Hip Hop Connected- “Let the spirit of Hip Hop rise up inside you!”
-Last Emperor
Yebo GOGO! Walala Wasala!
Wow, we all had such an amazing experience this past Monday at the Hip Hop Connected Building Session! We are still feeling the energy that emanated from the true lovers of Hip Hop!! Give thanks to everyone who was in attendance, your participation and thought provoking comments made the evening a success. By laying down a foundation of discussion and networking, we are ready for the real work that lies ahead. Many thanks go out to the Artscape Resource Centre for giving their time and providing an infrastructure to make this Building Session possible. Now the building blocks are in place, this continues to be a work in progress!!
For those who were unable to attend, your voices and comments can still be heard via relevant discussions on
www.africagateway.com and hiphopconnnected@yahoo.com. Please spread the word about this initiative to others… We are busy working to connect Hip Hoppas throughout South Africa, Africa and the World!! The next step is the Hip Hop Show as part of the Imvelo (Heritage) Feast on September 30th at the Artscape Theatre. Stay tuned for more details!!!
It was evident that there is a growing need for discussion around Hip Hop, especially within the Independent Movement. All the building blocks are in place and it up to us now to continue this ongoing process.
A Few matters need to be underlined:
Ø Due to time constraints unfortunately many voices were not heard, and there were a lot of unanswered questions
Ø This was a collaborative event that was equally planned by local and international independent Hip Hop artists
Ø Anyone that would like to play an active role please e-mail your details to hiphopconnected@yahoo.com and join the Resource Centre.
Please check below for the minutes of the event as well as some additional resources.
Peace & Unity,
Hip Hop Connected
HIP HOP CONNECTED MINUTES
ARTS & CULTURAL RESOURCE CENTRE
MONDAY - 18 JULY 2005
Meet and Greet
Welcome
Sticks- Artscape
· Event- 1st of its kind
· For artists who are practicing, but do not have the technology, laptops, etc…(7 a.m. –7 p.m.)…open 11 years
· Training artist on computers, events management, art administration
· Weren’t doing that much in Hip Hop, but were open to hosting the event; want to promote Hip Hop and want others to believe in it—MORE PROMOTION and PARTICIPATION by Hip Hop artists
· Sept.- Heritage Festival Month- speak to management to host another event for Hip Hop
· ‘We’re all together in the spirit. It is only the flesh that divides us.”
Bradlox- continue the spirit for those who went to the other side
Stacy- make connections with each other and our own community; building an alliance between US and South Africa; using each other’s skills and coming together; the state of Hip Hop; Science of Life—Sci calling in; independent Hip Hop artists; event in LA; sharing-we’re all equal
Why we are here- Monishia
State of Indie Hip Hop
a. South African Indie Hip Hop
i. Emile- Black Noize (B-Boy)
Independent, revolutionary or commercial hip hop? Focus on independent and revolutionary; Necessity for the art due to the state of their country; spoke with various people (ex. Shaheen) about signing the deal; believe new generations should sign to both types of labels; did not want to be censored; “Black Facts or Flats(??); media had no clue about Hip Hop, therefore, you teach yourself and learn; use your money creatively; understand that once you make your money, then you won’t get paid for awhile—Must Sacrifice!!---
Two issues in South Africa Hip Hop:
1.) There is a lack of wanting to learn from other before you and
2.) Not enough collaborating and connecting amongst the Hip Hop artists in South Africa- difficult to move collectively, if everyone is at different stages in their development; Hip Hop is the culture of humanity, we cannot ignore what has gone before—cannot ignore the slavery on the planet and whether the connection is good for the ma**es of people.
ii. Shaheen
Indie Hip Hop- Industry v. cultural art; when art becomes product that can become sold and packaged; US artists icons and mentors; influenced by Sugarhill Gang; exploitation began when lyrics were stolen by Grandmaster Flash; Prophets of the City- Mitchell’s Plain- working cla**-coloured areas-townships; how to use Hip Hop; dealing with contracts, industry, etc…people wanted to tell their stories and express; dealing with labels—must come up with something sexy to market; started in the south Bronx with immigrants and working cla** culture; don’t recall seeing contracts; person who represented them in Jo’burg were not interested in them; the industry wanted to hear about drugs and apartheid; decided to go with independent label; Hip Hop was always independent; being signed to major labels is new in South Africa; US Indie Hip Hop- can produce art that is not just product, an oasis for art against the system of capitalism; smaller budgets, but not smaller talent; their group was signed to a UK label- lots of freedom, but you are broke most of the time—UK label won’t support something not sexy, so you always have to put your money back into your project.
iii. Grenville- producer
Decide if it’s a hobby or if you want to make money from it; what is your objective; learn alternative ways to sell music, how to do it, set-up a CC; doing shows or anything to help your creativity; understand how your music works; MARKETING; GET A WEBSITE—put your photos online, bio, etc… distribution- easy to copy CDs; 1/5 U.S. person downloads to IPOD; internet might make it difficult to sell online, so need to understand that now; trader cards (??); to use Hip Hop as a business, treat it like that; don’t make the same mistakes; PUBLISH YOUR MUSIC.
iv. Kaptain- MC (Ben Sharpa)- independent artists & owns publishing company
Hip Hop touches on every form of life and activity (education, politics, culture); KRS in front of UN speaking about the Hip Hop culture; form of oral tradition and mind state; ask questions about the world; you can own your ideas and be masters of your destiny; made lots of progress; you can do it for yourself—don’t need a major label to back you; use Hip Hop as communication and community; learn to pull resources; “Hip Hop Yellow Pages”- occupation, names, talents—use this book when you have events, travellers; there is an industry developing in South Africa
GOALS: create gateways for products and information to be shared; web page designers for artists to exchange programs that work & music; Create entities, building and developing networks; collaborate more; feature people from other places on their albums; Cape Town, Durban, Jo’burg blowing up; have more US artists featured on South African artists album
Questions:
Q: Is Hip Hop a big money making scheme, not many jobs out there, so are we trying to make $$ or consciousness?
Kaptain: It is a culture, lifestyle and mindset. The rap industry is a different story because it can be used in that way. Must encourage the culture of Hip Hop. Must create infrastructure to sustain the culture; don’t need to go pop---enough talent to sustain the independent.
Q: ATL- When did Prophets in the City realize they were being robbed on a K?
Shaheen: It was my fault I got robbed on the contract. However, currently, people like POC, Black Noise, etc…have gone through a lot, but there are other avenues to explore---not convinced industry and culture can co-exists
Q: Is there a medium or channel that can take Cape Town Hip Hop to penetrate outside South African borders…how do we do this? Many people have rhymed for years.
Emile: Rhyming is good for black males because it allows them to express themselves and their emotions in a way, where they can experience themselves and be vulnerable in a way, “Is there a Ghetto Heavan.” It is therapy, a way to communicate and get shit out your system. People will not distinguish between areas of Africa, they see you as one; many times African groups are expected to be on some native drum-village
Grenville
www.usendit.com you can do a recording, upload, then another person can download your file; this is a way to collaborate
Tizo- Tanzania- Swahili - comment
If you want to change this game- then express yourself we must do it through language.
Shaheen- made a sacrifice; surviving outside of teaching; using Hip Hop to survive, pay his bills, etc… must make them happen if you want to be independent;
b. U.S. Indie Hip Hop
Sci-calls 8:35 p.m. (South Africa)
Not US independent anymore—it is global (Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada). On the music level-it is so ma**ive and merging into different genres (Hip Hop / jazz, soul, R & B); independently there is a lot of freedom- we can use it to heal and lift life existence; it brings all types of people together in one mind and unity;
Q: Tizo-What can we do in South Africa to touch Europe and USA?
SCI: Come sign with his record label- build up your production; Shaman work; there is a huge market right now; when you see Africa on TV, they show us the worse conditions, but never show the beauty of the continent;
Q. When are the underground acts, coming to South Africa for a show because we buy your stuff all the time?
Sci: We’ve been trying for a long time.
Q: Janene (??) Many artists just want to express themselves and do not have time for the business; they just want to create; need to decide what they want to do with their creativity; pottery, clay work, beads—how does she make a career out of it; wants to sustain herself; being self-motivated and believe you can take yourself to another level by sustaining herself; just like any other business you want to start
Emile: It is hard to move within a sexist, racist industry; people start to turn on the music and the art form because people sacrifice for the art, but do not always get back what they thought; there will be many frustrated individuals who did not make the rights choices concerning the art, then they will turn on the music.
Shaheen: Must internalise the knowledge and do what you say.
Q. Is there affirmative action going on in the industry?
Granville: Anything that happens in the socio-political climate is going to transcend into the music. Put work into the live show; people will not respond to you, if you don’t; if speaking in another language, it is difficult sometimes for people to connect that way.
Q. Comment:
Need to incorporate artists from other areas of Africa (not just focusing on connecting with the US artists); can you name a group from Nigeria? (A few people named some Nigerian groups).
Stacy: Objective is to start here---connect within your community, within the country, globally, etc…want to come up with concrete ideas of what we can do; only the foundation---the sky is the limit.
Comment: Do not need to connect outside first—someone is here to make us united—someone is telling us how to connect
Comment (another spectator):
Want to see people from South Africa to come here; help take people to another level; willing to invest in groups, put them on a label and be professional; many tight groups, artists, etc…coming out.
Comment (another spectator): Problem with the U.S. industry creating a platform of this nature; this perpetuates the American idea; important to work on one selves because there is no complete unity; independent Hip Hop is not defined; Hip Hop is independent and is cultural
Bradlox: This has been a work in progress.
Break
Discussion --- Solutions
i. Discussion of our Connections to Hip Hop
ii. Independent State of Mind of the Hip Hop Artist
iii. Recognizing the Power of the Voice of Hip Hop
iv. Thinking about concrete goals for the Hip Hop community
v. Ideas for Collaborative projects—US and South Africa
Concerts together—selling products together
Cape Clever: stop making music only for the heads; enlighten others; music is a universal language; broaden music (not just focus on Hip Hop—expand the music.
Jazzart Dance Theater (Company) - contemporary African dance; Hip Hop is still an African dance; artistic director in Amsterdam (“Ish”- they do everything, dance, break dance, roller blading, skateboarding—they have funding). Want to facilitate a 3-yr exchange program.
ISH- Amsterdam company
#1 phase- Gordan goes to Amsterdam in Oct. and studies their methodology.
#2 phase- March 2007—bringing Ish to Capetown—inviting people from the Hip Hop community to meet with them—bring funders there
#3. Want to establish a similar company in 2009—Capetown. Give names and numbers.
· Utilize Artscape
· Jump at own opportunities!!
Sony, BMG have already been here; when something blows up overseas, then everyone bites it as well; just recently have we started to realize our talent.
· Support own artists
Support them in buying the CDs, paying for the shows; international people feel the music.
How do we start to create a culture? How do we sell our music when people do not know about you? People need to eat, therefore, we need to find a way to protect the culture, but also
Artists stop blaming the international people and stop fighting the other artists
Business is using music to promote their products---there IS a way to merge the business—you must learn the business first---all of us are studying the American philosophy—you cannot study the American point of view, the market is different—use R250 to promote and market a CD that only sold 4,000 copies. People are selling CDs at high prices, when it only costs R15 minimum—sell CD at R35, instead of trying to be a millionaire—sustain yourself
If it is NOT economically viable then it parasitic—PLAN FOR GRAPHIC/ GRAFFITI DESIGN ARTISTS—“Brothers need jobs.”—James Brown
Be less self-centred and more self-empowered
Unite, self-educate and self-empowered
BETTER PACKAGING!! Take yourself seriously if you’re an artists; will not put money into something when you do not believe in the packaging; market to more than the heads
Blacks – MCs --Coloured- B-boys (
)
DJ Hamma- there are still too many labels—f*** Hip Hop.
SHOWS:
Wednesdays at UCT Radio
Zula- July 29- R30—Live Wire
Live Wires Hip Hop shows
Orchard Bank
www.africasgateway.comSat. – Zula Bar- live music, different DJS
*Check out the web-site and email addresses
vi. Bridging the Gaps
vii. Organizing and uniting the Hip Hop community all over the world
Peace 10:05 p.m.
Happy Birthday Mandela!
DJ secr’tary – Robyn
Hip Hop Connected—Main Points
Language Barriers
Lil’ Sci : State of Indie Hip Hop
Diversity with in the Genre
State of togetherness
Artists & Business—Reflective Questions
Sustainability—Motivation
Hardshipss & Discrimination Arising
Logic of Industry
Calculated Steps
Innovation !! Needed to Survive
Internalize Knowledge
Make things Happen
What do we know about the Hip Hop in our own Continent ? Africa
Need Inspiration from our own backyard
Lack of Unity
Suggestions
Diversity for the Extended Ma**es
Innovation through Dance/Exchange—Overseas
Artscape Resources—Links (
www.artscape.co.za) 021 410 9917
Pro Action—Progression (Action Plans)
Bridging Gaps—Culture
Lack of Unity
Learn the Business!!!
Sell the Product Cheaper—Expand the Market (affordable prices)
Stay Connected
Less Self Centered and More Self Educated
Knowing we Deserve Better
Quality Product and Packaging
Stop Labeling
You Can Be Heard on UCT Radio
« Art and Culture Show » Wednesdays : Special Hip Hop Culture…Promotion of all Hip Hop Artists
Contact : Julienne 073 788 9178 seeknchoose@yahoo.fr
UCT Radio Number : 021 686 6642
