Concrete Grind Review by Thandikhaya Mzozoyana

 

On 7 of July, 469 Bar Lounge was the place to be for PE hip hop heads. The Grassroots Arts Festival presenting the Concrete Grind show for the third time this year. The last two show brought us Projektah from east rand and Naked Eye from the Vaal. With this one i guess Yahkeem and his team figured they should go big or go home. The BeatOven and Yourlokalhead inclusion on the line-up promised to be a memorable show.
With Adon Geel stuck in Grahamstown, Yahav was left to make lyrical marathon for the Sons of Law set. He delivered and did not disapoint but Geel was missed. When is the album dropping? The BeatOven mixed a head banger set after Yahav's food for thought lyrics. The combination of the Two Headed Monster and X-LYRICIST was lethal. X-LYRICIST is a lyrical genius and cats must watch out 'cause "it's the rise of the LYRICIST". Storm got on stage and pleased the crowd and what is a Storm set without the 'THUNDER STORM PLATFORM'. During the i...nterval Dj Sebs of KQ fm dropped a soulful mix on the decks. Highlight of the day was when Kubl5senses gave his students, Nyikima and Pythagorhymes, the mic. Nyikima and Pythagorhymes ripped the mic to shreds and suprised the shit out of me and everybody else. Kubla felt the heat of being outdone by his own proteges, so he took the last leg and killed. The Grand Finale remix put a lid on an epic perfomance. Can Yourlokalhead and The BeatOven top that? That was the question.

The BeatOven is not any ordinary deejay, he's a live perfoming deejay. Yourlokalhead's command and manipulation of the crowd was amazing. Yahkeem was under pressure but delivered as always.
"The success of a show is not the quantity of the audience but the quality of the sound" those are the words of the Mastabilda. The sound was crisp, the mics were perfect. The bouncer minus the three piece suite was Ohayv a.k.a the love writer himself. The only disapointment was when we was told, 'IPHELILE'. ‪#‎PEACE

Malcolm X Autobiography as told to Alex Haley

Alex Haley is the most amazing African writer to have ever lived. There would have never been a better qualified individual to capture and reflect accurately the life and time of the giant Malik El Shabazz.

The book oozes with inspirations, intense emotions and motivation for black people in particular. It is so graphic you won’t help yourself but feel you knew Malcolm X personally.

 

The Lesson I extracted from it was that History Controls Destiny. How?

 

Malcolm growing up has no special life or extraordinary upbringing. He was a typical black child faced with adverse conditions brought forth by the illusion of white supremacy. The assassination of his father worsened matters driving his mother into insanity. One thing that had a negative impact on the Little’s, as a family they had to be separated due to his mother being institutionalised.

 

From that point on the road was strictly downhill, deteriorating by the second. Malcolm was moved to one of their elderly sisters in the city; just imagine a rural boy fascinated by city trinkets. Blinded by the city lights he got heavily involved in drugs, prostitution, and crime in general. He was the man in the streets, man of many names that sought to describe his street smartness.

The turn-around, his awakening was strangely brought by his incarceration. With the inspiration he got from his blood brothers who were now fervent followers of the man that was introduced to him as a lamb and a messenger of Allah, Elijah Muhammad.  He begun to study and read himself into sanity. He explored The History of Black People, Extensive European history and mythology, plight of black people, black traces in the scriptures, ancient black civilizations, etc. 

 

The Connection of Black people to grandeur, greatness and splendour changed his perception of himself, his environment, the world and his role as a black man. He rose from the ashes, the lowest pits, the depths of wickedness and sin to be amongst the most influential Black figure in the History of life.  He did that with no formal education, he became one of the first so called ex-con’s to rehabilitate them through study and hold public lectures in the finest institutions of higher learning. His life and transformation redefined Educatedness and questioned the need for formal education as it stands currently.

 

Malcolm X epitomizes evolution. He was born Malcolm Little, transitioned and conquered the world as Malcolm X, and was Malik El Shabazz at his exit. Each of these figures has their own individuality and tone of Voice.

Grassroots arts Festival 2012

 

Grassroots arts festival is something from nothing. you can get in contact with them by emailing grassrootsartsfestival@gmail.com

Indaba Kwamkhozi Video Remake 12 May 2013

Wehad an amazing time today shooting a music video for the viral Indaba kwamkhozi song featuring Phira and Adon Geel on the beat. Peace to Reel Creative Media and The Hebrew Kollective.

For More information you may contact us at grassrootsartsfestival@gmail.com

Pictures courtesy Makhi Concepts

The Sprite Uncontainable Talent Search_ Port Elizabeth Leg

Mind That

I am not the one that was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I am part of those that had to scramble and fight to get anything going for them. This trained me very early in my life. It taught me to be a soldier and it taught me to endure. I learnt to use whatever small thing I had effectively.

 

This was critical teaching in my upbringing. “Creating something out of nothing” is a motto I adopted, or it rather adopted me I don’t really know. All I know is I had nothing, I have nothing but I am determined I am going to create something that is going to outlast most things most people have and they parade every day.

Don’t get this twisted I am not aiming to write and inform you about material acquisitions. NO! Life is beyond that. I was blessed with an infinite creative mind-set; it has limitless abilities it can create a new universe for all its other powers are yet to be revealed as I journey along. I will guard that mind with every molecule I have in my body. It is a greatest treasure any human being can ever have.

 

Your mind is a control station. If you are not in control of your conditions and thoughts then my friend your mind is a controlled station. You can’t allow that. You being great successful, your being you and your being everything that you are at peace with depend on it. Then the question is would you waste thought trying to entertain what people might be thinking and saying about you? Or would you rather spend your time discovering your true potential?

 

You need to make that distinction. Fight for who you want to become. Don’t let your condition hold you back. Ayililo ilizwe lenkenke eli. If you have brains you have everything and more remember that. Life is about soldiering after all.

It is never about the Hype

It is easy to get caught up in the hype of things. it is easy to recite meaningless words when the true spirit of what got you picking up the pen is gone. it is easy to do the right thing with the wrong spirit. it is easy to point fingers. it is easy to be plastic.

the world is transient, organics are expensive because there is always a cheaper imitation just around the corner. this has forced a lot of trusted brands to water down, and weaken their material to keep up with times and survive the times.

you really get cornered empty shows and hungry children. Demanding parents, and rising prices. What do you do? Quit and focus on an unfulfilling job. Do you give in and like Torea release an album explaining why you had to give in. do all these people like when we post status updates calling ourselves Real heads really purchase our albums.

Must we really sound stupid to sell? are people dumb? could the record executives be right that people are dumb, stupid and lazy they dont want to think? if they not everything the labels say they are, why is there no intelligent music on the main stream?

Personally i refuse to give in. i am a writer before i am a rapper. i beleive in the greater cause. i will keep on speaking even though my voice drowns in the mainstream noise. i will not do what i do not like because i need cash.

Deutoronomy 23 vs 23

23

That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. Shalom Family beleive in your abilities you maybe the one you are waiting for. stop looking next door and making excuses. It is not about the hype remember that.

Concrete Grind Review by Thandikhaya Mzozoyana

The Concrete Grind ön Sunday was epic. It started late but most of us were late anyway. After the appologies by the Mastabilda, Storm got the busine$$ going with the "THUNDERSTORM PLATFORM".

 

Storm is a legend period and i always pity an artist that perfoms after his set. Yis tried but lacked energy and delivery. The beat battle between Adon Geel and Subz was mind blowing. Geel was on that soul tip while Subz kept dishing out head bangerz only, and during that battle MC's got on stage and kicked their verses. Romano entertained us with his wacky signature laugh and we got a suprise by the name of X-LYRICIST, the kid packs heat(watch out Yahav).

 

Subz won the beat battle. Hustle Simmons gave a dope set and out rapped himself, there's a track called "ZIKHIPHANI" were he explains that he is doing it for the love(don't get it twisted though he wants the gwap but he ain't gona fake it), it's for the heads. Hustle ain't tryin' to save the world. Sons of ...Law are out to "save the world" and they also killed it with Yahav being the more charismatic member of the duo. During their perfomance my lil' bro was like, "bhuti this is the kind of music you need to sit down and listen carefully". Amandla to the Sons of Law!

 

Naked Eye almost stole the show and shipped it to the Vaal, it's hard to please a PE crowd especially when you're out of town but Naked Eye had us singing alöng to his hooks like he was our homeboy. He closed his set with a Sotho track and we sang along to that as if it was our first language. Sifuna uNaked Eye abuye qha...

 

Yahkeem made sure that the title stay at home by starting at a high note "HARD HITTING" and that got us going buck wild(we were not bobbing our heads, we were bobbing from the wast up). The Mastabilda gave his all perfoming tracks from his previous album and current one. Sprite was in the house reminding heads to trust their instinct and big up to Yahkeem for organising that.

 

 We're looking forwad to the next Concrete Grind instalment and big up to the Grassroots Festival. PEACE!

Do not Forget to March

March is one of the most significant months in South Africa. It is a month of defiance, a month of selflessness most of all a month to honour and celebrate the martyred. On the 21^st March 1960 our people under the leadership of the Pan African Congress challenged the status quo by handing in the dompases, the march led to a blood bath which to this day the actual number of people that were killed by the askaris cannot be verified. This was dubbed the Sharpeville massacre and subsequently the day as Heroes day.

The day is significant because beyond everything else it displays the will of our people to move as a collective. It also instils in us the living the need for sacrifice which in my vocabulary sacrifice is giving up something of high value for something of even greater value. What is greater than life? When you give your life away for the cause of the collective what do you gain? This is a question I cannot be able to answer today nor in a century to come. I simply scribble to acknowledge and give praise to the unknown. Honour the fallen and forgotten.

It is indeed amazing how we as a society are selective in celebrating our heroes. We embrace what media endorses; we are not free to remember whomever we will, whenever we will. Our perceptions are policed and channelled in accordance to required ends. We are not even aware that such is occurring; we wallow willingly in this quagmire with the outmost contentment.

 

Those that lost their lives so that we gain ours would be honoured if we could start being radical in our thinking. They would be pleased by us being modest and carry on the torch for the absolute liberation of our beings. They would at least smile in whatever form they are in by seeing young people living meaningful lives that displays totally the commitment to vision of our people. They would be humbled by our being Valliant warriors who roar for change.

 

As you enjoys the crumbs of capitalism and spoils of post 94 be mindful of the sacrifices of those gone by do not squander their blood as if it were mere swine that was slayed. Do not be a neo colonialist and oppress your own by introducing self-serving laws. The fight is not yet over because the current scuffle is not a fight against a race but a war against certain principalities that fail the efforts of our heroes. I would love one day to author a truimphant story of the present generation.

 

This March, do not be afraid to think outside the dictates of society. This March, do not be timid. This March take on the spirit of 1960. This March, remember your heroes. This March, forget party loyalty and embrace Truthism. This March, begin a journey to the everlasting books life. This March, do not only speak of greatness be about greatness. This March.

Yahkeem ben Israel

Concrete Thought Review Penned by Unathi DarkBlood Slasha

If you are looking for punch lines in a project or music that puts you into a dance mood then you may as well stop reading this! The album kicks off with a nice beat then Yahkeem’s raspy voice is heard polemically articulating his dissatisfaction and concern with the current status quo, and how he is affected and confined to suffer the repercussion of the past socio-political –economic system and white capitalism and its exploitation, blaming them for his present sticky plight.

 The second track is on that ‘’ Keep it real’’ steez, it sounds too street yet he drops science with ease. One can easily tell that he despises rap music that suffers from dearth of lyrical depth and substance. Throughout the whole project he embodies and showcases his lyrical ability and flashes his prowess by flossing his creativity as a bilingual emcee when he fluently switches from English to rap in isiXhosa. His vigorous delivery ranges from a conversational rabbi’s typical manner of imparting a lesson to a fast-rap-machine-gun spitting a barrage of literary scripts. My favourite tracks on the album include “They gave us”, “ New Chain” feat Ohayv, “Hard Hitting”, “Come Out Of Her”, “Mind in Chains” Feat Tsviel the Prince, “Letter from the pen”, “ Response” and “Simple truth” featuring the likes of Naked Eye, Quaz,Yahav, Yis and Shmael.

The whole project is highly inspired and is dedicated as a salutation to the life and writings of the honourable Livingstone Mqotsi.
He is suggesting that people listening to the project should delve deep and find out who Mqotsi was since a lot of people have no idea who he was and what he has done for the liberation of the black nation. The production on the album is definitely not the dopest you have ever heard. But do not be fooled by that grave statement because Geel does justice to Concrete Thought. Marro, Eden, Xct and Vast words also contributed with beats to this offering to help diversify the sound on the album. I feel that the “Back in the days” track that is produced by Luckeez is not meant to be part of this piece of work. The beat is seriously weak. Or is it me? Or am I too used to Hip-hop sampled beats? Nonetheless the overall of the song sounds dull and it does not arouse any interest that leads one to endure enough and listen to the lyrics. I feel that it should have been excluded from the album. I comprehend that Yahkeem was attempting to have a Radio track that the public may easily relate to. But “Indaba Kwamkhozi” with Phira (the dude is a ridiculously gifted vocalist) sounds pretty fresh, and is one of the most outstanding cuts on the project that Radio stations ought to be playing for the public as a musical treat.

What I enjoy the most on some of the tracks is the art of song arrangement how he appropriately picked relevant audio clips from different revolutionary speakers and meticulously interwoven them with the beats of the songs at the end to further thoroughly explicate and emphasize the point he is attempting to convey. I personally think that this is Yahkeem’s best work ever to be put out for the public. Out of all his previously released material, this is the project that stands out to bare evidence that he is a dedicated and diligent lyricist that waits to be celebrated. The project should be a paragon of social commentary and politically charged raps, and music that carries a message to the masses in the Bay since the realm of rapping is largely dominated and overcrowded by punch line orientated raps. I say this due to the mere fact of lyrical consistency throughout the album. I believe every single head that has love for rhymes that are accompanied by logic and reason is obliged to raise both thumbs with extreme confidence and recommend this offering to others with the same taste in rap music.
The bard

The song For Mqotsi's Lyrics

Yahkeem Ben Israel Ft. Sane (of Words Untame) Produced by Bongani Eden Koza

 

Sane: Time, time and time again/

 they take them out/

one by one shut them up/

feed them so they can’t pull out/

surely Truth will rise again/

sure to ease the aches and pains/ young man/

you were made by the works not by the gains/

by the fruits yea shall know what seeds they have sown/

Verse one:

You can never be acknowledged equally on both armies/

Neither can you be an agent for both parties/

Simply because you’ll love the other/

And hate the other/

Let the words I utter/

Resonate in your soul as I convey the story of the father/

The honourable comrade Mqotsi the Livingstone/

In His life time He proved a brimstone/

Fire to the opposition/

Firmly fixed to the cause no level of education/

Could pollute his vision/

Love for his people sparked rejection/

An outcast who never partied in the annihilation/

Of his own/ never known/

To wantonly gobble the spoils on the table of the master/

A soldier/ who like the seven sons choice the grave than tasting the swine’s meat/

Deliberately dancing off beat/ to the master’s tune…

Chorus:  You will always be in my memory/ It’s for you brother one true other/ You will always be in my memory/ It’s for you and matters we do things for/

Verse Two:

Not everyone engaged in the struggle was in it for the whole/

Some secretively persuade their personal goals/

Livie remains a Sole/

 Example of a soul/

Totally committed/

 When he was rejected/

By the education system because of his radical views/

He never kneeled before the machine begging for crumbs/

Instead he intensified the cause/

Defied their laws/

 He served liberatory interests/

With the purity of infants/

In his quest to disseminate Truth about the beast/

He pioneered publications/

Entertaining content relevant to the black nation/

His mission/

Was loosening the minds in chains/

As long as ignorance reigns/

The master’s grip remains/

He gains/ overwhelming power over the back souls

 

Chorus:

Verse Three:

His troubles begun to increase as people awoke to the apartheid scam/

His efforts demanded the subjects to act/

Ink from his pen proved to be a threat/

With an impact/

That surpass all chaotic riots combined/

All hell broke loose when this refined scholar released the house of bondage/

It sparked rage/

The fury from the pale system had him skipping states/

To seek refuge in the diaspora/

Where he remained until the apartheid order/

Was seemingly overthrown/ the tone/

Of his voice during the negotiations/

Through to the dawn of the new dispensation/

Haunted the black images advancing the white cause/

His stance had him muted and considered shelf material/

Until his burial/

The ruling class pretended as if he never existed/

Musical Profile

Emerging from the hostile streets of Motherwell, Eastern Cape's Largest Township is Yahkeem the Mastabilda a Profound lyricist, Poet Extra oedinaire, social commentator and Cultural activist. Yahkeem is a Hebraic name denoting "The one who builds", The Mastabilda is self explanatory and was given to him as by the GHETTO YOUTH UPRISING a social movement based in Motherwell, after observing the zeal and level of mastery in his quest to provide alternatives for his people. Mastabilda is more an attribute than a name. Growing up in the township he spent most of his time in the sphere of thought as he never mastered any of the ghetto arts fit to exalt and gain one glory in the hood this was a blessing in disguise for it enhanced his imagination, which was to be chief weapon in his arsenal in latter days.

It was very early in his life that he started to be fond of his pen, with no direction really aligning to anything that was popular on TV. The environment was not assisting him as well; it was dry and provided no motivation, inspiration or platform for a would-be artist. Things shaped up very late with the formation of the mighty Ghetto youth Uprising. It was in 2003 that he started to take his writing serious juggling in-between essays and rap scripts.

This was the same year that Khululekani an IsiXhosa Hip Hop outfit which proved a powerhouse not only in P.E but Thru out the Eastern Cape was formed, their glory stretching as far as places like Joburg and Cape Town to mention but a few. Khululekani enjoyed massive following and The Mastabilda was in the thick of things pioneering an era with this dynamic crew. He was a member alongside Tsiviel the Prince (one of p.e's fine and explicit rhyme slayer) and Ohayv (Founding member and vocalist of Usiba Noncwadi). K.K as it was affectionately known went on to release a greatly anticipated self titled E.P that enjoyed massive radio rotation from stations like Kqfm, Uwfm, Khanya fm,Bay Fm etc after the success of the E.P however life spiraled to different zones and made it almost impossible for the trio to meet and rehearse.

This vacuum set up a platform for Yahkeem to explore music as a soloist. 2009 saw a lethal combination between the Mastabilda and The Musical genius Beatology their interaction gave birth to THE SPIRIT LEVEL a bootleg album that wrecked havoc nationally. Prior the release the project got coverage in publication such as hype magazine it was the splendidly launched in April 2009 at Umhlobo wenene fm an on air one hour Launch this was a biggest step any independent artist has ever taken and a grand entrance on the scene. The Spirit Level established Yahkeem as the best kept secret and a jewel of hip Hop in South Africa. that very year got him performing in the sessions like The Hype sessions(The P.E leg), Queenstown annual Hip Hop session, Intloko Zeenyoka Launch, to mention a few.

In the year 2010 as South Africa was preparing to welcome the world Yahkeem Was busy at the Heavenly approved Studios with Geel Ben Israel eastern cape's most gifted and versatile producer working on an E.P entitled The One who builds with this project he went all out promoting it countrywide Performing it at sessions like Street Pop and did Splash Jam twice the same year (both in Joburg), Mr. Pickwicks, and townships around Cape Town. Massive activity also on The Fan parks and fifa zones around the bay. It enjoyed rotation on stations like ujfm, uwfm, trufm, vowfm, hedelbergfm, e.tc... The same year he was a panelist in The Splash Jam Hip Hop Conference raising the flag for the marginalized Eastern Cape.

Yahkeem's work has caught attention of the following media platforms:

Publications:

The Herald, Hype magazine. Ilizwi, Izimvo e.t.c

Radio Coverage:

UMhlobo Wenene fm, Kqfm, Fortefm, Rmr, Vut, ujfm, hot96, Bay fm, www.rechrgedradio.com, Trufm, Goodhopefm, Hedelberg fmuct fm, Khanya fm, alex fm, Moretele Community radio, Israelitemix, V.O.Wfm, Radio Graaf reiniet, Radio Zibonele E.t.c

Websites:

http://www.afrispora.com, http://rechargedradio.co.za, http://www.sheetstreet.co.za,,http://www.foundnation.co.za, http://www.reverbnation.com/TheMastabilda,http://www.facebook.com/mastabilda

Discography:

Intsimi Mixtape, Khululekani E.p, Concious Bling By Louzy Living, Bling City by Divided Souls(iamerican mixtape) The Spirit Level, The one Who Builds E.p, Formal Slang by Words Untame,Dj Zakes Mixtape, Truth Music Compilation, Reherb Mixtape, Officially Offside Mixtape(protest Compilation)

Latest Perfomances:

Opening Of The Season Hobbie beach 2010, Grass Roots arts Festival 2010, st. Georges Fan park2010, Fifa zone Central2010, Splash Jam 2010, Guild Theatre 2010 Mr Pickwicks 2010, Bensonvalle College 2009

Other music Related Abilities:

Radio Production, Deejaying, Master of ceremony, event Organisation, public speaking, Artist Management, Markerting and promotions.

Social Responsibility:

Workshopping inmates and motivating them to develop their artistry and interpersonal skills. 

Open Letter to Eastern Cape Media Platforms

Picking this pen and writing on this concept was met by internal resistance. I had to first consider where it will position me because beyond a concerned citizen I am an artist who will be authoring his demise. The people I aim to address may sabotage me and not allow me platform. But then again I had to think with a sober mind and consider in Truth how have I ever benefited from the same media that I am so considering not to offend. Understanding that you cannot lose what you never had kept me writing.

My limited understanding tells me that media is a medium that we use to direct public opinion, stir up debate introduce and market new ideas, it is a tool to communicate and inform the populace of the happenings around them. This is not text book definition but the perception I get as I page through newspapers and hearken to radio stations.

Media houses are run as businesses, that I understand fully, the need to generate profit would be their prime priority and that fact will of course inform their selection of stories.  All businesses have in the same breath community responsibility which most of the time is fulfilled by throwing money around to causes that will beef up their community standings. Most of the time the cause is not known to the employees, it is a decision made in a secluded office by an individual who is not in touch with the people that function on behalf of his institution with outmost zeal.

The Eastern Cape has numerous media platforms to mention, working together to build an industry in our province is an attainable and tangible thing should we work together on it with the same mind of building. Unfortunately it will take a long stretch for us to achieve that firstly because for E.C based journalists to recognise and respect our artists is at the moment seeming as an unrealistic expectation.  It is easy for Junnos this side to glamorise, praise and exalt anyone from anywhere except the people from the province. Artists have to literally die to be acknowledged and sanctified as the greats which is sad. It certifies Christopher Wallace’s words as gospel truth that you nobody until somebody (or something) kills you. Until when? Until we get brave journalists who are not afraid of themselves and their environment. I am sick of opening a newspaper and read about Mandoza when i know Ohayv (Vocalist/rapper/composer born and raised in PE) did a great show over the weekend that was well attended and he gave a great show and we continue as if he doesn’t exist. I am sick of sending mp3 files via email to EC radio presenters and be told my tendency of sending dodgy files is not welcomed when radio stations as far as the UK, Israel, to mention a few embraced the music and rotated it on prime slots. You need to support your own, inspire growth and if you feel they are not meeting the standard give them your criterion of selection.

Eastern Cape has two SABC head quarters, one in Bisho and one in Port Elizabeth; my question is how are those buildings benefiting the guy on the street pursuing his dreams?  How are they adding value to the provincial artistic landscape? Were they only erected to durbarnise, cape townise and joburganise the masses? If not, why are they only embracing those who have been acknowledged outside the province? Mercy Pakela, Ricardo, Zolani, Camagwini, Roger, Simphiwe Dana, Ntando,  The Bala Boys, Mxo, Sliq Angel, Feya Faku, etc all had to forsake home and head to destinations unknown to them in the quest to fulfil their dreams. All the places they went to never gave them the talent, they were great before they moved to those places but  our media was too blind to see these treasures. The province had to be brain drained to print front pages acknowledging Eastern Cape born talent and presenters to claim that they knew these artist before they blew up, but you wonder what did they do to push the talent? Nothing! Luckeez Mfowethu of Umhlobo Wenene illegally pushed artists from the gutter for years and did an exceptional work in introducing these artists and also creating a bond between these artists and their followers. This great work saw him being relegated to an hour reggae show every Saturday. The day he was taken off from Jaivah mzantsi is the day I stopped listening to Mhlobo for I knew no other presenter who would cater for people who are pushing dreams and wish to establish themselves without having to go out of the province. Maybe the EC media is incapable and has no level of influence on their audience so pushing local acts would make them find that out in a rude way.

What I find more foolish are community based radio stations that are so in need of sounding like radio stations outside the province and in the process alienate their audience. The content has to be everyday to them, this is a community platform, and the community needs to see itself, read about itself and hear itself in these mediums. What the local media tends to do on the flip side is de-motivate its readers by making them feel talent does not reside in the EC, also it discourages tourism because people will rather go to where there is activity, and that attitude adds more to forced migration. You will rather go to where people will embrace you as an artist. I write having an experience of how we as the EC artists get received in other lands.  One sometimes feel like not coming back but the thought that someone has to break the chain of artists leaving the province keeps one coming back.

It’s a sore reality that can only change when the EC media employs folks who will have belief in our talent, faith in our artists and desire to move the province from the tail to among the heads for after all every three out of five great South Africans are emerging from the east. How then are we the consumer province with nothing to offer and show? On a more extreme but necessary level artists need  to assemble teams that will create  platforms  that run parallel to the one that is currently failing the culture, arts and the vibe of the EC. This is important!

Until  the media takes our artists serious they will remain as curtain raisers for the whole world, they will remain mistreated by organisers who have scored tenders to organise year end functions on behalf of the city, they will remain as weirdo’s, and un-progressive lot that has been doing the same thing on the same level. We need the media to step up and play a significant role in writing new history. I will rather have more articles printed, gigs covered, artists profiled and their music aired than see more bags packed.

Yahkeem Ben Israel

P.O. Box 12226

Centrahil

Port Elizabeth

6006

Knowledge Of Self is prerequisite to True emancipation

"...You cannot be concious of yourself and remain in bondage..."

                                                        -Bantu Biko

I write what I like.

This great African scholar and organic philosopher gave us blueprint to total freedom. It begins with one identifying  and being able to define self according to ones mode of thinking. Before any nation, organisation, or individual can step up and wage a successful and sustainable war they need to first study themselves. It is essential that they know who and what they represent. You need to know your former state of being to discernthat your current situation is oppressive.

To know yourself means being aware of your role, worth your relationship with yourself, your people, your land and ultimately the entire creation. On the contrary you can entertain self-destruction, be a plague to the land and creation being void of self you would except a base level of existenceas your highest standard. As long as you do not know that the intention of creating cuffs and chains was to ensnare and enslave you, you will spend the greater timeof your life in persuit of bigger, better, and beautiful looking shackles. Consider Ngugi's dissertation:

"The domination of  apeople's language by the languages of the colonizing nations was crucial to the domination of the mental universe of the colonized...

The colonial child wasmade to see the world and where he stands in it as seen and define by or reflected in the culture of the language of imposition."

-Ngugi Wa Thiong`o

Decolonizing the Mind pp16,17

Your enemy wants you to look at him with trembling fear. He conquers your mindso that you defeat yourself before entering in the ring. If you can understand language as a concept travels beyond spoken sounds, it has to do with dietary principles, manner of dress, general practices, ritualistic rites, conduct,e.t.c. It encompasses every aspect of life. If it is your enemy who shapes your mind, influence your dress code, prepares your meals, sets the standards of moral behavior, then we might have a problem! If he plays an instrumental role in the develoment of your faculties of thought(education) then he has to ensure that the student is not greater than the master by manipulative means. If he influences your dress code he will give you circus gowns and take away all the majestic raiments that defined your essence. Most definatley the adversarial chef has to feed you meals relative to his thoghts and feelings about you and when you fully comprehend this all the dietary rooted diseases tht run rampant on the face of the earth become lucid. It is not in his best intrest to give you life sustaining food. He fractures your moralvalues and priciples and the leaves yoiu sucseptible to anything. You become stranger to your kind and not relate to every done under the banner of your authentic self. You wiil be found at all places except your own, playing all kinds of roles except your own.

"... in order to subjugate a people you must cut them off from their strength or that which makes them superior."

-Ben Ammi

Yeshua the Hebrew Messiah or Jesus the Cristian Christ? P 41

The Holy father puts it into perspective, surely now you can comprehend why was it imperative for your oppressors to tell you your history as they want you to know it? When you page mostly of the so-called African history as we were told begins with the khoi-san and Jan vanrebeeick.who coming fom the conventional educationdesigned to keep the mind captive can speak authorative aboiut the time prior the arrival of other races? Who can tell a purely, and uniquely unadultered African story? Who is the black man? I know everytime someone  begins to talk about the love of his own or reveals his zeal of uncovering and tracing the true origins of his people "evolutionists" are quick toto accusse him of racism and discrimination(while in their closets they keep accurate family trees).

Every thing attained if it's not informed by authentic self is not true freedom. True freedom does not begin with uncuffing the chainedbut the tied must know why they want to be freed?what their program/agenda when uncuffed? It is useless to be unchained physically but youryour mind bares a haviest yoke that make you eternally grope in the shadow of of enslavement.

Life and living is of any people is enhanced or worsened by their own perceptions of themselves; so if I would stand in the steadof advising our people Iwould tell them in their quest for freedom they must not concentrate much on the superficial enviroment but the inner, who are you? If you can anwer that then freeing your self is a walk in the park.  The question is imperative because smetimes the oppression is self –engeneered (what then?!)if you do not know or not honest you will have misplaced anger and subsequently never healed... FINDING YOURSELF IS FINDING YOUR WAY!!!

By: Yah-keem Ben Israel