Topics

121

Media / New Yfm Line-Up '07

« on: April 04, 2007, 07:37:26 PM »

GP Heads talk to me?..

“The YFM brand has experienced a meteoric rise to iconic status since its inception nearly ten ago” said YFM Head of Programming & Operations Bondo Ntuli. “As the first authentic voice of Black Urban Youth culture the station has always been key in identifying young talent and leading trends in the youth market. In keeping with this tradition we are excited to announce changes in our programming that we believe will keep the brand current and resonate with our legion of listeners” said Ntuli."

http://www.yfm.co.za/pebble.asp?relid=5354

Monday to Friday

00H00-03H00
 Trevor Noah
 
03H00-06H00
 Lusi Tan (New)
 
06H00-09H00
 Paul and Sanza
 
09H00-12H00
 Pabi
 
12H00-15H00
 AK and Lee
 
15H00-18H00
 Chilli and Dineo
 
18H00-21H00
 Mo
 
21H00-24H00
 Amon
 
21H00-24H00 (Friday)
 Nutty Nys
 

Saturday

Show
 Presenters
 
00H00-03H00
 Mpho
 
03H00-06H00
 Tholi (New)
 
06H00-09H00
 Phuthi
 
09H00-12H00
 Mo
 
12H00-15H00
 Bridget
 
15H00-18H00
 Oskido
 
18H00-21H00
 Thato
 
21H00-24H00
 Tumi
 

Sunday

Show
 Presenters
 
00H00-03H00
 Mpho
 
03H00-06H00
 Tholi
 
06H00-09H00
 Phuthi
 
09H00-12H00
 Shabba
 
12H00-15H00
 Bridget
 
15H00-18H00
 Amon
 
18H00-21H00
 Khwezi
 
21H00-24H00
 Tumi
 
Thoughts?...

122

General Discussion / To Upload or Not to Upload

« on: April 04, 2007, 05:58:16 PM »

that is the question..

I have often said I would "Never upload a full SA hip hop album to the net"
I am being forced to re-consider this stance.

The Internet is great 2-edged sword.

On the one hand self promotion has never been so easy. Any artist can open up a myspace/ facebook/ hi5/ Soundclick etc account & 5mins later have their work available to the world wide audience.
Revolutionary stuff right? The divide between the artist & the audience has really been narrowed which is mutually beneficial..or is it?

On the other hand the perils of album leaks to the internet & the netlegging phenomenon have hurt many an artist from Talib & Lupe albums leaking months ahead of release date to Lloyd Banks claiming his first week sales were adversely affected by netleggers. Its undeniable that we all spend less money in the record store now that the net brought the record store to our doorsteps.
Admittedly I personally download on average an album a week (& thats considered modest).

So the question is posed: Is it ethically permisable to UPLOAD FULL SOUTH AFRICAN HIP HOP ALBUMS?

Would we really be doing the artists a dis-service by uploading their material to the net for the world to see?
The a priori (from first principles) answer is "Naw f*ck dat netlegging sh*t, support your SA hip hop!" right?..

Consider the following:
1) How good is the promotion of SA hip hop domestically & (more relevantly) internationally? I have often searched high & low for SA releases in SA & been disappointed they simply weren't on the shelves.
Only a handful of SA releases are available internationally so the music isn't getting heard anyway...

2) How many house holds in SA actually have high speed internet access that would make (domestic) netlegging a problem?

3) How much do SA artists really make from domestic sales? Would domestic netlegging if it was (arguably) a problem hurt the artist or the record labels & distributors?

The esscence of the value debate is which is greater?:
The (potential) promotional benefits from having an album on the net OR
The (potential) losses to netlegging.

DEBATE

*this thread is brought to you by the Support Positive Informative Threads (S.P.I.T) foundation*

123

Traders / Moodphase 5ive

« on: April 03, 2007, 11:06:43 PM »

Does anybody have their debut "Steady On"?



Willing to trade...

124

Politics / Mbeki Speech - I am an African

« on: March 30, 2007, 07:45:44 AM »

"I am an African" - Thabo Mbeki ... 8 May 1996
On 8 May 1996, Thabo Mbeki made a speech to the people of Africa and the world. Mr Mbeki is now the President of South Africa. The speech tells of Mr Mbeki’s belief in the capacity of all people from Africa.

"Friends, on an occasion such as this, we should, perhaps, start from the beginning. So, let me begin.

I am an African!

I owe by being to the hills and the valleys, the mountains and the glades, the rivers, the deserts, the trees, the flowers, the seas and the ever-changing seasons that define the face of our native land. My body has frozen in our frosts and in our latter day snows. It has thawed in the warmth of our sunshine and melted in the heat of the midday sun. The crack and the rumble of the summer thunders, lashed by startling lightening, have been a cause both of trembling and of hope… The dramatic shapes of the [landscape] have… been panels of the set on the natural stage on which we act out the foolish deeds of the theatre of our day.

At times, and in fear, I have wondered whether I should concede equal citizenship of our country to the leopard and the lion, the elephant and the springbok, the hyena, the black mamba and the pestilential mosquito. A human presence among all these, a feature on the face of our native land thus defined, I know that none dare challenge me when I say - I am an African! …

Today, as a country, we keep an audible silence about these ancestors of the generations that live, fearful to admit the horror of a former deed, seeking to obliterate from our memories a cruel occurrence which, in its remembering, should teach us not and never to be inhuman again. I am formed of the migrants who left Europe to find a new home on our native land. Whatever their own actions, they remain still, part of me. In my veins courses the blood of the Malay slaves who came from the East. Their proud dignity informs my bearing, their culture a part of my essence. The stripes they bore on their bodies from the lash of the slave master are a reminder embossed on my consciousness of what should not be done… My mind and my knowledge of myself is formed by the victories that are the jewels in our African crown, the victories we earned from Isandhlwana to Khartoum, as Ethiopians and as the Ashanti of Ghana, as the Berbers of the desert….

I have seen our country torn asunder as … my people, engaged one another in a titanic battle, the one redress a wrong that had been caused by one to another and the other, to defend the indefensible. I have seen what happens when one person has superiority of force over another, when the stronger appropriate to themselves the prerogative even to annul the injunction that God created all men and women in His image.

I know what it signifies when race and colour are used to determine who is human and who, sub-human. I have seen the destruction of all sense of self-esteem, the consequent striving to be what one is not, simply to acquire some of the benefits which those who had improved themselves as masters had ensured that they enjoy. I have experience of the situation in which race and colour is used to enrich some and impoverish the rest.

I have seen the corruption of minds and souls [in] the pursuit of an ignoble effort to perpetrate a veritable crime against humanity. I have seen concrete expression of the denial of the dignity of a human being emanating from the conscious, systemic and systematic oppressive and repressive activities of other human beings. There the victims parade with no mask to hide the brutish reality - the beggars, the prostitutes, the street children, those who seek solace in substance abuse, those who have to steal to a**uage hunger, those who have to lose their sanity because to be sane is to invite pain. Perhaps the worst among these, who are my people, are those who have learnt to kill for a wage. To these the extent of death is directly proportional to their personal welfare…

All this I know and know to be true because I am an African!

Because of that, I am also able to state this fundamental truth that I am born of a people who are heroes and heroines. I am born of a people who would not tolerate oppression. I am of a nation that would not allow that fear of death, torture, imprisonment, exile or persecution should result in the perpetuation of injustice. The great ma**es who are our mother and father will not permit that the behaviour of the few results in the description of our country and people as barbaric. Patient because history is on their side, these ma**es do not despair because today the weather is bad. Nor do they turn triumphalist when, tomorrow, the sun shines.

Whatever the circumstances they have lived through and because of that experience, they are determined to define for themselves who they are and who they should be… As an African, this is an achievement of which I am proud, proud without reservation and proud without any feeling of conceit…
But it seems to have happened that we looked at ourselves and said the time had come that we make a super-human effort to be other than human, to respond to the call to create for ourselves a glorious future, to remind ourselves of the Latin saying: Gloria est consequenda - Glory must be sought after!
Today it feels good to be an African…

I am born of the peoples of the continent of Africa. The pain of the violent conflict that the peoples of Liberia, Somalia, the Sudan, Burundi and Algeria is a pain I also bear. The dismal shame of poverty, suffering and human degradation of my continent is a blight that we share. The blight on our happiness that derives from this and from our drift to the periphery of the ordering of human affairs leaves us in a persistent shadow of despair. This is a savage road to which nobody should be condemned. This thing that we have done today, in this small corner of a great continent that has contributed so decisively to the evolution of humanity says that Africa reaffirms that she is continuing her rise from the ashes…
Whatever the difficulties, Africa shall be at peace!

However improbable it may sound to the sceptics, Africa will prosper!

Whoever we may be, whatever our immediate interest, however much we carry baggage from our past, however much we have been caught by the fashion of cynicism and loss of faith in the capacity of the people, let us err today and say - nothing can stop us now! "

125

Hot Traxxx / InI Appreciation

« on: March 28, 2007, 11:25:45 PM »

Criminally slept on. Timeless album:

InI - Center of Attention (produced by Pete Rock)



Tracklist:

01. Intro [H.I.M.]
02. No More Words
03. Step Up
04. Think Twice
05. Square One
06. Life I Live
07. Kross Roads
08. To Each His Own (feat. Q-Tip & Large Professor)
09. Fakin’ Jax
10. What You Say
11. Props
12. Center of Attention
13. Grown Man Sport
14. Mind Over Matter
15. Don’t You Love It (Bonus Track CD)
16. Microphonist Wanderlust (Bonus Track CD)

LINK REMOVED/?d=K2JR0B3F

126

Movie Talk / Entourage Music

« on: March 28, 2007, 08:23:22 AM »

I am a hip hop fan first. Still am. I go goo-goo when I hear THAT track on a Movie/ TV show.

Don't know if Entourage is showing in SA yet but I just watched the first couple of episodes & I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the music director's choice of tracks. Check it:

http://www.hbo.com/entourage/music/season01/episode01.html

They played INI's "Grown Man Sport"! :!:  :!:

127

Hot Traxxx / Son of Ran - Tribute to Sky City

« on: March 22, 2007, 04:57:04 PM »

Here it is: "One of the Illest Albums you Might never hear"

Son of Ran

Son of Ran is originally form San Diego but was raised out in Japan.
Fans of acts like the Soulquarians, Little Brother, Foreign Exchange, or Kev Brown will not be disappointed by these conscious, conscientious flows, and snap-attack beats.

Tracklist:

01 The So
02 Can I
03 Brief Soul
04 The Professor
05 Second Wind
06 No Sunshizzle
07 Gates to Cybertron.
08 Get U
09 Street Science.
10 As Long As There’s You
11 Ya’lls Truly
12 Lion’s Heart

http://rs70.rapidshare.com/files/19596283/Son_of_Ran_-_2006_-_Tribute_to_Sky_City_sunetesubsol.net.zip

http://organologymusic.com/Son_of_Ran_Sky_City.zip

http://myspace.com/skycityallstars

128

Hip Hop Events / SXSW Conference

« on: March 18, 2007, 12:07:01 PM »

Don't know if you guys have heard of this music conference/ festival in Austin Texas?

Anyway there are a LOT of artists in town networking & stuff I have had the pleasure of attending some of the events.

Here are some shots & videos:

Public Enemy:


X-Clan


Redman


Brother Ali:


Sage Francis:


Zion-I


Zion-I & Sensai_Tate:


Sensai_Tate & Tash from the Liks


some dude in a Public Enemy T-Shirt:


Willie D from Geto Boyz:


C-Rayz Rawlz:


Evidence from Dilated Peoples & The Alchemist:


Vids:
http://www.youtube.com/hiphocalypse

*brought to you by the Support Positive Informative Threads (SPIT)* foundation.

129

General Discussion / Apathy killing AG

« on: March 16, 2007, 08:35:43 PM »

After reading the various incarnations of the "AG is Dead" threads & talking to a good friend of mine from this site I got to thinking.

Why do people feel AG is dead?
Is it coz some of us are getting older & have different outlooks & priorities in life?
Is it coz there is a disconnect btwn the newbies & the "veterans"?

could be any one of those or all.

One thing stood out to me:

APATHY IS KILLING AG

People do not seem to be as pa**ionate about their craft as they were say in 2005.
Whenever threads are started about positive informative hip hop related issues they are either totally ignored & tank within 2 pages or get hi-jacked by our favourite wannabe (lets call him the "great pretender") & his bandwagon & turn into a jerk-off fest/ dissing spree littered with foulness.

The only way AG can live & grow on is if we support positive threads. By this I also mean STARTING positive threads. See something positive you can contribute to tell us about it!
If u disagree with something offer some positive feedback.
Don't just fall into the comfortable zone of "F*ck that africasHATEway sh*t" we all found ourselves in at some point.

"Holla if you hear me!"

*this post is brought to you by the Support Positive Informative Threads (SPIT) foundation*

130

Hip Hop Events / R.I.P J Bux's Dad

« on: March 12, 2007, 08:50:32 AM »

From Rushay:

Keep Jbux in ya prayers
He just lost his dad this morning

 :cry:  :cry:

Death is such a hard thing to deal with but there those of us that believe in a better place.
Blood live on through the ages as Syntactic once told me.

Be Strong my brother.

God & the ancestors are with you.
God Bless the rapscalyon

131

Battle One on One / Cypher-Lupe/Papoose/Styles P

« on: March 10, 2007, 01:44:32 AM »

Styles P/ Lupe Fiasco/ Papoose in a cypher on BET:



Styles murdering cats.

132

General Discussion / Tuff Luv (musiyei)

« on: February 26, 2007, 10:22:33 PM »

How do you deal with Infants?

In Zimbabwe we say:

"Mwana asinga cheme anofira mumbereko"
trans: "A baby who doesnt cry will die in the baby carry (not sure what the english name for a baby sling is)"

Everyone's had to deal with younger siblings/babies..Infants are a particularly interesting demographic.
Some gentlemen (& ladies?) right here on AG are blessed enough to actually be parents. My hat goes off to you gentlemen for embracing your children & being model fathers. You all speak so highly of your kids!
I trust with such loving parents will they will grow to be wonderful adults.

I have 9 (yes NINE) nephews & nieces the majority of which I have had a hand in raising. So I have had some (limited) exposure to parenting.

Infants before they understand/ how to communicate verbally through speach have to cry when they want something. Its their only way of communicating. Its purely emotional instinct. Nothing well thought out. They honestly do not know any better.
We cannot fault them as parents.

Infants are known to make a lot of noise about otherwise trivial issues. Their limited understanding of the world causes them to evaluate everything emotionally & respond with knee jerk exclaimations.."Kuchema nhema" (CAPS LOCK if you will).

Infants crave attention. FACT.
If an infant falls over its a fact that if you pay them attention often it will exasperate (sp) the situation (kuyema) coz 90% of the issue is just that the kid just wanted attention. "Kuchema Nhema" (crying wolf if you will).

What is the solution?

"Musiyei" trans: Just leave (the kid).

Simply ignore the kids & soon they will grow up & learn how to act around grown folks.

133

Hot Traxxx / The Look of LOVE- Q-tip & Statik Selectah

« on: February 15, 2007, 01:25:54 AM »

After All that anti-love negativity around Feb 14th (I see you Jozi Rhozi)

How about some love?...The Look of love...

The mixtape revolves around the central theme of love and J.Dilla, two things most fans argue hip-hop needs more of. “Everyone’s talking about hip-hop being dead,” Statik Selektah says. “It’s really not. Because of these songs, hip-hop will be around for another 50 years. It’s disrespectful to ignore Dilla’s legacy and to ignore the love. And for the record, I still agree with Nas as far as the music, but hip-hop is not dead as a culture. He’s referring to the music.”

----------------------------
The Look of Love Tracklisting:

1. q-tip - one love intro
2. common - feat. j dilla i used to love h.e.r. (look of love rmx) +
3. the roots feat. common - act too... love of my life
4. the roots - what they do
5. busta rhymes feat. q-tip - hold the torch +
6. slum village feat. q-tip - hold tight +
7. common - the light (original & rmx) +
8. a tribe called quest - find my way +
9. a tribe called quest - the love +
10. bush babees and mos def - the love song
11. q-tip interlude
12. little brother - lovin it
13. de la soul - much more +
14. termanology and dc - this is hip hop
15. biggie and 2pac - the old school (showoff mix)
16. skillz - hip hop died??
17. hi tek feat. kweli - can we go back?
18. erykah badu and common - love of my life
19. j dilla feat. common and d'angelo - so far to go
20. common - love is... +
21. talib kweli - two and two
22. snoop feat. busta rhymes dr dre and d'angelo - imagine rmx
23. hi tek feat. nas, common and marsha - music is life
24. the roots - can't stop this +
bonus: terminology - only one can win +

+ = produced by j dilla
------------------------------------
http://www.sendspace.com/file/cwuz15

134

General Discussion / Ziva kwa wakabva

« on: February 14, 2007, 02:12:24 AM »

Hip Hop is Dead (and yall gonna stand there & watch it die...even aid in its killing.)

In Zimbabwe we say: "Ziva kwa wakabva".

The other man landed on African soil & made us hate ourselves to the point where all our native culture was "demonic". In the name of religion & civilisation we embraced "their"religion & foresaked our own looking down on those who dare to cling to tradition.
It has been argued by some that even their religion was "stolen" from our shores.
This is not about religion...Its about spiritual awakening & conciousness.

It can never be underestimated the importance of knowing where you come from and acknowledging the sacrifices & advances made by those who came before you.

What am I saying really?...I feel it is at the core of our spiritual being  especially as Africans to look to our forefathers/ ancestors for guidance.
I was raised Christian but I have always felt a connection to those who walked this earth before me even though I was taught to purge any such curiousity as pagan demon worship.
ZIVA KWA WAKABVA!

Where am I going with this?...

I fell in love with hip hop in 1988 after I heard BDP's Criminal Minded. It has been near & dear to my heart since then & guided me through many of lifes challenges. A lot of my spititual esscence is translated in Hip Hop culture.

Of late I have felt disgruntled with the goings on in Hip Hop both Locally (Zimbabwe & particularly SA)and Internationally.
Kids these days seem to have no sense of History. They have no idea who came before them where they came from. Mouthing off acting like they are the be all & end all of it. Pamuromo chete!

Whether it is US rap acts snapping & dancing their way around the Minstrel show that has become Mainstream hip hop music
OR
New age South African acts getting a little shine for duplicating bullspit US acts & disrespecting other people's hustle (yes you know who you are.. I see you...)
Its like kids these days have no sense of history.
ZIVA KWA WAKABVA!

How does one fix it?
Where do we turn for answers?

Along comes my favourite rapper of ALL TIME with a controversially titled album to turn heads...
What is the prevailing theme in the album?
What does he do to answer the questions & give some direction to the Movement thats spiralling out of control?...
He turns to his forefathers...those who came before him..."vadzimu" to knock out one of the top 5 albums of the last 5 years (yeah I said it!).
Urging the youth to go back & look at what came before them.
The blueprint of the global phenomenon we have all come to love.

Its a spiritual awakening that must never be neglected. The key to the future lies in the past.
Never neglect thine fathers hustle.
Seek the wisdom of the ancients.

Many may not realise how important an album Hiphop is Dead is in today's Hip Hop landscape.
Some may argue it is dated & is trying to hold on to the "golden years" of hip hop.
Listen...

ZIVA KWA WAKABVA!!!!

135

Hot Traxxx / Pharoahe - Desire pre-mix

« on: February 10, 2007, 08:52:19 PM »

Just a teaser before the album:

CLINTON SPARKS - PHAROAHE MONCH - THE AWAKENING



1 - Clinton Sparks Intro
2 - Shut Em Down Freestyle
3 - Pain Interlude
4 - Pain
5 - Let’s Go
6 - We Must Be In Love
7 - She’s A Ho
8 - The Note
9 - Agent Orange
10 - Push
11 - Desire
12 - Stray Bullet Freestyle
13 - The Sniper’s Skit
14 - Gun Draws
15 - Glorious
16 - Down By Law
17 - Outro

http://LINK REMOVED/?d=0NU76KXV