Tag: Johannesburg
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Shane Eagle “Hold You” – A Story of Dream chasing and Sacrifice
By Shanell Holback South African rapper, singer, and songwriter Shane Eagle has become a prominent figure in the SA music scene. Born Shane Patrick Hughes in 1996 in Johannesburg, Eagle first gained recognition in 2015 when he finished in the Top 5 of the Vuzu: The Hustle, a South African hip-hop reality show. His latest…
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HHAP Ep 72: A Conversation on South African Popular Music with Sipho Sithole, p. 1
Dr. Sipho Sithole is a Research Fellow at the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (University of Johannesburg) and holds a PhD in Anthropology, a B.Sc in Political Science and International Relations, and an M. Sc in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management. Dr. Sithole’s research revolves around language identity, culture, migration, and integration. Sithole has a…
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Female & Southern African Rappers — Putting Themselves on the Map
A woman stepping into the male-dominated field of hip-hop is revolutionary in itself. Hip-hop was created by men like DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa, in the South Bronx of New York City. Upon its creation you did not see too many female emcees and the weight of hip-hop was carried on the shoulders of…
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A Younger Generation of South African Women Artists and Societal Expectations
Since the arrival of hip hop on the continent, South Africa has birthed and housed some of the most notable African hip hop artists. As a leading nation in the African hip hop industry, South Africa is home to many notorious female emcees: from Gigi Lamayne to Yugen Blakrok. These women frequently utilize hip hop…
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HHAP EP. 67: Yugen Blakrok on Spirituality & the Spectrums of Human Experience Found in Her Music
Yugen Blakrok doesn’t incorporate hip hop’s boom-bap style, she has no interest in being the Queen of SA rap, she does not do trap, and she is not interested in being boxed into someone’s idea of a conscious MC. Her music has been described as “a mix of sci-fi soundscapes & meditative melodies”. It’s definitely…
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HHAP EP. 63: Gigi Lamayne on Representation & Dismantling Respectability Politics
This is the first in a special series of episodes being recorded lives with African Studies students at Howard University and George Washington University. The series is co-hosted with Words Beas & Life, who is also live-streaming the episodes on their Facebook page (facebok.com/wordsbeatslife) on Wednesday nights at 5pm EST. The schedule is on our…
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Gigi Lamayne: Education Warrior
Best known for her lyricism, philanthropy and love for the business world, Gigi Lamayne is an award winning female Hip Hop artist and musician from Johannesburg, South Africa. No stranger to calling out corruption and wrongs within her music, Gigi has discussed themes such as sexism, patriarchy, domestic violence, post-apartheid politics and economic inequalities throughout…
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The Rise of a Prospect: Shane Eagle
Shane Eagle, a twenty-one year old Johannesburg Hip Hop artist, is one of the most prominent rap potentials in the South African music game right now. Born to an Irish father and Black mother who divorced when he was young, Eagle received a heavy influence of European culture growing up attending predominantly white…
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Kwesta:biography
Kwesta is a Hip Hop artist and song writer from Katlehong, in the East Rand of Johannesburg. Kwesta was born as Senzo Mfundo Vilakazi on August 11th 1988. Kwesta’s musical talent began as an interest in poetry which brought him very postive feedback that encouraged him to move forward to preform at talent shows. He…