Jason Stevens

My sister Kimberly has found a new addiction: Die Antwoord.  It’s new edgy (scary?) rap band forged in the post-apartheid rainbow nation of South Africa, warts-and-all. I  got a bit of shock after watching the first video she sent me; I guess I have been in the United States far too long lol!

Much like District 9 was groundbreaking in avoiding Hollywood’s usual approach of  sentimentalizing South Africa, instead choosing to revel in the rough grass roots energy of the townships, Die Antwoord seeks to expose the “Zef” white street energy of South Africa which is a crazy mix of Afrikaner “vasbyt” and “White Trash Pride” and I am not sure what else.

It’s that bad, or that good, depending on what your tastes are.

One thing I will say is that it’s good to see people being themselves.  That’s probably one reason why one of their videos went viral, generating in excess of 1 million hits. It’s a crazy sound, maybe not entirely original, but it holds your attention.

I really don’t’ know much more about this band beyond two videos she sent me.  She told me she has now become a Facebook fan of Yo-Landi, one of the female band members,   The other main dude in the band is Ninja. They are one crazy couple. I can see why one keeps going back for more.  Incidentally, their Facebook profile now has over 77,000 members.

“Some guys, are like pissed off, because we became famous,” says Ninja.

TRANSLATION KEY

For our Yankee readers!

Die Antwoord = The Answer
Vasbyt = Stoic
Zef = White trash; redneck