Four Eastern Cape hip hop artists have collaborated with two San communities – the !Xun and the Khwe – to produce music that would promote indigenous languages.
The collaboration is part of the Foundation Legacy Project and is a partnership with their record label, East London-based Asanda Empires, and the SABC.
Asanda Empires founder Asanda Mabengwana said the project has been on the cards for more than a year now.
“The idea of the project is to promote XK languages and the San community. As a record label that has rappers, we’ve collaborated with the cultural groups in the community. We record, mix and master the music then the SABC promotes it on their platforms,” he said.
Asanda Empires, which has a licensing partnership with Universal Music, was founded by Mabengwana in May 2016.
The label’s artists ARTeast, Kay, Vi Bittz and Takwana have already released their first single featuring the N’lava Cultural Group.
“The single, Focus, is out already and all SABC stations have playlisted it and the video is available on their websites and YouTube.
“We will be releasing another single soon,” Mabengwana said.
Stutterheim-born Kay, whose real name is Kamvelihle Kostile, said working with the N’lava Cultural Group has been a refreshing experience.
“The people were so welcoming there, they allowed us to use their farms for the video. Even though we did not understand the language we could still feel the warmth,” he said, adding they had an interpreter during their stay in Kimberly.
While the rappers, also known as the Asanda Empires Cliq, are working on the Foundation Legacy Project they also have to release their own projects. “People think we are a group because we are always performing together as Asanda Empires artists and we feature each other in our tracks.
“But now we want to also focus on our solo projects,” he said.
To view the music video, visit the Asanda Empires Facebook page.
Artists promote indigenous languages
The collaboration is part of the Foundation Legacy Project and is a partnership with their record label, East London-based Asanda Empires, and the SABC.
Asanda Empires founder Asanda Mabengwana said the project has been on the cards for more than a year now.
“The idea of the project is to promote XK languages and the San community. As a record label that has rappers, we’ve collaborated with the cultural groups in the community. We record, mix and master the music then the SABC promotes it on their platforms,” he said.
Asanda Empires, which has a licensing partnership with Universal Music, was founded by Mabengwana in May 2016.
The label’s artists ARTeast, Kay, Vi Bittz and Takwana have already released their first single featuring the N’lava Cultural Group.
“The single, Focus, is out already and all SABC stations have playlisted it and the video is available on their websites and YouTube.
“We will be releasing another single soon,” Mabengwana said.
Stutterheim-born Kay, whose real name is Kamvelihle Kostile, said working with the N’lava Cultural Group has been a refreshing experience.
“The people were so welcoming there, they allowed us to use their farms for the video. Even though we did not understand the language we could still feel the warmth,” he said, adding they had an interpreter during their stay in Kimberly.
While the rappers, also known as the Asanda Empires Cliq, are working on the Foundation Legacy Project they also have to release their own projects. “People think we are a group because we are always performing together as Asanda Empires artists and we feature each other in our tracks.
“But now we want to also focus on our solo projects,” he said.
To view the music video, visit the Asanda Empires Facebook page.
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