Die Antwoord are back continuing their celebration of ugliness. Much has been written here on The Black Laser about the group, so I won’t waste your time. If you want to read what I’ve written, just click the “Die Antwoord” tag at the bottom of the post. But do watch the video and start to get excited for their next record. I am.
Tag Archive: South Africa
Two words: PENISES.
If that didn’t clue you in, this video might be a little NSFW unless you work in a boner factory or something and penises are a common sight at your place of work.
And, in contrast, Die Antwoord has not disappointed at all. These guys get weirder and weirder with every piece of media they release and this video for Diplo-produced “Evil Boy” is no different. What they’re doing is some sort of insane genius art project involving the entire world and I love it. I am bummed I missed them when they played here at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. I don’t even know what I was doing when I missed it. Working? Out of town? Stupid? Probably just stupid. God damn, I suck sometimes.
Enjoy this video in a place where you won’t get in trouble for watching. And check Yolandi’s fucking mean ass flows. Darkly wonderful.
I’ve been rustling through the interwebs today and found out a little more about Die Antwoord. Apparently, the group is the brain child of Watkin Tudor Jones, aka NINJA. His career in South African hip-hop stretches back to the halcyon days of the mid-90s (remember those?) and across several different projects, such as Max Normal and the Constructus Corporation.
Now, I could go and rehash all the info I read, but instead I’ll just send you to the site where I read it.
How about some samples of their previous work?
Max Normal.tv
Constructus Corporation
I’ve also learned about this concept called “zef” which is a South African word meaning something like “common.” Based on the description I got from Kameraad Mhambi’s blog post “What is Zef?” is that it’s like a blend of ghetto and trailer park sensibilities. Read the article though, it’s more informative than what I just wrote.
Where does that leave us with Die Antwoord? Exactly where we were before. They are still awesome. If these guys ever came to New York, I’d be in line an hour before doors. Seriously, I don’t care if there’s a whole scene in South Africa, this shit is fresh as fuck here in the States and I am into it. I need—NEED—the record. Need it so bad.
Yesterday, before posting Die Antwoord’s music videos, I sent them to my friend Gardner, absolutely sure that he would enjoy them. I was, of course, right. He loved the hell out of them right away. And, being Gardner, what does he do? He finds the band’s e-mail and send them an e-mail about how awesome they are.
To: Die Antwoord
From: Gardner Loulan
Subject: You are now my gods.I just came across your stuff via my friends blog TheBlackLaser.net and I am totally obsessed now. I was a VJ for MTV Networks in the US a few years ago and have a knack for getting excited about the next level of music and you are it. It’s like you’re bitch slapping Lady Gaga while melting The Knife in her propelled by The Sounds and blowing up Golgol Bordello with an M.I.A. bomb—- putting them all int he past and back together again in the future where you clearly reside.
Well done,
-Gardner Loulan
Now, one usually expects this sort of missive to go unnoticed or unreplied to. But did it? Of course not!
From: Die Antwoord
To: Gardner Loulanwhat a FUCKIN nice thing to say
we fuckin love you for saying thisonce my blaar!
NINJA
out
This trifecta of e-mails was completed with a brief note from Gardner to me.
To: Me
From: Gardner LoulanMy day is now complete.
Awesome. Thank you, internet, for allowing us to have such remarkable instantaneous contact with such diverse people from all around the world. Though we often take it for granted, the ease with which we can communicate with folks from such places as far from us as South Africa is truly incredible.
And also thanks, Die Antwoord, for being cool enough to respond to Gardner.
And thanks, Gardner, for being enthusiastic enough about everything to go out of your way, if only a little bit, to track these dudes down.
If you haven’t yet watched the music videos below, do. And get yourself to Die Antwoord’s website and listen to their, frankly, amazing debut streaming in its entirety. Go now!
I sent these to my friend Gardner earlier and we couldn’t decide if this was real or some elaborate performance. The consensus right now, based almost solely on the horrible tattoos of the frontman, is that it’s real.
REAL.
Did you get that? Real. Holy living fuck. And you know what? Even if it isn’t real, it’s so fucking brilliant that it’s STILL amazing.
This shit is too awesome for words. I can’t even begin to list off all the things I love about this. The closest thing I can reference is Tripmeister Eder Tutenchamun’s “Goa Goa MPU, Ja!” or Deichkind’s body of work.
Check out their website. Die Antwoord
I need more music like this. Who can help me out?
Thanks for adding this bit of brightness to my life, Boing Boing!
