Sho Madjozi – The Trailblazer
Words by Caron Williams Photography by Austin Malema Make-up by Mpho Moeng Cover design by Dumaza Ndata Sho Madjozi burst onto South Africa’s music scene and has blazed an intoxicating trail ever since. With her signature hairstyle, kaleidoscopic xibelani and larger than life personality, she’s carving an inspiring lane for herself as an eclectic talent who is […]
Introducing TTGO: Part II
Words: Thabang ‘TipiDang’ Manyelo Photography: Chisanga Mubanga Artist/Model: TTGO Styling: Andile Matomela DEAD. Beautiful Boyz PieSlovakia&Dance ACT 2 – Rage. Rage is a funny thing. Our first view on rage is that it is destructive. It is menacing. A fireball of fury that obliterates anything in it’s path. I am looking at this anomaly in […]
Introducing TTGO
Words: Thabang ‘TipiDang’ Manyelo Photography: Chisanga Mubanga Artist/Model: TTGO Styling: Andile Matomela DEAD. Beautiful Boyz PieSlovakia&Dance ACT 1 – Geppetto. Have you ever looked over at your neighbours grimy and murky swimming pool and thought to yourself; “Some people just want to watch the world burn”? This pool glistens in front of you, in that […]
Nadia Nakai – The Baddest
Words by Kendra Hunsley Photography by Austin Malema Styling by DEAD. Make-up by Mpho Moeng Nadia Nakai has risen to become an undeniable force within the South African hip hop industry. A quintessential Alpha Female, she has amassed hit records, forged a powerful identity for herself and is set to solidify her place in the game […]
Top 5 Local Content Pieces That Tapped Into Hip Hop
Words by Jade Leaf It’s no secret that the face of advertising is changing in South Africa; goodbye TVC’s and hello high production value content that can live online. Brands have to ask themselves the question, “Who am I talking to and what are they most receptive to?” In South Africa specifically, over 66% of […]
Album Review: Cassper Nyovest – Thuto
Words by Mercia Tucker I’d like to think that I’m a Nicki Minaj fan, but I can’t say that for certain. I loved her featured verses and debut single, Massive Attack. There was a uniqueness in Minaj’s style and delivery that – what it fell slightly short of in lyrical dexterity – was a refreshing […]
5 of the Top Local Verses of 2017… so far
Words by Sizwe Ray Shabalala Lists are always controversial but they create dialogue and force discussion. This list is based on lyricism and not who has the best hit song this year. These verses embody the art of rap. This is strictly bars and the art of rap and lyricism, and even the more technical side […]
The Indomitable Cassper Nyovest
Words by Mercia Tucker Photography by Austin Malema Styling by Didi Simelane Sometimes, things look different in the light. Refraction of light can produce optical illusions such as a mirage or the twinkling of stars in the night time sky. Reflection of light will produce the image looking back at you in the mirror. The […]
Interview: Major League DJz
Words by Mercia Tucker For years we’ve seen Banele and Bandile Mbere quietly chipping away at the hard rock of the SA entertainment industry. Resolute in their ambitions to dominate the music scene, not only in South Africa, but the world, their work ethic continues to drive the Major League DJz in the quest to […]
How Donald Glover is Redefining Hip Hop & Urban Culture
Words by Kendra Hunsley “I wanted to show White people, you don’t know everything about Black culture.” A modern day Renaissance man, Donald Glover moves further and further away from the prescribed box that society so vigorously tries to stick him in. When you think you’ve finally figured him out and attach a subtitle along […]
The Plug 100: 100 – 1
We dropped the news on Twitter that the June edition of The Plug will focus solely on celebrating and highlighting the Top 100 people in SA who are influencing and moving urban culture forward. Needless to say social media lit up and we trended the whole day after dropping the news.#ThePlug100 generated over 1.7 million […]
5 of the Best African Music Video Directors
Words by Kendra Hunsley There’s something enthralling that occurs when words are coupled with visuals. More so now than ever, visual outputs are just as seminal as the music itself. It creates a holistic delineation, serving as the last puzzle piece of the tour de force. It’s a means of breaking down cultural borders, elevating […]