Monday, July 12, 2010

The strange case of Die Antwoord

OK, let's talk about Die Antwoord for a second, because it seems like a lot of my time this weekend was spent thinking and talking about Die Antwoord. D.A. is a rap (? I think) group from South Africa that are one of two possible things:

1. A savant-like brilliant band getting the recognition they deserve; or

2. An elaborate piece of performance art, although to what end I'm not sure.

Evidence for #1: the video for "Enter the Ninja."



Evidence for #2: a short film made by Amoeba Records on Haight in LA when the band came there. Now, in this one, they seem like they're totally putting us on, right? I mean, this has to be a joke, right? Hey, how come DJ Hi-Tek is a different guy every time?



"Do you like fish sticks? You're a gay fish." I mean, not even crazy South Africans with long textual tattoos talk like that, right?

More evidence that it's a big put-on:



Videogum says even if it is fake, who cares? Sounds good to me.

ANYWAY, they're playing at Rickshaw Stop Friday night. Wanna go? You can't, it's been sold out forever. How does $200 for a pair of tickets sound?

Also, YAY SPAIN. Told you so. Did you think it was kind of boring? So did people who know a lot about soccer.
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6 comments:

  1. periqueblendJuly 12, 2010 at 4:21 PM

    but what is 'real'? how wide a gap between your stage persona and your offstage self must their be before we declare one of them fake?

    (i didn't know they were so obviously fake. i haz a sad.)

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  2. TKJuly 12, 2010 at 4:32 PM

    Philosophy is hard.

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  3. RoccoJuly 12, 2010 at 4:50 PM

    ugh, hate.

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  4. Matt ShepherdJuly 13, 2010 at 9:51 AM

    For what it's worth, the Amoeba Records that was filmed at was the LA location. But as to the real vs. fake thing, I think that like so many other things it's a little from column A, a little from column B.

    Let's look to the Beastie Boys for example. They started as a punk band waking fun of hip hop and eventually came not only to embrace it but to actually define it. It began as an "act" but would anyone question their motives now?

    The individuals involved in Die Antwoord have been through their own musical evolutions but now embrace/define their style (whatever that is). Are they savvy about their scene and how to sell a persona in their culture? Absolutely. Are they bringing a fresh take from a relatively alien culture to an international market? Yes. Are they an internationally savvy musical act assembled by a record label to pull the wool over our eyes? Not by a long shot.

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  5. TKJuly 13, 2010 at 1:30 PM

    @ Matt -

    Thanks, fixed that.

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  6. UnknownJuly 22, 2010 at 5:22 AM

    Here is some inside info for you being a south african who has known Waddy for many years i can tell you DJ hi-teks real name is Jutin De nobriga hes been writing tracks for them for many years hes the guy on tour with them now known as vuilgeboost the fat guy in the original pic is a prop.

    Btw this is what waddy does each band has a different persona this is his fourth i think hes a genius and a total nut case!

    cheers

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