Greetings and salutations friends.
Yes, yes…I’m sure quite a few of you on the blogosphere would have already heard about the explosion of local Afrikaans rap group Die Antwoord onto the scene. If you have as yet not seen their music video that has been spammed all across the internet, now is the time. I’m not saying it’s good, I’m just hoping that others will feel the same pain as I do LOL.
Die Antwoord play what they call “Zef music”, which as far as I know roughly translates as ‘Redneck tunes’. What can I say about this odd little rap group? Well it’s most certainly a music style you will either love or loathe. Honestly it’s not really my kind of music, even progressive rap I don’t enjoy, so it’s probably understandable that I may find this hard to swallow.
It is a rather strange music video, which in the end is all about shock factor. In some instances you don’t know whether or not they are being serious. If they are just “in character” and not actually at all like the personalities they play, then I must take my hat off to them. It was quite funny to watch these guys and girl giving it serious Saffa rap stick.
Perhaps the most shocking part of Die Antwoord music video was the main rapper, known as Ninja, doing a gyrating pelvic dance, which bombarded us with his phallus…eewwww LOL.
Calling Die Antwoord’s music redneck is pretty much the most accurate definition I think possible. They are South African rednecks growing up below the breadline, extremely foul mouthed, overly course….and simply don’t care.
If there was a message in the video that I watched I couldn’t discern it!
Strangely enough I saw a mention about Die Antwoord in yesterday’s newspaper and quickly shook my head. But after watching it today online I think my viewpoint has changed slightly.
While the lyrics (if you want to call them that) are nothing short of catastrophic, I think that the actual beat and technical part of the music is actually pretty good.
Well, at least after the smoke clears from Die Antwoord’s music explosion, the DJ will be able to get a job in the music industry.
I loved the closing remark was just brilliant:
Interviewer: What is the name of your group?
Ninja: Die f*#king Antwoord.
Interviewer: What does that mean?
Ninja: The Answer.
Interviewer: The answer to what?
Ninja: Whatever…f#*k.
Yep this is one strange rap group. Can you believe the amount of traffic the page that was hosting their song received? In the past 4 days Boingboing and Dlisted have received over 3 million hits on their now infamous music video. Heck it has subsequently been loaded onto YouTube and has received 200 000 hits on there alone. That is like crazy traffic!
I just wish that “normal” SA bands could attract such enormous attention..why does it have to be some wacky rap group that brings attention to our country LOLZ.
Anyway I can just imagine there are swarms of fans who will be pumping Die Antwoord’s music in your cabbies at full blast.
What are all of your opinions on the matter? I’d love to know if you think this is a waste of imagination…or the next best thing since koeksusters’.
D.
Be grateful for “wacky” bands like Die Antwoord. You’re other SA bands will surely get attention now. It’s bands like This that pave the way for others. I’ve already been looking at other SA bands since i got into Die Antwoord. And if you want your mind changed about them after Zef Side, listen to Enter the Ninja. A genuinely awesome track.