Die Antwoord
Die Antwoord | |
|---|---|
 Die Antwoord performing at the El Rey Theater in LA, 17 July 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Genres | Alternative hip hop, rave, zef |
| Occupation(s) | Musical artist |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Interscope/Cherrytree Zef Recordz |
| Members | Ninja Yo-Landi Vi$$er DJ Hi-Tek DJ Vuilgeboost (Live DJ) |
| Website | www.dieantwoord.com |
Die Antwoord (Afrikaans for "The Answer"[1]) is a South African rap-rave group whose style draws from the Zef counter-culture movement. Its vocalists are Ninja and Yo-Landi Vi$$er.
Background and style
Die Antwoord lead vocalist, Ninja, was part of the South African hip-hop scene for many years, fronting acts such as The Original Evergreens, MaxNormal.TV and The Constructus Corporation.[2] Ninja told Rolling Stone, "Everything I did before Die Antwoord was me experimenting, messing around and trying to find die antwoord... Everything before it was disposable. It was all throwaway."[3]
Die Antwoord's musical and visual style incorporates elements of Zef culture, described as modern and trashy, appropriating out-of-date, discarded cultural elements.[4] Yo-Landi said, "It's associated with people who soup their cars up and rock gold and shit. Zef is, you're poor but you're fancy. You're poor but you're sexy, you've got style."[5] Their lyrics are performed in Afrikaans, Xhosa, and English.[6][7]
Die Antwoord observed that journalists and critics, particularly in the United States, frequently ask if their creative output is a joke or a hoax. When asked if he was playing a character, Ninja said, "Ninja is, how can I say, like Superman is to Clark Kent. The only difference is, I don't take off this fokken Superman suit."[8] They have described their work as "documentary fiction" and "exaggerated experience" designed for shock value. Ninja told Spin:
People are unconscious and you have to use your art as a shock machine to wake them up. Some people are too far gone. They'll just keep asking, "Is it real? Is it real?" That's dwanky. That's a word we have in South Africa, "dwanky." It's like lame. "Is it real?" Dwanky. You have to be futuristic and carry on. You gotta be a good guide to help people get away from dull experience.[9]
The band is known for its cult following, especially the unusually prolific creation of fan art by their followers.[10] Some of their music videos have incorporated artwork by the noted photographer Roger Ballen.[11]
History
Debut album: $O$
Die Antwoord formed in 2008.[6][12] Their debut album $O$ was made available as a free download on their official website.[13] $O$ features Cape Flats rappers Garlic Brown (aka Knoffel Bruin), Scallywag, Isaac Mutant, Jack Parow, and Jaak Paarl (aka Jaak). The album cover was shot by photographer Clayton James Cubitt.[14] In 2009 South African cinematographer Rob Malpage (along with co-director Ninja) shot the video for their single "Enter the Ninja".[15] The video features the late Cape Town artist and turntablist Leon Botha.[16] The video received millions of views online nine months later, forcing them to move their website to a US-based hosting provider to handle the traffic.[6] The single "Evil Boy" produced by American artist Diplo (also noted for producing M.I.A.'s smash hit "Paper Planes"), contained a verse by guest vocalist Wanga (a Xhosa rapper) in his native language, which rejects the traditional Xhosa passage to manhood achieved in part by circumcision, electing to remain uncircumcised; thus an "evil boy for life". The video has garnered over ten million views as of 20 October 2012.[17]
Interscope deal and $O$ re-release
Following the success of the video, Die Antwoord signed a record deal with Interscope Records. In April 2010, they performed their first international concert at the Coachella Music Festival, in front of 40,000 people. Die Antwoord then toured internationally in support of $O$.[6][18] Shortly after, they joined the 2011 Big Day Out circuit which took them to New Zealand and Australia, sharing back-to-back, sold-out sideshows with M.I.A..[19][20][21] At the end of 2010, Die Antwoord won the Myspace 'Best Music Video of 2010' award for their debut video, Enter The Ninja.[22]
Interscope dispute, Zef Recordz and independent Ten$Ion release
In November 2011, Die Antwoord left Interscope Records over a dispute concerning their upcoming album and its lead single, Fok Julle Naaiers.[23] Vi$$er explained that Interscope "kept pushing us to be more generic" in order to make more money: "If you try to make songs that other people like, your band will always be shit. You always gotta do what you like. If it connects, it's a miracle, but it happened with Die Antwoord."[9] Die Antwoord formed their own independent label, Zef Recordz, and released their new album Ten$Ion through it.[24] The release was in association with the Good Smile Company (a Japanese company that is also making Die Antwoord toys), and Downtown Records N.Y.C., which is handling the marketing and distribution for the record worldwide.[3] Die Antwoord released another single entitled "XP€N$IV $H1T" on 31 July 2012.
Media projects
In an interview with Exclaim! magazine in 2010, the group revealed they have a five album plan. According to Ninja, "We'll be dropping films between each of the albums, feature films... We have one we're working on for next year called The Answer. It's like the story of how Die Antwoord started. But that's like, our power, and where our energy is at right now"[25]
They have filmed a short film for the song "Wat Kyk Jy?" (Afrikaans for "What Are You Looking At?") with American filmmaker Harmony Korine.[26] The short film premiered at SXSW as "Umshini Wam" and features "furry costumes, wheelchairs, a music video breakdown, and plenty of zef slang". The film is available online.[27]
Discography
- Albums
- 2009 $O$ (MP3, album, self-released)
- 2010 $O$ (revised version) (CD, album, Cherrytree Records) U.S. #109[28]
- 2012 Ten$Ion[29]
- EP singles
- Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | |||
| 2009 | "Wat Pomp" (feat. Jack Parow) | - | $O$ |
| "Beat Boy" | - | ||
| 2010 | "Enter the Ninja" | 37 | 5 |
| "Fish Paste" | - | ||
| "Evil Boy" (feat. Wanga) | - | $O$ | |
| 2011 | "Rich Bitch" | - | |
| "Fok Julle Naaiers" | - | Ten$ion | |
| 2012 | "I Fink U Freeky" | - | |
| "Baby's on Fire" | - | ||
| "Fatty Boom Boom" | - | ||
| "XP€N$IV $H1T" | - | Non-album single |
References
- ^ Hodgson, Jaimie (9 February 2010). "Die Antwoord And 'Zef'—South Africa's Biggest Non-Existent Scene". NME.
- ^ Barker, Jean (28 February 2010). "24 Facts: Die Antwoord". Channel24.
- ^ a b Coetzer, Diane (30 January 2012). Die Antwoord: The Rolling Stone Interview. Rolling Stone
- ^ "Take No Prisoners - Interview with Die Antwoord". Youtube.
- ^ Hoby, Hermione (12 September 2010). "Die Antwoord: 'Are we awful or the best thing in the universe?'". The Observer.
- ^ a b c d Bosch, Marius (5 February 2010). "S.African Afrikaans rappers takes Internet by storm". Reuters.
- ^ Culhane, Dylan. "Die Antwoord - Zef So Fresh". Vice.
- ^ Holnaaier, Kobus (22 September 2010). "Straight from the horse's piel".
- ^ a b Marchese, David (February 7, 2012). Die Antwoord's Totally Insane Words of Wisdom. Spin
- ^ Mechanic, Michael (February 2012). The Prolific Fan Art of Die Antwoord. Mother Jones
- ^ "Roger Ballen behind the scenes with Die Antwoord". Phaidon.com. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
- ^ Jones, Michelle (13 February 2012). "Band have the answer to secret of success". IOL. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
- ^ Davis, Andy (3 July 2010). "15 Minutes with a NINJA". Mahala.
- ^ Bonner, Sean. "Die Antwoord $O$ album cover revealed". BoingBoing. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ^ "Die Antwoord - Enter the Ninja Music Video". Dont Party. 3 February 2010.
- ^ Jardin, Xeni (3 February 2010). "Die Antwoord, S. African zef-rap, and Progeria survivor Leon Botha". Boing Boing.
- ^ Die Antwoord - Evil Boy (Explicit Version) - YouTube
- ^ Die Antwoord
- ^ http://www.bigdayout.com/sideshows-and-tours/index.php?SideshowId=12
- ^ M I A and Die Antwoord announce intimate BDO sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne | the AU review
- ^ M.I.A with Die Antwoord - Big Day Out Sideshows 2011 - M.I.A at Metro Theatre, Sydney, NSW on 28 Jan 11
- ^ http://www.myspace.com/music/blog/2010/12/the-best-videos-of-2010.
- ^ Fairbanks, Eve (26 January 2012). "Johannesburg's Most Wanted". New York Times. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
- ^ Jardin, Xeni (7 November 2012). Die Antwoord leave Interscope, will release "TEN$ION" on their own new indie label. Boing Boing
- ^ .Dart, Chris (August 2010). "Die Antwoord". Exclaim!.
- ^ Harmony Korine and Die Antwoord to Do "Damage" Together — ANIMAL
- ^ See The Die Antwoord Short Film 'Umshini Wam'
- ^ Charts, Allmusic
- ^ http://vimeo.com/31741727
External links
- Official website
- Watkykjy Website which covers Die Antwoord and related culture.
- Die Antwoord Interview with ION Magazine, July 2010
- Analysis of the $O$ album from South African magazine Mahala