The Sharpaganda Theory: Lesson 1 12” vinyl is shipping worldwide today!
Own a piece of hip hop history with this limited edition 12” vinyl. With production by Milanese, Dplanet and DJ Sibot, beautiful photography and artwork by Apartment Studios and the sickest lyrical delivery on this, or any other planet, even if you don’t own a record player you need to cop this!
Just a little something to spice up your Friday. Ben recorded this track with Kingpinn back in 2002, shortly before his untimely death. The original version was never officially released although it did appear on the bootleg of B. Sharpa that circulated in 2007.
This remix uses elements from the original track, but I’ve added synths, some extra drums and bass. Check it out…
The Ben Sharpa 12” vinyl, The Sharpaganda Theory: Lesson 1 is coming out on 17th November! This limited edition 6-track EP, which is being released by French label Jarring Effects, includes an instrumental of Off the Rails and an acappella of Hegemony.
For our French-speaking friends…
Figure incontournable du Hip Hop Sud-Africain, Ben Sharpa ne vous est pas inconnu si vous avez suivi l’ouverture amorcée par Jarring Effects vers l’Afrique du Sud (Sibot, Playdoe, Fuck’N’Rad…). Déjà présent sur le coffret Cape Town Beats sorti en 2007, le titre Into The Black a vite fait parler de lui, acclamé par bon nombre de radios indépendantes (France, Canada, UK, Allemagne, Hollande, Belgique). Il est également remarqué par l’animatrice de la BBC1, Mary Anne Hobbs, bénéficiant alors d’une visibilité inespérée sur les ondes Anglo-Saxonnes.
Sur ce brillant premier maxi composé de quatre titres, une instru et une acappella, Ben s’est entouré de producteurs renommés tels que l’anglais Milanese (Warp / Planet Mu) ainsi que les sud-africains Sibot (Playdoe, Real Estate Agents / Jarring Effects) et Dplanet (Pioneer Unit). Un terrain de jeu accidenté qui colle à merveille à l’univers et au flow de ce rappeur surdoué. Le chaînon manquant entre Hip Hop US et Grime UK.
Précommande exclusive en vinyl 12” et numérique sur cd1d dans les jours à venir.
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What that basically says is that the 12” is dope and you can pre-order it at cd1d.
We are proud to announce that we have completed a deal with Driemanskap.
Hailing from Gugulethu, Cape Town, Driemanskap is a 4-man crew made up of members El Nino, Ma-B, Redondo and Dla. Together they form the vanguard of the new generation of proudly South African Hip Hop artists who understand that Hip Hop, more than any other musical art form, is about addressing important issues and representing where you’re from. Driemanskap are one of the pioneers of the Spaza movement, representing Cape Town with a rhyme style that combines their mother tongue, isiXhosa, with English and Cape Flats slang.
Driemanskap are always on the grind. While work on their debut album continues, they have released 2 mixtapes, Battle of Gugulethu Vol 1 and Battle of Gugulethu Vol 2. Their street anthem Go and Ask (Hamb’ubuza) also features on Planetary Assault, and Intwenje features on the October/ November edition of Hype magazine’sHype SessionsCD. Driemanskap created the sound track for the Precious talk show on SABC 2 and Itsho Into was used in the international movie Sizwe.
We believe this is an historic moment for Pioneer Unit Records and South African music as a whole. Our mission has always been to give a platform to real African Hip Hop that is at home anywhere in the world - it doesn’t get more real than Driemanskap.
We plan to release Driemanskap’s long-awaited full debut album, Igqibhukile Inyongo, in the first quarter of 2009. Expect a lot of new material before then though.
Thanks to everyone who braved the weather and came through to the launch party at Carfax last week - we had a great time!
I should never have put lightning on the flyer - the weather had been perfect all week up until 2 hours before the show when the lightning came for real, along with torrential rain!
Anyway, a little bit of rain can’t stop the Unit doing our thing. Check the photos…
Rattex sets it off (click for larger image).
Carfax crowd (click for larger image).
Rah pon di mic (click for larger image).
Rockin’ the crowd (click for larger image).
Fly ladies in attendance (click for larger image).
The Scooter (click for larger image).
KONFAB and Otis hold down hosting duties (click for larger image).
Ben Sharpa takes to the stage (click for larger image).
Sharpa rocks the crowd (click for larger image).
I seen it! (click for larger image).
The crowd watch Sharpa (click for larger image).
Sharpa (click for larger image).
Hymphatic Thabs receives his unofficial award for Best Lyricist of the Year from KONFAB (click for larger image).
Sharpa being interviewed by Proverb for Headrush (click for larger image).
Rattex being interviewed by Proverb for Headrush (click for larger image).
We’ve just created a Pioneer Unit feed on Twitter so you can keep up to date on everything we’re doing, as we’re doing it.
“Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?
With Twitter, you can stay hyper–connected to your friends and always know what they’re doing. Or, you can stop following them any time.”
To follow Pioneer Unit on Twitter, click here and follow the on-screen instructions.
Just a reminder that the Ben Sharpa / Rattex Joint Launch Party is going down on Wednesday this week.
We’re geared up and ready to bring you the illest show J-Section has ever seen.
Thunder storms are predicted for Wednesday but a little lightning never hurt anyone so don’t be that person crying cause you missed out!
Tune in to The Bridge with Lee Kasumba on Yfm (99.2 FM) this Tuesday at 10pm - Pioneer Unit will be giving everyone a taste of what to expect at the party. Don’t be shy - call in (011 880 7070) and say ‘what’s up’.
FORSALEONTHENIGHT:
B. Sharpa CD: R80
Bread and Butter CD: R80
B. Sharpa t-shirts: R180
Pioneer Unit ‘Shield’ t-shirts: R150
CDSPECIALSATTHEDOOR:
Entry: R60
Entry + 1 CD: R120 - SAVE R20!
Entry + 2 CDs: R160 - SAVE R60!
SPECIALPROMO:
Every 20th person through the door gets a FREE copy of the Planetary Assault compilation that features Ben Sharpa, Rattex, KONFAB, Driemanskap and many more.
REDCARPET:
We’ll be taking photos of every guest on the ‘red carpet’. Give us your email address on the night and we’ll send them to you after the event (and put them on our websites).
There’s gonna be a lot of press and TV media in the house so whether you wanna come fresh to death or keep it gully, make sure you represent!
Rattex did what he does best and rocked the packed crowd at the Khayelitsha Festival yesterday. With the help of Kritsi, Rah performed tracks from his debut solo album, Bread and Butter.
The festival was amazing - everything from parking, to security, to the stage and sound system was international quality. If the organisers make this an annual event, it could really turn into something special.
Check out some photos…
Rah chillin’ before his performance (click for larger image).
We just got the new B. Sharpa t-shirts back from the printer and they’re looking fresh!
The design is based on the 12” label on the B. Sharpa vinyl (we even included the copyright text for added authenticity!). The t-shirts are white with black and metallic silver print. There’s a black PU shield on the sleeve too.
We’ve also got new stock of the classic PU Shield Logo t-shirts. We’ve changed the design slightly to include a metallic silver star on each sleeve instead of the logo. The last batch sold out very quickly so order today!
Your boy Rattex will be performing at the Khayelitsha Festival this coming Saturday, 25th October. There is a full line-up that also includes, Ghetto Muffin, Rudimentals and Ntando. Rattex will be on stage at 5pm so make sure you go and check him out.
“2008 heralds the 25th Anniversary of the vast, sprawling community of Khayelitsha on the Cape Flats area of Cape Town. The Khayelitsha Festival, due to be staged from 24th to 26th October, will reflect and crystallize the genesis and development of Khayelitsha over the last 25 years.”
The cover of GC, October 2008 (click for larger image).
Hip Hop Diaspora, Pg. 26 (click for larger image).
Check out page 26 of this month’s GC Magazine (October 2008). Miles Keylock has written a nice piece called, Hip Hop Diaspora - Hip-Hop’s not dead; it’s just gone global. In it he discusses the idea that hip hop is alive and well, especially if you look beyond the borders of the United States. Your boy Sharpa is used as an example of just how healthy and vibrant the global scene is.
“Here in SA, a new generation of conceptual hip-hop heads are charting new rhyme territories. Soweto-born underground hero Ben Sharpa’s debut B. Sharpa manages to violate your brain and set your ass boiling. His raps are a whip of agitprop street academia, internet references, science fiction and pop culture, while production combines everything from Sega sound effects to electro-industrialism - a managerie of gritty cop-show out-takes and synth swoops that will evoke the nightmares of b-boys of old.”
The time has finally come!! B. Sharpa by Ben Sharpa and Bread and Butter by Rattex drop today!
We believe that these are two of the most important albums in South African hip hop history and we’re really excited to finally get them out.
- Read the B. Sharpa press release here
- Read the Bread and Butter press release here
Both albums areshould be available in Look & Listen and Musica across South Africa. If you don’t see the albums on the shelf, ask at the counter. If they don’t have them in stock, demand that they order them! Don’t take no for an answer!
Where to Buy:
- Look & Listen (across SA)
- Musica (across SA)
- Ozmic’s Ritual Store, Nr. Carfax, Newtown, Johannesburg
- Mabu Vinyl, Rheede St., Cape Town. (021) 423 7635
- Shelflife, 119 Loop St., Cape Town. (021) 422 3931
- Hi-Five, 34 Kloof St., 5 Mooikloof Centre, Cape Town. (021) 422 5455/6
- African Music Store, 134 Long St., Cape Town. (021) 426 0857
If you want to make real cash selling Pioneer Unit music in your hood, join our street team today! Click here to read more.
If you’re in Joburg on the 29th October, make sure you come through to the joint album launch party. Check out the Facebook event page here.
