Young, Black and Unfree

In recent weeks we’ve seen a steep spike in global awareness around police-brutality and the anti-working class,  the anti-black nature of the capitalist system. Across social media people have been posting black squares and reposting messages of solidarity. People across the world have been gathering on streets carrying slogans declaring ‘we can’t breathe’ and ‘get your boot off our necks’. This directly connected to the death of George Floyd in the US, but also, closer to home, to the death of Collins Khosa at the hands of the army. All of this occurring within the context of a global pandemic. It is from this environment that of Soundz of the South (SOS), an anti-capitalist hip-hop collective, is responding.

 

Hip-Hop is a historic symbol of the culture of resistance. It originates from young black people in poor communities who organised themselves to host jam sessions in the park and street corner cyphers to share with others their socio-political realities. Hip-Hop is a tool against voicelessness putting power back in the mouths of the people. Soundz of the South uses Hip-Hop to mobilise the community to collective resistance against fascist capitalism and towards actions of solidarity.

 

The latest single by the collective, Young, Black and Unfree, sheds light on issues of racist capitalism and its effects on the living conditions of young working class people. This is especially important in this lockdown as we see signs of repression and authoritarianism from the South African state. The government has received major backlash from poor communities whose freedoms have been infringed on during this lockdown. The song responds to this state of unfreedom and hopes to inspire South African youth to critically engage with this moment and organise themselves to collectively deal with the challenges they face.

 

https://sos1.bandcamp.com/track/young-black-and-unfree

Young, Black and Unfree brings together the skills of local and international creatives, this includes:

Verse 1 - Anela
Verse 2 - Java
Verse 3 - Karl Myx
Verse 4 - Tsidi

Beat: Absinth (Odessa Trickmakers)(Athens)
Recorded: Hlumelo Zulu (Cape Town)
Mix: Daniel (Bremen)
Master: Chris (Bremen)
@laplagesound 
Art: Ricardo Pinto Jorge (Maputo/Kigali)
@ricardopintojorge

Soundz of the South, based in Khayelitsha, have been doing political education work using hip-hop and poetry for over ten years. Some of their more experimental projects include Hiphop against the Afrikan Hip-Hop Caravan, uQhagamishelwano, Toyi-toyi Live, and the Rebel Sistah Cypher project.

For more information please contact Anele 0628916821

 

Soundz of the South in residency: Hiphop & Transition

Soundz of the South (SOS) embarks on a Hiphop residency across the region in August and September 2018. Travelling from Cape Town to Windhoek, Luanda and then Harare, SOS will be collaborating with fellow cultural activists in each city in promoting freedom of expression in contexts of political uncertainty due to recent political transitions and shifts in heads of state in South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe.

“The project will explore ways of uniting creative and cultural activists, preserving Hiphop activists’ freedom of expression, association and assembly. Focusing on mapping out ways of sustaining community livelihoods through Hiphop activism and collaborative production.”

In each city Soundz of the South aims to foster new social values and new forms of collective organising through collaborative workshops, music production and concerts.

Follow the journey:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/soundzofthesouth

Twitter: S_os

Instagram: Soundzofthesouth

Soundz Of The South - ZABALAZA - Official Music Video

Soundz of the South @ Cyklopen, Stockholm Sweden

Soundz of the South- (F* the) Police/ Antifa Live vol.21 in Greece

SoS on Speaking & Performance tour in Europe

Rebel Sistah Cypha: Sisters using word to educate.

By Samora Magwa

When beauty, brain and song stands before you and whispers sweet melodies into your heart, the  only thing one can do is just seat and let everything slowly sink in.

Moholo Live House was set a light on Saturday night when the rebel sisters hosted their monthly Cypher at the beautiful venue overseeing the greater part of Khayelitsha.

The rebel sister cypher is a show meant to uplift and showcase the amazing talent that female artists have to offer.

An all-female line up was on display on the night accompanied by Beautiful music, thought provoking poetry and a heated debate that had everyone thinking about how woman are treated worldwide.

Regardless the show’s diversity, every act had something in common to share and that is to educate, motivate,  preach freedom of mind and equality.

On the line-up was Millicent, her unique traditional sound on partially urban beats that gave a fresh kick to traditional music.

Noma’africa, proved that praise poetry is not only for man. Her poetry had people in suspense with what she had to say next.

Zimbini used her language of birth (Xhosa) in her poetry to spread the word of woman empowerment and change through.

The closing acts brought the live house down with their amazing flows, lyrics and dope beats.

Tsidi rapped her way into many people’s hearts with her wicked beats and amazing flows on the mike.

Sister Anela made dancehall look beautiful, fun and melodic, her voice and shifts from singing to poetry had people asking for more.

The day was closed off with good traditional stews and a debate, monitored by Host and female MC Milz, on different types of how woman have been oppressed and still are today. This touched a lot of people’s hearts and emotions where high.

It’s really refreshing to see woman taking a stand and demanding their rightful place in society.

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Train Cypher against Xenophobia. [uncut video 2]