This week AfricasGateway speaks to 13th Disciple from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. 13th Disciple has been a prominent figure in carving out the sound of the city of Port Elizabeth. Having worked with the city’s most renowned artists like Hishaam and Mr. Witherspun (The Art) on tracks such as ‘Inches Away’ which featured on the Iquanda mixtape and featured Mexican and South African artists. In this interview we get to know the 13th Disciple in more detail and we also throw in 2 FREE mp3’s for you to download.

Taking advantage of the lull between holidays, Asher Roth and Nottz have blessed us with an EP entitled Rawth, which is available for free download. In just 8 short tracks, Nottz demonstrates his wide-ranging production talents to match Asher’s honest and clever lyrics. Featuring guest appearances from D.A. of Chester French, Rhymefest, and Kardinal Offishall, the album deftly combines the sonic influences, lyrical abilities, and subject matter from a rare mix of talents to create the ideal album.

Have you voted yet in the Hiphopkop Afrikaans rapper talent search? Round 1 contains 44 tracks featuring a diverse range of rappers from around South Africa which you can download for free. You will find some interesting contestants and after downloading the mp3’s you are sure to find a handful of gems.

Terry Tha Rapman (born Joe Spasm) is nothing but a veteran as far as Nigerian Hip-hop is concerned, having started out in 2000 with the Swat Roots Collective ( Six Foot Plus , Mista Baron , elDee XL , Mode9 and Jiddah ). From his base in Abuja, he released his debut album Tha Rapmanifestation on Payback Tyme Records . The album received little or no press, airplay or recognition, which led to low sales and virtually unknown status. Payback Tyme records broke up, leaving each crew member to himself.

New from Square Off, off their upcoming project Money Moet & Music titled “No Chance”. They deliver their lyrical skills to the fullest on this one. Be sure to keep your ears open on the project dropping early january 2011 and square off is still working on Stadium Status so gear up!

“Hear Me, Feel Me” is the audio memoir of Ralphy Boy as he delves deep to bring you this honest piece of artwork. The project is the story of a young man learning about himself with each life experience while dealing with conflicts such as love, heartbreak, empowerment, ignorance, lifestyle & religion. Reaching climactic highs, dramatic lows and taking unexpected turns, “Hear Me, Feel Me” is nothing short of a thrill ride.

For those who don’t know “Classic Dirt” is a compilation tape by San, the Instru-Monumentalist (who hails from Lesotho) and Phil the Kritik (who hails from Uganda), two beatmakers/producers currently stationed in southern Africa (Lesotho & South Africa to be precise). The project in simple terms can be explained as the end product of like minds, the consequence of understanding the musical and artistic benefits borne from international relations. Classic Dirt brings together on one record, some the world’s finest emcees, producers, vocalists and poets to wax lyrical with prowess over production by the Kritik and the San.”

British-Ghanaian rapper Sway has made his latest mixtape, ‘Bring me to Africa’ available for downloading online. The new mixtape was made exclusively for the African communities throughout the world, in collaboration with Me FiRi GHANA, a social enterprise working from the UK and abroad that brings together the youth in the community and encourages investment back home.

Hishaam was born and bred in Port Elizabeth, more specifically in the historically rich township of New Brighton. Hishaam attributes the development of his lyrical skills mainly to his mother and father, who influenced his musical career by playing various jazz, funk and even hiphop records while growing up. This week Africasgateway talks to Hishaam about what got him from there to here and what to expect in the future.

Norfolk Virginia native, Nottz’ first major placement was in 1998 with Busta Ryhmes, when he was just beginning a successful production career that now spans over a decade. Nottz’s consistent success over the years stems from not only his natural gift for production and great relationships built with the artists he has worked with but also his love of music, his humility, and his manager, Darryl Sloan, who he has worked with for over a decade.

Producer IMAKEMADBEATS is back again with the release of the free EP Nightlight as the second half of his dual-EP concept album Daylight/Nightlight. Daylight/Nightlight takes a multifaceted look at the highs and lows of life, evident through the stories delivered by collaborators Butta Verses, the lyricist behind the Daylight EP, andNightlight emcee MidaZ The Beast, most recently heard on his last mixtape The El MidaZ Affair and as a guest on Alchemist’s GTA: Chinatown Wars Gangrene Mix. While the two EPs are being released separately in a radio edited digital format, IMAKEMADBEATS and Doxside Music Group will later release both for sale together in an unedited physical format.

As the December 27th release of Nottz & Asher Roth’s Rawth EP approaches, the unlikely duo continue to release tracks from the project to whet the appetites of fans. This latest track,  “Gotta Get Up” features DA, one-half of Chester French, and kicks off with a flow of piano chords before Nottz’ own signature bass and drums kick in. As DA sings “Gotta get up, gotta get out, gotta get home before the morning comes,” Asher, in his patented laid back flow, spits tales of laziness and partying – and hoping to find a …

The fourth single off the recently released Mello Music Groupcompilation album, Helpless Dreamer, is all about recognizing where you come from. “Home Comes First” combines the talents of emcees Kenn Starr and Finale on the mic andApollo Brown on production. With Starr and Finale both dropping albums on Mello Music Group in 2011, titled Square One and Odds & Ends respectively, and Apollo still hot off the success of his collaborations with The Left and Boog Brown, these three seem to have no trouble staying busy.
Apollo’s crackling, chopped-up horn instrumental provides a subtle enough beat for the two …

As the January 4th release date of Roachy Balboa 2 inches ever closer, Bay Area emcee Roach Gigz continues to leak tracks off the forthcoming free mixtape. The latest in the series of leaks is “Hold Up” and features a guest spot from Oakland’s own J Stalin, who has stayed busy by releasing more than four albums worth of material in the last year, including the laudedPrenuptial Agreement on SMC Recordings.
This latest single features the rapper’s signature high-energy delivery but, much like with his last leak, “The Dopest 2” the beat is more electronic …

With Georgia Anne Muldrow’s new album,VWETO – the album title means “gravity” in Swahili – already garnering excellent reviews just a week after it’s exclusive iTunes release, the renowned singer/producer is releasing the second single from the album, “Zulu Bounce.” As the title implies, the instrumental track is loaded with bouncy funk synths, lead synths, and more, all layered atop a smattering of syncopated drums and snapping snares.
Georgia Anne Muldrow’sVWETO is available now on iTunes via Mello Music Group.
Download “Zulu Bounce” for free here:
http://media.audibletreats.com/Georgia_Anne_Muldrow-Zulu_Bounce.mp3