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Spoek Mathambo (South Africa)

Publicat in: 13.04.2011, 17:09PM
Autor: Richard Constantinidi
Comentarii: 5
Vizualizari: 2455
Etichete: African-american, Afro-futurism, Control Club, Dj Sibot, Glam-rap, Jakobsnake, Markus Wormstorm, Mshini Wam, Nicolaas Van Reenen, Nusoundz, One Event, Playdoe, Playdoe, Richard The Third, South African World Cup, Spoek Mathambo, Spoek Mathambo, Sweat X, Sweat.x, The Congo, Township Tech

These guys are futurists; they are creating music that is before its time in many ways.

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Spoek Mathambo describes himself as coming from “a background as a rapper with small obsessions in Metal and Grime at the same time.” Eclectic. Spoek has been in the electro-rap mash-up scene for a while, as Sweat X with the infamous Markus Wormstorm and as Playdoe with the revered DJ Sibot.

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The debuta lbum title comes from a traditional Zulu song, Umshini Wami (My Machine), used as a hymn by the ANC (South African National Congress) and also by the president of South Africa... for the extremists, The Machine refers to the “machine gun” but to Spoek, The Machine is the engine promoting a new wave of African culture in the world!

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Here's the interview we got to do with the Township Tech artist yesterday.

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CZB: What do you think of the fact that the former European colonial powers are funding civil wars, while robbing Africa of her riches and why do you consider that African people cannot be more united for the common good of their future.
Spoek Mathambo: What are you talking about? The Congo is the size of the whole of western Europe...how do you expect as diverse a set of peoples with totally differing cultures, ethnicities and languages to not want sovereignty... furthermore Europe's damage to Africa over hundreds of years is immeasurable. Don't ask me stupid questions about things you know nothing about. It makes me irritated and I'm a musician who's not interested in arguing about politics.
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CZB: What do you think of the freely-used term "African-American" and in what sense do you consider this expression is used falsely by the Black American community?
Spoek Mathambo: People can and will call themselves whatever they like. I support people's right to be who they want to be. What gives you the right to determine the validity of people's claims to identity?
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CZB: In what ways do you think that the 2010 South African World Cup was a means of creating a temporary international interest for South African culture and artists and do you think you would have had such widespread interest for your music on other continents had the World Cup not been organized in South Africa last year?
Spoek Mathambo: I really don't know what "would have/could have" been, but I do know that due to the World Cup being in my country a range of media outlets around the world were pressured into covering South Africa in all it's cultural, political and natural aspects.
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CZB: Do you have any views regarding the fact that in May some people will be commemorating 30 years since Bob Marley's death and has his music and message influenced you in any way?
Spoek Mathambo: No Bob Marley.

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CZB: What event in your life made you decide to dedicate your life to music and what does the Glam image have to do with the message you are promoting through song and verse?
Spoek Mathambo: I have been making music since I was little, influenced by being a fan of different kinds of music and realizing that I could do it as well. My music is not glam. Neither am I.

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MSHINI WAM are:

Richard The Third (electro/dubstep DJ, producer)
Nicolaas Van Reenen (chitara)
JakobSnake (drummer, beatboxer)

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Album

Mshini Wam (2010)

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www.spoekmathambo.com

www.myspace.com/spoek

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Spoek Mathambo & Mshini Wam will be touring Europe for the next ten days

14.APR. PT. Lisabona. HARD ASS SESSIONS | LUX CLUB
15.APR. RO. BucureÅŸti. CONTROL Club
16.APR. RO. Cluj-Napoca. BOILER Club
20.APR. DE. Leipzig. SUPERKRONIK
22.APR. CH. Geneva. ELECTRON FESTIVAL
24.APR. BE. Antwerpen. A POLAROID STORY Party | MAGIC Club

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Here is the Romanian language CZB Biography.

www.czb.ro/articol/1255

Lasa un comentariu: (max. 1800 caractere)

COMENTARII:

16.04.2011, 14:11PM, scris de ionut
geez, and i thought talent and personal pursuit of happiness could make a poor band be successful...=))) there is a difference between politics and political.

15.04.2011, 06:20AM, scris de RiCo dela CZB
it's all about the politics. and if you refuse to see it, you are either an anarchist or an ignorant. it's politics that we are influenced by in our youth: politics may make a poor band be successful or a talented band remain anonymous and break up; politics makes potential talent in an upcoming band have a 9 to 5 job and have limited time or be tired when writing new songs; politics helps South African artists travel around the world just before or immediately after an international sports event, to underline and promote in a way how influential it may be for other nations to pay their taxes, respect the rules of the game and someday get to host such an event; politics makes Spoek censor himself about certain citizens at a time he is trying to break into their market. When you say make music not politics you are probably very rich or very stupid.

14.04.2011, 19:14PM, scris de RiCo dela CZB
I am sorry if i have been misinterpreted for the reasons behind this interview, just like the artist may also be upset for people misinterpreting the reasons for his choosing an album title and band name with a deep historical and political background. i kindly request that the people writing the comments here check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lof6XJ8b1SU the artist has several interviews posted on the net sticking strictly to the music. we are all free to interpret and choose what we want to read and talk about.

14.04.2011, 13:37PM, scris de make music not politics
The saddest thing isn't the fact that you actually published this interview for extra visits on your site -'cause you have to be masochistic to do that. The saddest thing is the fact that Spoek Mathambo actually read and answered to this totally unprofessional questions. This is one of his first contacts with Romania / Cluj and I'm ashamed. If I were you, I would kindly apologize, before it's too late.

14.04.2011, 13:00PM, scris de Carmen
"Interesante" intrebari... Nicio tangenta cu realitatea si artistul intervievat.