South African hip Hop scene has been
feeling the waves since the days of Optical Illusion, Ntjapeli, Poltagyst and Mawe2.
Hailing from Sebokeng in the Vaal, comes
HerbExe, from a long dynasty of MC’s who claim to come from ‘The Cradle of
Human Rights’.
When listening to these MC’s, one is left
to rethink the most prominent enigmas in Hip Hop history; that of the Rap Duo, twin
poles of a dynamo who dazzle with seamless flow and intricate wordplay.
But what defines a great rap duo?
When two powerful hip-hop forces combine,
the outcome transcends mythical proportions and gives birth to household names
that are linked forever in music legend and lore.
Look at Eric B & Rakim , EPMD, Ded
Prez, OutKast, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, to name a few.
Their legacy is based on this polarity of
creative energy which characterises what I call, a successful Rap Duo.
Exe’s delivery is swift as ninja blades
when he wants, but his poetics remain some of the most convoluted and
intriguing I have heard on any local beat.
Herb on the other hand always seems to always
cook up the perfect repose with his monotone flow for his brother-in-rhyme,
dishing out lectures that tackle both political and personal misconceptions of
what it means to be black in South Africa.
It is refreshing to eventually find
lyricists who have moved away from the tradition of battle rap and the constant
“I’m-the-best-there-is” theme found in most locally produced rap songs.
Theirs are rhymes with reason, and their
bewildering love for both has kept their collaboration on its toes.
Over the years, through rigorous
performance schedules in the Vaal, they have realised the significance of
striking a chord with their audience.
And this has been their motto; not meaning
they do not evolve, because their collaboration is an evolution which is now
spawning a number of sub-species dubbed ‘side projects’.
When most radio playlists boast romanticized
bling bling and new record labels are storming through the industry with their
swaggerlicious brand of hip-hop, this self-released duo is staying away from
being categorised with the fleeting masses of crowd pleasers.
But Hip Hop, like any art should be
profitable, hence these brothers are aware of the commercial obligations of
their craft.
And they are honing their skills on the
business front, I must say.
Negotiating deals with beat-makers such as
Nyams and Joint Pusher must be a boardroom wrestle they are capable of winning.
Exe, a seasoned Graphic Designer, also runs
his own company, while Herb handles heavy current sub-stations that light up
city blocks, both doing their bit to keep their artistic ambition afloat.
With them being said to drop an album soon,
I thought it best to scoop a chat with the duo and ask a few redundant
questions that might shed light on their mission in Hip Hop. These
conversations will be featured in my next post.
Images: Khahliso Matela
