Well, at least the barristas at Wembley Square :)
STREETS RAPS & US
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Front cover design for Rattex’s forthcoming EP STREETS RAPS & US
More artwork on its way for this project.
I’m in a band!! :)
From the Pioneer Unit blog - Dplanet wrote:
Every night this week I’ve been at the Red Bull Studios in Cape Town with Ben Sharpa, DJ Raiko and spo0ky, rehearsing our new collaborative project, Fourth Density Light Show (4DLS). 4DLS is a collision of freestyle underground lyrical hip hop, improvised electro-dub Robot Army Music (RAM) and analogue impulse triggered visual stimulus. Our ‘band’ consists of Ben Sharpa on vocals and Korg Kaoss Pad, me on Ableton Live and Akai APC40, DJ Raiko on Serrato and SL1200s and spo0ky on VDMX (VJing software).
These sessions are our first rehearsals together after months of planning. We first discussed the project with Ben while we were on tour in Réunion Island in June 2009. Having thought about this for so long now, it’s exciting seeing and hearing it come to life. Our first sessions are all about seeing what we can do together, so it’s a bit chaotic - but that’s just how it goes - we’ll work on polishing and tightening up once we’ve seen where we can take this.
It’s really important for us to maintain a feeling of improvisation throughout the show. So many so-called ‘live’ electronic music sets are a disappointment because there really isn’t that much improvisation - producers often just run their tracks and add a few effects. Obviously tracks need some sense of structure but there is no point going to a live show to hear music exactly the same way it was recorded. Reading the crowd and feeding from, and into, that energy is more important than getting through every track in our set list.
We don’t have plans to release this project as a recording at the moment - it’s just a live show concept. It’s possible we might release a DVD of a live show at some point, but we’ll think about that after we’ve done a few shows.
Ben and Raiko are flying out to France for the start of their latest European tour on March 1st. We’ll resume rehearsals when they come back in May. We hope to start touring 4DLS in the last quarter of 2010. To book 4DLS contact us.
Big ups to Richard and Ivan at Red Bull Studios for making us welcome and taking care of our technical needs. Check out the Red Bull Studios Cape Town blog.
Check out some lo-fi videos of our first rehearsal session…
Sweet - JAAK (Music video)
‘Sweet’ (‘sweat’ in Afrikaans) is the first single from Jaak’s debut solo album, Flêtse Maniere.
Sweet is a track about the everyday struggles of the people of the Flêtse (the ghetto housing projects of the Cape Flats) - from the mundane, like remembering to buy safety pins for the baby’s nappy, to the the more substantial, like poor service delivery and crime. All these struggles make the people sweat to make ends meet whilst striving to make their dreams come true.
Directed, shot and edited by Christian Denslow & Garth von Glehn for Greenhaus Productions.
Track produced by Hipe.
Shot entirely on location in Paarl, South Africa.
Listen to, and download, Flêtse Maniere for FREE at Bandcamp: http://jaak.bandcamp.com/
©2010 Pioneer Unit Records http://www.pioneerunit.com
Greenhaus
Greenhaus Films is uploading their beautifully cinematographic portfolio of short films and music videos for all of us to watch!
http://www.youtube.com/greenhausfilms
We shot music videos for Jaak, Rattex and Driemanskap in 2009 with Greenhaus:
Rattex / Streets
Rattex takes you on a journey through the streets of Khayelitsha, his kasi (hood) is Cape Town, South Africa. Beat by Nyambz.
A Greenhaus Productions video.
©2009 Pioneer Unit Records
Driemanskap / Camagu
Camagu is the first single from Driemanskap’s debut album, Igqabhukil’ Inyongo.
The track is about the importance of respecting and celebrating your culture and its traditions, even if you are a modern urban youth.
A Greenhaus Productions video.
©2009 Pioneer Unit Records
They say:
Welcome to GreenHaus FIlms! The grass roots film crew bringing you a tasty serving of Juicy Short Films and music videos from the greenhaus kitchen all the way down in Cape Town, South Africa.
Though our home sit’s in the ‘Bo Kaap’ area in Cape Town, we are living and shooting all over the world from New York to London and Berlin…we got it on lock.
For info just holla at us…
info [at] greenhausfilms [dot] com
Jarring Effects / Brand new site
New website design for Jarring Effects!
You may notice a bit of Ben Sharpa design work around :)
spo0ky / Rattex NIKE IAM1 (collab)
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I created this set of images to illustrate the concept of Rattex’s track, AirMaxin’ (Download the track). The track is about Rattex’s desire to succeed, despite the limiting expectations people in the township try to force upon him.
Rattex uses his new Nikes as a metaphor for ‘making it’ - they are a symbol of success, but also represent the daily hustle to survive and escape the forces that are trying to hold him back.
‘Movement’ is an essential part of any journey. My images show Rattex in series of dynamic situations which are distilled metaphors for overcoming the negative aspects of his environment that are trying to hold him back - there are always obstacles in his path, but by making the right choices with constant purpose, he stay on the right path.
spo0ky for NIKE IAM1
Rattex for NIKE IAM1
Read my interview for the project on Mahala
Download the track
AirMaxin’ Lyrics (English)_
Verse 1_
I take one step, two steps with confidence
As you can see my feet are excellent
Wherever I step I leave evidence
Everybody comes out to look as if there was an accident
This is the life I made myself
Jealous one can’t take it away from me
I tried to open the doors but they closed them for me
But in the end I managed to open them.
It’s hard and there are challenges in this music industry
but I will never lose it
People always ask how I do it
I wear Nikes and I just do it.
I’m known in each and every township
I’m the one who brings back hope to the young ones
When they see me they shout like this:
“Rah we love you when you’re wearing Nikes!”
I blaze trails with Airforce 1s
I build myself with Max’s my son
I fly when I’m wearing Jordans
I stay on top and tell everyone that IAM1
Chorus_
Whenever you see me wearing Nikes just know I’m up to something
With Airforce 1s on my feet I’m kicking something
I’m not a flop, I’m always tight. I’m forever Maxin’
Rattex is the name, with Nike we’re pushing that Jordan hustle
Whenever you see me wearing Nikes just know I’m up to something
With Airforce 1s on my feet I’m kicking something
I’m not a flop, I’m always tight. I’m forever Maxin’
Rattex is the name, with Nike we’re pushing that Jordan hustle
Verse 2_
Rattex is here and there
I’m from the townships and that’s a fact
Nike is a brand for stars
For an example just look at Rah
I’m no longer worried about those who look down on me
When they look at me I just smile because I have Nikes on my feet
We all know there’s no time to sleep because life is a hustle
Wake up my sister - wake up my brother, wear your Nike and move your muscle
I no longer have regrets in my life
with Nike I can forsee my future
I will never stop. Never quit. I will forever do music
Some said that I would never do anything with my life
But today it’s me and Nike, and my township shines brighter.
Chorus_
Whenever you see me wearing Nikes just know I’m up to something
With Airforce 1s on my feet I’m kicking something
I’m not a flop, I’m always tight. I’m forever Maxin’
Rattex is the name, with Nike we’re pushing that Jordan hustle
Whenever you see me wearing Nikes just know I’m up to something
With Airforce 1s on my feet I’m kicking something
I’m not a flop, I’m always tight. I’m forever Maxin’
Rattex is the name, with Nike we’re pushing that Jordan hustle
AirMaxin’ Lyrics (isiXhosa)_
Verse 1_
I take one step, two steps with confidence
Inyawo zam uyazibona ziExcellent
Ndanyathela ndishy’iEvidence
Kuphum’abahlali ngathi kukhw’iAccident
Obubomi obu ndazenzela
Abonomona abazund’mela
Ndiyavula bayandivalela
Okusayalo qha ndiyabangena
Yoh! kunzima ziyabheda kuMusic
Kodwa mina hay’khona lose it
Bayabuza, ‘Rah how you do it?’
Ndifas’iNikes and Just Do It
Ndaziwa kuzo zonke iiKasiz
Ndim onika ithemba nakwez’laaitiez
Xa zindibona ziyadikhwaza like this:
“Rah siyakuncanywa xa uFas’iNikes!”
Ndivul’indlela ngam Airforce 1s
Ndikhule ngama Max my son
Ndibhabhe mandiFas iJordans
Ndihlale emoyeni ndithi IAM1
Chorus_
XandiFas’iNikes endleleni know I’m up to something
Ama Airforce 1 ezinyaweni tshali I’m kickin’ something
Andenzi kancane, andipheli moyeni I’m forever Maxin’
Rattex ligama ndipheti’uNike yila Jordan hustle
XandiFas’iNikes endleleni know I’m up to something
Ama Airforce 1 ezinyaweni tshali I’m kickin’ something
Andenzi kancane, andipheli moyeni I’m forever Maxin’
Rattex ligama ndipheti’uNike yila Jordan hustle
Verse 2_
Rattex utlier naka daar
Ndiphuma elokishini leyo yinyani
Nike sisinxibo sez’stars
Nanku umzekelo jongo uRah
Andisahoyi andisawari ngabandiJongela phantsi
Bathi bendijonga ndibe ndincuma cause ngu Nike ezantsi
Sonke siyayazi akho kulala cause uLife yiHustle
Gxuma ntwana - Gxuma tsotsi, unxibe uNike and move that muscle
Aphela namxesha ozisola
Ngo Nike indlela ndiyayibona
Ngeke ndiyeke ndizohlala lomculo
Babesithi mina ndingudothi
Kodwa namhlanje ndim noNike ikasi ithe qhakra
Chorus_
XandiFas’iNikes endleleni know I’m up to something
Ama Airforce 1 ezinyaweni tshali I’m kickin’ something
Andenzi kancane, andipheli moyeni I’m forever Maxin’
Rattex ligama ndipheti’uNike yila Jordan hustle
XandiFas’iNikes endleleni know I’m up to something
Ama Airforce 1 ezinyaweni tshali I’m kickin’ something
Andenzi kancane, andipheli moyeni I’m forever Maxin’
Rattex ligama ndipheti’uNike yila Jordan hustle.
Ben Sharpa - Calling It Quits (music video)
Ben Sharpa. RAM (Robot Army Music).
Video shot on location in outer space by Apartment Studios
Produced by Milanese: http://www.myspace.com/milanese1
Bookings and Label (Outside RSA): contact Val - val@jarringeffects.net
Bookings and Label (RSA): contact Hardy - hardy@hitentertainment.co.za
B. Sharpa available in Europe / Album CD Digipak
Review / Buy
http://www.jarringeffects.net/sharpaganda
http://www.pioneerunit.com/ben-sharpa/
http://www.myspace.com/bensharpa
Facebook Id: Ben Sharpa
©2009 Pioneer Unit Records
http://www.pioneerunit.com
