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Rolo Rozay: The Hustler

The gatekeeper exists within every subculture. In social terms, a gatekeeper is an individual who upholds certain ideals and values that are critical to the behaviour of a particular group or society. Sneaker culture is no different. By virtue of that fact, the gatekeepers in sneaker culture or more commonly known as OGs, are those […]

The Indelible Rise of Gqom

Words by Zee Ntloko The popularization of dance and electronic music in South Africa is heavily owed to township culture. The rise of house music and the birth of kwaito are by-products of the kasi experience and Gqom is no exception. How a little-known genre cooked up in the backyard dwellings of D.I.Y DJs rapidly […]

The Rise of Artist Owned Festivals

Words by Zee Ntloko In 2015, Cassper Nyovest embarked on the seemingly audacious task of hosting a concert at The Dome and attempting to fill up the 20,000-capacity venue. What was first met with scepticism and even ridicule, the premiere Fill Up event surprisingly succeeded and ushered in the high-profile artist’s festival in South Africa. […]

Nicki Minaj’s Queen – A Review

Words by Zee Ntloko It’s been 10 years since Nicki Minaj’s rapid accession into the upper echelons of rap. Over a decade she has carved out an almost impenetrable territory dominating with a vice-like grip on the charts. Contrary to popular belief, this was not a result of a lack of competition. We’ve had Iggy […]

The Culture of Festivals in SA

Words by Ziyanda Ntloko Last year I attended the first ever AFROPUNK festival hosted on African soil in Johannesburg. The festival has been based in Brooklyn since 2005 and recently expanded to Paris and the newest instalment on our shores. For two magical days, we all dressed up in colourful and beaded outfits and jammed […]

The Reign of Nicki Minaj and Her Impending Legacy

Words by Ziyanda Ntloko Legacy is a focal and critical juncture of every rap career. There are those who slip through the cracks, bound to be has-beens and barely thought of. But there are those who rise to the occasion of being legends. Hip Hop is a genre that is intrinsically nostalgic in which the […]

Album Review: Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy

Words by Ziyanda Ntloko Cardi B has had a truly remarkable rise. From the moment she appeared on VH1’s massively popular reality show franchise Love & Hip Hop, a star was born. Although no one could’ve guessed it at the time, Cardi B would catapult from the small screen to pop culture prominence in record […]

The Queen Bee Analogy & the Optics of Female Rap

Words By Ziyanda Ntloko  There can only be one: an exploration of hip-hop’s intrinsic bias against female MCs and why the Nicki vs Cardi beef is predetermined For anyone who watched the 2018 Grammys, one of the few highlights of the night was Cardi’s B’s debut performance in front of the star studded audience and millions […]