Corey Duffel, Ethan Fowler, Angel Ramirez, Leo Romero, Mike Rusczyk, Daniel Shimizu, Tony Silva, Gareth Stehr and Justin Strubing. Not only is the line up full of hammer droppers and rail smashers, but the skateboarding itself is dynamic and otherworldly. This is one of those videos to watch and soak in before you go skate.
Notable parts are laid down by Leo Romero, Justin Strubing and Corey Duffel. In my opinion, Leo shuts it down. He has the very first part, which comes with a lot of pressure, and he delivers with a wide variety of tricks down obstacles of all types. The youngster definitely establishes himself as a hard-hitter in the streets. Justin, probably the most seasoned Foundation skateboarder next to the legendary Ethan Fowler, delivers a solid part with his own unique brand of high-paced skateboarding. Mr. William Corey Duffel drops the final and, perhaps, most epic part. I personally am not a fan of Corey, ever since he made some racist comments about Stevie Williams, indiscreetly calling Little Stevie a “trashy nigger” in an interview some years ago. However, it can be agreed that his skateboarding speaks for itself. Two parts in one, white-trash Corey terrorizes the streets and takes no prisoners. Handrails everywhere… beware.
All in all, “That’s Life Flick” is a great watch from start to finish: excellent intro and outro parts with a fully packed “Friends” section. The skateboarding is hard, fast and packaged in classic Foundation style. For those of you who remember Foundation’s “Art Bars: Subtitles and Seaguls” (2001), which I also emphatically recommend, this review might stir some memories. I have personally recommended “That’s Life Flick” to a number of young skaters I know and even provided them with bootleg copies of the video. Well done Tum Yeto. The streets are yours yet again.
Article by BW Shop Team Rider THABISO GULUBANE
Article by BW Shop Team Rider THABISO GULUBANE
RATING: 4/5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
VISIT THE BW SHOP ON FACEBOOK
INNOVATION AND MOTIVATION
INNOVATION AND MOTIVATION
Now as most of the y'all know BW Blog is 100 '000' % a HIP HOP blog,with that said, BW BLOG would like to welcome home THE BW SHOP home. The BW SHOP is the first ever skate company in Botswana. Now what we have here is an adaptation of a post on THE BW SHOP’s Facebook group by once BW SHOP team rider Laone Dingalo. Thabiso Gulubane one of the BW SHOp team riders put BW blog on this,and i thought to share it with the rest of the world.
Laone Dingalo
February 18, 2010
'Today was a bad day. Everything about it was the same as any other day, except for one thing: I couldn't skate at the end of my daily 9 to 5 grind due to the sky taking a piss. So to compensate I put on a skate vid and I started to get all nostalgic and shit. I got flashbacks of when I was still learning to ollie, back when my young eyes were glued to the TV watching the X Games, the internet trick tip tutorials. the Saturday mall sessions, the broken boards, busted bearings and the torn things on my feet (I would call them shoes, but eish! LOL). I started to wonder why I was watching this vid in the first place. What would it achieve? Why did I even start skating and even more importantly why do I continue to skate?
I’m watching this vid now, “strange world” (Zero Skateboards) and I'm checking out Dane Burman open his part with a front heel, then fakie flip, switch front 180 up and nollie heel down a 3 stair platform, then a backside 360 down a 5 stair all in one line. In “suffer the joy” (Toy Machine), Billy Marks busts out a fronside flip down a young set, followed by a switch backside heel and then a front nosegrind down a rail. While this is hardly innovative it does motivate. I’m sure y'all have seen similar lines in other vids. However sick these lines may be, most of these tricks are not out of reach (that’s right, all you lil BW dudes can bust them out). Fine, it may take a while to bust them in the street environment, but it’s something to aim for. But why?
I’m watching this vid now, “strange world” (Zero Skateboards) and I'm checking out Dane Burman open his part with a front heel, then fakie flip, switch front 180 up and nollie heel down a 3 stair platform, then a backside 360 down a 5 stair all in one line. In “suffer the joy” (Toy Machine), Billy Marks busts out a fronside flip down a young set, followed by a switch backside heel and then a front nosegrind down a rail. While this is hardly innovative it does motivate. I’m sure y'all have seen similar lines in other vids. However sick these lines may be, most of these tricks are not out of reach (that’s right, all you lil BW dudes can bust them out). Fine, it may take a while to bust them in the street environment, but it’s something to aim for. But why?
In “Ride the Sky” (Fallen Shoes), Chris Cole opens with a trick that blows the mind. A back 180 nosegrind, switch big spin heel out on knee high ledge. That’s innovation right there. Of course, there’s also the king, Rodney Mullen, ripping it to bits in “Round 3” (Almost Skateboards). I don’t even want to try get into the fire that dude brings! Oh shit, that reminds me, in “Rise Up” (Element), Janne Saario unleashes manual madness! His pivots can only be rivaled by Daewon Song. Word! But I’m losing the plot now. LOL... Anyway, the reason I used to watch sk8 vids was to learn tricks on a ‘monkey-see-monkey-do’ type principle. Hell, I learnt how to inward heel and better my tré from Mike Mo Capaldi’s part in “Fully Flared” (Lakai Shoes). But with some of these vids, I aint gonna learn shit! Fuck’n fakie-bluntslide big flip out! It’s like fantasy skating. Sure, I have vague dreams of doing that shit and making it pro, but I know that that is highly unlikely. But I still aim for it. Why?
This brings me back to my first questions. Why did I start skating n why do I continue to do so? The first one is easy, I wanted the glory! All the good stuff! Winning contests and shit and generally being boss. That aint the case anymore, well it is to a much lesser degree (I can still hope right? LOL). I don’t know why I still do it though. Is it fun? Is it an escape?
If so why does it feel like such hard work?'
BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR MORE ARTICLES FROM THE BW SHOP STILL TO CUM, VIDEO REVIEWS,INTERVIEWS VIDEOS,AND MUCH, MUCH MORE
Podtape bringing that Absolute Botswana Hiphop
This week Bots Blog has an exclusive interview with the man behind Podtape, James Kebu
Now Podtape according to me is a huge leap in the local Hip Hop industry to put out local musicians on the global platform.
Ok for those who don't know Podtape is an pre-recorded internet show[Podcast] which complies and broadcasts a series of episodes with the aim of sharing local Hip Hop and Lounge music.
So here are the few words I got to share with James Kebu
*Where is James Kebu really from*
I grew up in Lobatse, not born there but my earliest memories begin in the capital kasi of Botswana. At age 11, I caught a plane to Stockholm, Sweden, where I lived for 6 years.
*What sort of music did you grow up listening to How has it influenced you life*
While in Lobatse, my first dosage of hip hop was due to my elder brother. I only saw him every quarter of the year, when he came home for holidays from boarding school. He'd come home with tapes of rap music [NWA, Public Enemy, Kool Moe D], & would 'school' me on what good music is. This opened my inner ear to rap, so the likes of Mc Hammer, Vanilla Ice & Kriss Kross took a hold on me [at that time].
Sweden taught me there's more to rap than just sagging your denim, or wearing your clothes backwards. I discovered a culture known as hip hop. In Stockholm there was a lot more kids that not only looked cool sporting the latest Air Jordans & Timberlands, but they actually took part in hip hop, be it rapping, break dancing, graffiti art or dj-ing. They participated, played a part & aimed to perfect their skill in the chosen field.
In Stockholm, hip hop was a way of life that I perceived was accepted by society. But when I came home [Lobatse] for holidays, I felt alienated by my new found love for hip hop. My elders did not approve of the oversized clothing I would wear [one of my aunts' comments was that I resembled a starving child in Ethiopia]. My age mates made fun of the twang I developed in my speech patterns. & those that considered themselves hip hop were not impressive, either kids would rap bars from their favorite artists, or their written material sounded as an appalling rendition of nursery rhymes.
*How did your love for music lead to you deciding to make the Show*
the dj aspect of hip hop is what drew me into the music. I was too young to attend the concerts held in Stockholm, but managed to sneak in to the likes of Cannibal Ox, The Roots, and Busta Rhymes. The dj would always spin vinyl that I'd never heard, but that good stuff that had me going to a record shop the next day to do some research, to look for that track I heard & find out who the artist is.
One of the radio stations in Stockholm had a weekly hip hop dj set, which I always recorded on a cassette tape. Unlike today, the dj back then used to play hip hop music that was not main stream, or that was not on constant rotation on MTV. I enjoyed learning what is out there from a dj set, but today the dj plays what already saturates the radio. A dj set back then was guaranteed good music, today I tend to listen with a critic's ear, anticipating disappointment after each track. The likes of The Beat Premiers always keep me on my feet, until they throw in a track to please the other people standing around in the crowd not feeling 'real' hip hop.
Fast-forward to 2009, I took a step back & acknowledged that Botswana has good hip hop that appeals to me, that sounds as dope as the hip hop that raised me.
I've had an internship stint at Yarona FM, browsed the music library & found some good stuff that I consider good stuff. But I can't say I've ever heard that good stuff get played on air, if at all then it was not as regular as the popular music that's playing right now.
*Explain what Podtape is*
then there was Podtape!
Podtape is my response to bad hip hop music. I do understand the notion 'each to their own', so I have decided to be selfish & do what is in my means, to have a playlist that appeals to me first. In the process, I realize how music has grown from being joints you bump for enjoyment, to business. So I settled for Botswana hip hop, not all Botswana but only that which appeals to me.
Podtape is inspired by the beautiful music I stumble upon when visiting a producer. The producer would play songs he made, yet these songs may never see the light of day, due to paperwork, or that the producer is not a common household name [politics]. Yet that very music is what I wish a dj would throw in their set at any party.
Podtape is inspired by emcees/rappers who I believe have dope material, yet due to their relations with relevant broadcasting staff members, they may never be heard.
Podtape is inspired by any rapper right now who is the talk of hip hop. It all starts somewhere, no matter how international you are, there is a point in history when you battled to break into a local market.
Podtape is inspired by Botswana's current president & the former 3 presidents. Instead of people depending on government to solve their issues, do what you can to help yourself, & maybe help the populous in the long run. It was not enough for me to complain about how radio does not play my kind of jams, so I decided to run a show that plays my kind of jams. For anyone who does not enjoy Podtape, please go ahead & start your own establishment.
Podtape is inspired by Khama III. I would like to do for Botswana hip hop what Khama did for Bechuanaland Protectorate.
*Procedure of sending tracks,*
If I could afford to jump in a combi all day every day, to circulate the city collecting tracks, I would. If I had the means of traveling around the country to source my kind of hip hop, I would do so in the name of Podtape. But being broke is childish & my funds are toddlers.
A method I comprise is through internet [podtape@email.com], an email address for artists to send me their material. Another option could be to give out my home address, so artists could come by the house & drop off material. Though I feel that would be an invasion on my personal space. Soon as I set up an office for Podtape, I will then reach out to those without internet access, to come by & drop tracks.
I do on occasion arrange with an artist to meet up & collect their material.
*What type of Hip Hop you play on the Show,*
Back when I started listening to rap music, that is all it was called – rap. Today there have been a lot of labels attached, that even I cannot keep up with. On Podtape I play hip hop that appeals to me, regardless of what society may call it. Underground, commercial, crunk, conscious, motswako…
if I feel it, it gets on Podtape.
The hip hop has to be either made in Botswana, made by a Motswana or feature a Motswana. The only way 50Cent could get played on Podtape, is if he recorded his song in Botswana, had a Motswana producer, or features a Motswana on the track, & the track would have to appeal to me [50Cent???].
*Why play that type of Hip Hop only*
I love that type of hip hop
I grew up in Lobatse, not born there but my earliest memories begin in the capital kasi of Botswana. At age 11, I caught a plane to Stockholm, Sweden, where I lived for 6 years.
*What sort of music did you grow up listening to How has it influenced you life*
While in Lobatse, my first dosage of hip hop was due to my elder brother. I only saw him every quarter of the year, when he came home for holidays from boarding school. He'd come home with tapes of rap music [NWA, Public Enemy, Kool Moe D], & would 'school' me on what good music is. This opened my inner ear to rap, so the likes of Mc Hammer, Vanilla Ice & Kriss Kross took a hold on me [at that time].
Sweden taught me there's more to rap than just sagging your denim, or wearing your clothes backwards. I discovered a culture known as hip hop. In Stockholm there was a lot more kids that not only looked cool sporting the latest Air Jordans & Timberlands, but they actually took part in hip hop, be it rapping, break dancing, graffiti art or dj-ing. They participated, played a part & aimed to perfect their skill in the chosen field.
In Stockholm, hip hop was a way of life that I perceived was accepted by society. But when I came home [Lobatse] for holidays, I felt alienated by my new found love for hip hop. My elders did not approve of the oversized clothing I would wear [one of my aunts' comments was that I resembled a starving child in Ethiopia]. My age mates made fun of the twang I developed in my speech patterns. & those that considered themselves hip hop were not impressive, either kids would rap bars from their favorite artists, or their written material sounded as an appalling rendition of nursery rhymes.
*How did your love for music lead to you deciding to make the Show*
the dj aspect of hip hop is what drew me into the music. I was too young to attend the concerts held in Stockholm, but managed to sneak in to the likes of Cannibal Ox, The Roots, and Busta Rhymes. The dj would always spin vinyl that I'd never heard, but that good stuff that had me going to a record shop the next day to do some research, to look for that track I heard & find out who the artist is.
One of the radio stations in Stockholm had a weekly hip hop dj set, which I always recorded on a cassette tape. Unlike today, the dj back then used to play hip hop music that was not main stream, or that was not on constant rotation on MTV. I enjoyed learning what is out there from a dj set, but today the dj plays what already saturates the radio. A dj set back then was guaranteed good music, today I tend to listen with a critic's ear, anticipating disappointment after each track. The likes of The Beat Premiers always keep me on my feet, until they throw in a track to please the other people standing around in the crowd not feeling 'real' hip hop.
Fast-forward to 2009, I took a step back & acknowledged that Botswana has good hip hop that appeals to me, that sounds as dope as the hip hop that raised me.
I've had an internship stint at Yarona FM, browsed the music library & found some good stuff that I consider good stuff. But I can't say I've ever heard that good stuff get played on air, if at all then it was not as regular as the popular music that's playing right now.
*Explain what Podtape is*
then there was Podtape!
Podtape is my response to bad hip hop music. I do understand the notion 'each to their own', so I have decided to be selfish & do what is in my means, to have a playlist that appeals to me first. In the process, I realize how music has grown from being joints you bump for enjoyment, to business. So I settled for Botswana hip hop, not all Botswana but only that which appeals to me.
Podtape is inspired by the beautiful music I stumble upon when visiting a producer. The producer would play songs he made, yet these songs may never see the light of day, due to paperwork, or that the producer is not a common household name [politics]. Yet that very music is what I wish a dj would throw in their set at any party.
Podtape is inspired by emcees/rappers who I believe have dope material, yet due to their relations with relevant broadcasting staff members, they may never be heard.
Podtape is inspired by any rapper right now who is the talk of hip hop. It all starts somewhere, no matter how international you are, there is a point in history when you battled to break into a local market.
Podtape is inspired by Botswana's current president & the former 3 presidents. Instead of people depending on government to solve their issues, do what you can to help yourself, & maybe help the populous in the long run. It was not enough for me to complain about how radio does not play my kind of jams, so I decided to run a show that plays my kind of jams. For anyone who does not enjoy Podtape, please go ahead & start your own establishment.
Podtape is inspired by Khama III. I would like to do for Botswana hip hop what Khama did for Bechuanaland Protectorate.
*Procedure of sending tracks,*
If I could afford to jump in a combi all day every day, to circulate the city collecting tracks, I would. If I had the means of traveling around the country to source my kind of hip hop, I would do so in the name of Podtape. But being broke is childish & my funds are toddlers.
A method I comprise is through internet [podtape@email.com], an email address for artists to send me their material. Another option could be to give out my home address, so artists could come by the house & drop off material. Though I feel that would be an invasion on my personal space. Soon as I set up an office for Podtape, I will then reach out to those without internet access, to come by & drop tracks.
I do on occasion arrange with an artist to meet up & collect their material.
*What type of Hip Hop you play on the Show,*
Back when I started listening to rap music, that is all it was called – rap. Today there have been a lot of labels attached, that even I cannot keep up with. On Podtape I play hip hop that appeals to me, regardless of what society may call it. Underground, commercial, crunk, conscious, motswako…
if I feel it, it gets on Podtape.
The hip hop has to be either made in Botswana, made by a Motswana or feature a Motswana. The only way 50Cent could get played on Podtape, is if he recorded his song in Botswana, had a Motswana producer, or features a Motswana on the track, & the track would have to appeal to me [50Cent???].
*Why play that type of Hip Hop only*
I love that type of hip hop
*Is Podtape making profit from the show?
Podtape is not making any money whatsoever. I spend more doe on transportation to get & give Podtape.
*What would you like to say to organizations in terms of sponsorship for the show
Show me the money!
*What are your Future Plans for Podtape??
To get Podtape more accessible, taken more seriously, & get paid.
*Where do you see Podtape in the next 5-10 years*
Podtape could be the next big thing, it could be nothing. But in 5 – 10 years, I foresee dope hip hop coming out of Botswana due to Podtape.
*What challenges have you faced when coming up with the show, making episodes and such?*
Not having tracks, not having internet, not having studio time, not having a memory stick, not having a pc, not having combi fare, not having airtime, not having a clue what to put on next Podtape.
*What would you like to say to local Emcees, producers out there?*
Emcees & producers don't always have their material put on blast on radio, yet the rush hour traffic is nonexistent to flood Podtape. Some artists hear their material once & forget how it got there, the procedure of sending in more tracks becomes foreign territory, or they're still celebrating the moment. I would like for emcees & producers to keep me downloading [dope Podtape standard] tracks from podtape@email.com on the regular. Surely then I'd have more Podtape shows to drop.
*do you plan on Taking Podtape to local radio? , as a show on one of the local stations?*
Not everyone has internet, I'd like Podtape to be a local household name, and radio would be the best medium. [Sold, to the highest bidder]
Check out The Podtape here:
http://www.podtape.mypodcast.com
http://www.podtape.mypodcast.com
BOTS BLOG WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO 8TIES BABY FOR THE PHOTO'S.KEEP DOING WATCHU DOING..
keep your eyes locked on here for more on 8ties baby.
Solid Konkrete
Ome Konkrete was born Azhani Nteedzi Letsholo on March 27 1979 to Letsholo M. Letsholo and Same N. Letsholo at Jubilee Hospital, Francistown. He spent a few years living in a village outside Lobatse (Mogojogojo) before moving to Taung(Broadhurst), Gaborone in 1985 where he spent most of his life. He started his schooling at Taung Primary school went on to do his JC at Marang JSS and finally his O’levels at Gaborone Secondary School.
Azhani,a graduate of the University of Botswana with a Bachelor Degree in Humanities (English Major) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education. He grew up listening to all types of music but hip-hop was what he fell in love with. Prior to his introduction to hip-hop he fell in love with the raps in techno songs and the reggae chants of the time. It was in the early 90’s when he was introduced to this art form, the likes of Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Kriss Kross, Mc Hammer, Vannila Ice, N.W.A e.t.c.
He would also find out more about the art form through movies like Wildstyle, various hip hop documentaries, sitcoms, music video shows like Yo MTV Raps which broke down the components of hip hop. In the late 90’s on his last year of high school Azhani got together with three of his friends to form a group called Lyph Blud and it was through this that he would craft his skills and grow into a more seasoned artist. He would get together with his group members on weekends at his backyard and have jam sessions, did the usual v-shows and talent show appearances ( which were sadly always a set up) and street corner ciphers.
His major influences are very broad, these include artists from other genres outside hip hop and other forms of expression from tswana and kalanga oral traditions. He lists EPMD, Das Efx, Red Man, Kieth Murray, Marly G, Wutang Clan, Nas, Jay-z, P.O.C, Ammunition, Special ED, Smif n Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and Fab 5 as some of the artists that gave him the drive to be involved with hip hop.
Azhani started recording around 2005 after he met his current producer Man-E (Elliot Matenge) for a mixtape called Lyrical Expressions and from then on he would be featured in other artist’s works and mixtapes. He has worked with the likes of Nomadic, Dice, Apollo Diablo, Kast, Orakle, Brace, HT, Samba T, Tafman Aether, Blaine, Ghetto Prophet, Da kidd, T.I.A, Bundu Lama. He also appears on mixtapes by All Kasi (All Kasi Fm), Nomadic (The Journal Trails), Madd Labb Productions(Lab Dosages) and BK Proktor. He has of late finished recording his debut album called Dekonstruktion which was released on the 4th December 2009, the lead single is called Solid produced by Prez Beatz of which he has already shot the video. Other producers on the album include Man-E, Krypto, Shaded, Dj Ethal, Alias. The album was released by Altitude Sounds and was recorded at fireworks studios except for Solid which was recorded at F210.
With the album Konkrete tried to show a true reflection of a young man growing up in Botswana, he raps in English (particularly Slang) because this is what he grew up on. He has been heavily influenced by African American culture but one thing he learned through hip hop was that one should represent where they come from hence him also rapping in his native tongue (Ikalanga) and also rapping in street lingo which mixes the national language, Setswana with other languages. He admits that at first he was skeptical about rapping in his language because of the brainwashing he had receive from early on in his life that made English a superior language worthy to be picked over his but like has been mentioned before hip hop made him realize that it is not entirely true.
He has however to his surprise had a positive response to his rapping in local languages especially Ikalanga due to the fact that it has been pushed to the private sphere by the policies of the Botswana government. It is only a few who complain that they cannot hear what he is saying but really, if people can sing along to a song by some Julio when they can’t even speak Spanish then Ikalanga cannot be a problem as it is close to home, these people have Kalanga friends but won’t take advantage of that to learn what they are about.
To get more from Konkrete join his facebook fan page here:
Konkrete aka Shabalume The Kalanga Phenom
[And between BW Blog and its epic readers]
Be on the Look out for the Upcoming
Coin Flippers Mixtape
brought to you By Krypo from CMI Records, I recently had the privilege of being present at a recording session for a track featuring Konkrete, A.T.I and Slyfah, and that track was straight up off the hinges !!!.
Believe BW Blog will give you the full Intel when the time is right.
Art Behind The Artist: The Nomadic Journey
NOMADIC: THE ART
BEHIND THE ARTIST
[Origins– Nomadic]
NOW THIS WEEK BW BLOG HAS AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW FOR YOU WITH ONE OF Botswana’s finest creative mind, NOMADIC. I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING, 'WE KNOW NOMADIC…SINCE BACK IN THE DAY WHEN WE CALLED HIM
MR.T''.
MR.T''.
WELL DO YOU? WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU IS A DIFFERENT LOOK TO NOMADIC'S ARTISTIC SIDE…
In this here article BW BLOG won't be saying much, this will be a showcase of a few of Nomad's art pieces from his facebook group, and he will be giving us an overlook of his journey through art.
So
Let's set
It off!
From the man himself to you:
'My love for art started from inception. From a really early age I had sketch pads, crayons, colored pencils and paint kits as toys. This also stemmed from the fact that my dad is a not only a photographer but also used to draw. Subconsciously, this got embedded and I found some sort of harmony and solace with drawing every thing around me. I joined art classes from as early as standard 3 (primary school), and never looked back.'
With the Introduction of computer generated graphic's, nomadic since took to design
'It became more than just creation, it now involved a comprehensive break down of life situations in a way that was ambiguous and metaphoric, but yet leaving every one understanding and personally having more to add on to the piece they were viewing (a design holds a thousand words). My thought patterns became color coded thoughts, and every living thing eventually became a spirit in art. Hence dawn of my artistic evolution.'
Ok now we know how it all started, but how does he keep it going?, were does he get his inspiration??,how does he stay productive with his art piece's and also have his music on lock??...
[ButterWingFly– Nomadic]
Well here is a lil insight on that.
'I get inspired by the world around me, by life, nature, people, love,hate, the beauty, and the scars. My idea about art is that it is a tool, a very effective one for that matter that can be used for the greater good of all, and yes to also survive off. But once the idea of money making becomes the theme of your work, your good art sense tends to take a plunge.
[ Queendomhood- Nomadic &]
I have found a way to balance things out, by yes, doing what gets the money in, but also what makes me happy and representative of my Vision. My first commercial piece was for The Botswana Hip Hop Music Awards. I have also done branding for quiet a number of companies,office space designs, album cover designs, commissioned art pieces,brand promo animations, and print promo designs. I t has been an incredible journey, and with design you can only grow from cloud to space. Watch this space.' [The Graduate-Nomadic]
To view more pieces you can join the face book group, Nomadic: The Art
Behind the Artist http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=229991002603
