So there I was drinking four Black Labels with Oopy-G and Ferd Isaacs in Eastridge, Mitchell’s Plain, when Mafiouso rolls up with two other dudes. They were telling me about this documentary that was made about Devious’ life…

Anyways I mean we have nothing better to do than drink ourselves to our pulp so we took a stroll down AZ Berman to the Promenade where the show was being showed.  We decided to walk as it was a nice hot summers evening. But walking down AZ Berman at night ain’t no joke. So armed to the teeth we converged on the Promenade shopping mall. Mafiouso is what one would call a ghetto celebrity, with fans old and young hollering at him (damn his album ain’t out yet!).

We walk in and I was relieved to see that the mall is quite as during trading hours the place is packed! (If you wanna check out the best coloured ass come to the Promenade).  We bumped into THE REAL ROZZANO (yes he is the real one), who had just ordered a chocolate milkshake from Panarottis. We chatted about hustling bootleg VCD’s and Mafiouso’s recent altercation with a rival gang (they hit him with a baseball bat).

Any way we stepped to watch the documentary about Devious’ life. It shows footage of Devious when he was doing his workshops at the Pollsmoor prison for the youth that was inside serving time. And damn he did a great job, getting the kids involved in participating in rhyming.

His widow Natalie Van Rooyen also tells us about how Devious felt days before he died. For those who don’t know he was stabbed by a dude named Calvin, who wanted to rob Devious’ father. I got to say that Natalie is a damn strong women. With three kids to look after, DAMN! Makes me just proud. She also owns the rights to all Devious’ tracks, yo go girl. Anyway I met Devious only a few times and had the opportunity to see him work in the studio and man he was talented. Pity he was taken away at such a young age.

Had to say that his funeral was huge, saw that Mr. Fat of Braase Vannie Kaap was also in attendance. If you knew Alesandro Mario Van Rooy aka Devious then the blurb/by-line by REAL ROZZANO would hit home, “this documentary will make you cry”.

At about 25 minutes the documentary is a bit short, but it at least gives you insight into this young man’s life and what he stood for. Working in the community against gangsterism, drugs and alcohol abuse. Watching it made me proud. 

After the show we moved on back to Eastridge talking ….. 

For more info on this documentary you can contact info@africasgateway.com.

by Ira Goldstein

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