D12s Bizzare! The Message goes deeper!!

etroit, , Detroit, massively The year 1998 saw the release of his album recognised for its automobiles, but “Attack of the Weirdos” featuring the work of much within the vast city also lays another credited producers J- Dilla and Mr Porter, as well great feat.. Its music! Everyone and as local talent and DJ Head. As the monumental D everything from Motown to Madon- rise of D-12 spread worldwide so too did Bizzare’s na, and Aretha to , this town has churned persona with his comical frolics. This helped drive out some mega hitters and Rufus Arthur Johnson sales of the group’s Devil’s Night album and so the better known, as Bizzare is no exception. label were keen to stick with what worked, howev- Ever since D -12 arrived on the scene in 1996 er Bizzare had always had something else in mind we’ve been exposed to his character and as the and sort a different path; SHELLEY PESTAINA SHELLEY name suggests, he quickly became notorious “This time I just wanted to make my album a little for his psychotically, humorous rhymes and of bit more serious and just more lyrical. I just didn’t course the ever iconic shower cap, but it seems want to be known as a comedian rapper my whole

WORDS BY: BY: WORDS this rapper’s message goes deeper. career.” FEATURE

BIZARRE - MIC CHECK

August 2010 Musicology 09 “I let the music drive me. I never really come up with concepts, cause it’s in my head already, where ever the music takes me that’s what I write.”

Back with the new album “Friday Night at St then laughs Andrews” the rapper makes a point of going back “I let the music drive me. I never really come up to his roots and spreading a deeper message. with concepts, cause it’s in my head already, “St Andrews is the story of hip-hop, well the only where ever the music takes me that’s what I write. hip-hop that you hear about in Detroit. The main Music and weed.” guys today that you heard of went through like So its clear to see that ‘Friday Night At St Andrew’s” , , , D-12, is one to get the heads swaying but also contem- , Eminem. All of us came from that hip- plating. It’s clever bars fuse together with the hop shop.” beats to recreate the spirit from the ’98 Tracks from the album are well thought out and effort. Reconnecting with the roots of his produced to perfection. Lead single BELIEVER ft city, and having travelled the world it Tech N9ne touches on Bizzare’s belief that ’s holds the stamp of approval from a former label drove the group to maintain their true veteran. “comical” image even in the event of ’s death. But one more question remained, “Right, well the song is kind of dedicated to Proof where is the infamous shower cap? in a way. It’s also dedicated to my city because He laughs we’re having a whole crisis issue cause there’s no “I still wear the shower cap, cause jobs and a lot of people are losing their homes. its hot outside!” There’s a big poverty thing going on so just trying Look out for Bizzare’s album to uplift the city.” now in stores. Also expect to Another single RAP’S FINEST sees Bizzare come see him about with fellow together with respected lyricists Kuniva, Seven familiars, Kuniva, Swifty The General and Royce da 59. As well as maintain- McVay and DJ Young Mase ing a sound narrative flow, with everyday stories to at a series of UK dates the more extreme subjects [which he’s known for] this July. Eminem is also Bizzare was also determined to go out of his way confirmed to be back on to incorporate the homegrown talent as well. With board for the new D-12 all these names flying about it’s a wonder he’s album to be released able to keep his focus doing what he does. When later this year. Don’t asked about his creative process he shrugs and miss out! Straight Out the D

Byron “Guilty” Simpson He was previously known as Guilt. Over time, he saw that there were more emcees using the alias. In order to set himself apart from the others, he added his last name to become Guilty Simpson. He is signed to . He is also known for being a favou- rite of the late producer . “Ode to the Ghetto”. Testament to their friendship is shown on the track “Cali Hills”, where we get to hear Guilty’s recollec- tions on how instrumental Dilla was in helping him make it as a rapper. Bizarre FEATURE

Slum Village. The group was formed by three members: rappers Baatin (deceased, 31 July 2009) and T3, plus rapper and producer J Dilla (deceased, 10 February 2006). J Dilla left in 2002 to pursue a solo career with MCA Records. joined in his absence, after which Baatin also left due to health complications. Rumours on Twitter have recently surfaced that Detroit MC eLZhi was no longer in Slum Village.

In his first tweet since March 8, eLZhi wrote, “Not sure what’s going on….I hope Slum Village’s label and T3’s manager respect what I do for SV. Either way I appreciate yall support.” Slum Village’sVilla Manifesto, is set for a July 27 11 release. LOCNVILLE

Twin brothers Locnville, are the sound of the summer. With rave reviews and catchy hooks they’re set for worldwide domination.

Life for twin brothers, Andrew and Brian Chaplin main intro that starts at the beginning and then are pretty sweet right now. Their debut single ‘Sun I wrote this chorus over it. We wanted to make in My Pocket’, has shot into the South African something quite fantastical. Its representing our charts and the buzz around them seems to be ideology that you kind of make your life as you growing by the second, making the Locnville duo go, with reference to the moon and what not so one the most popular electro dance double acts making the day and making the night. of the moment. Born in New York and raised in Shel: How did you first start making music? South Africa, the term Locnville signifies the Locnville: We first started making music I remember coming together of their mixed backgrounds when we got guitars when we were about six and multiple musical influences that they were and we just started doing cover tunes from Billy exposed to whilst growing up. They recorded their Ray Cyrus, like ‘Achy Breaky Heart’, then we first song at the age of 7 ‘Amnesia’ and carried on started writing our own songs around seven, very writing their own material inspired by rock legends basically. Then we both sort of decided that we such as AC/DC, Kiss, Staind, Nirvana and Limp really wanted to do music as a career. Then we Bizkit, so that by the age of 11 they had their first just started writing more music and experimenting full set of songs done. The merger of New York with genres, so it was just a natural progress. Hip-Hop and South African Electro beats give way Shel: Wow that’s quite early to start writing music? to their unique contagious sound. Something they Locnville: ::Laughs:: Yea we have a single that we describe as “just a natural progress”. Sun In My recorded when we were about eight in the dust Pocket’ was named ‘Song Of The Year’ and ‘Jam somewhere. ::Laughs:: Its quite a jamming tune Of The Summer’ in South Africa. So what’s next actually. on their whirlwind schedule? We delve into those Shel: So having grown up in New York and South pockets to get a peek. Africa do you have a preference? Shel: So ‘Sun in My Pocket’ is the debut single, Locnville: In terms of location? We would definitely could you tell us a bit about it? say South Africa. It’s the place where we spent the Locnville: Well, it’s the first track that we’re kind most of our time growing up and I think there’s really

WORDS BY: SHELLEY PESTAINA SHELLEY BY: WORDS of pushing from the album. We came up with that no place in the world like South Africa. So we’re Locnville FEATURE

August 2010 Musicology 21

Locnville FEATURE very proud of that background collaboration like People and the did previous to that we produced and also it’s a fantastic place XX and stuff like that. ourselves. because every time I go back Shel: What were some of your there I get inspired. So it’s inspirations when coming up with Shel: So having enjoyed such definitely played a much bigger the material for this album? popular recognition so far, what role in our lives. Locnville: It’s kind of from would you say has been your everything, everyday life and the biggest moment to date? Shel: We know you love your kind of music that we listen to, the Locnville: Well, there have been Electro and your Hip-hop what relationships with our friends and a lot of turning point moments about the other genres? What family. It was more inspired by a but I think that the one that will other genres do you favour as mindset of making things happen always stand out in my mind is well? because we recorded plenty of the first time that we heard ‘Sun Locnville: We kind of take albums in our life so far and this in My Pocket’ on national radio influence from and enjoy all was the one that we decided that here. We’d been working for so other genres. We’re very much we really wanted to go out with. long to just get it played on one not genre specific. We do listen We really wanted to make the radio station and then everything

“We wanted to make something quite fantastical. Its representing our ideology that you kind of make your life as you go, with reference to the moon and what not so making the day and making the night.” to a lot of Electro, a lot of Dub whole album kind of symbolize just kind of fell into place after that Step, Indie, Rock and also just that in the fact that it was really and it was just quite amazing. normal mainstream Pop. I think just going out and doing it. Shel: Is there sort of any rivalry especially when making the Shel: We know you’ve worked between yourself and your tunes we try to take influence a lot with the producer, Gabi brother? from pretty much everything and Le Roux. What are some of the Locnville:::Laughs:: Usually its combine it. other producers that catch your pretty chilled. If it’s been like Shel: So what are your plans attention? a late night or something then for collaborations? Do you have Locnville: Well Gabi le Roux we kind of get on each others anyone picked out? worked as our producer quite nerves but generally we have a Locnville: Well we’ve definitely a while ago, in the previous very good relationship and we’re done a little wish list of people project. He’s the only producer always bouncing ideas off each that we’d like to collaborate with that we’ve ever worked with and other and we’re always coming but nothings really set in stone that came about doing a show up with new ideas and coming up yet. I would really love to do with another guy in the group and with new concepts. All and all we collaboration with Calvin Harris we released a lot of songs on the work well together. and I would love to do something same platform but that was kind Shel: Do you have a memorable with Timberland. We’d also of in its own category. All the new part about creating this album? love to do some real alternative stuff and the new music that we Locnville: Quite a few it’d be hard

August 2010 Musicology 23 to name one. The whole process Africa. We’re going to Germany of making this album was an we’re leaving this weekend and extremely fun one and quite we’re going to be there for a eventful. We’ve been writing few weeks. In the beginning of these tracks since about 17 or 16 August we’re kind of going all out maybe so there are a few years on some big arena shows just to of experience in those tracks and say a little goodbye before we go it was a really fun process to do to work the record overseas. So and quite an inspiring one. we’re really really amped about Shel: So as well as music what that. Then soon we’ll start doing other interests do you have? shows over in the UK, which I’m Locnville: Well, I’ve always really amped about. said that if I wasn’t in music I’d Shel: What advice would you probably be somewhere in the share with emerging artists film industry. I would say definitely in order to attain this level of something on the creative side. success? I’m very into film or anything Locnville: It sounds cliché but creative and I also like going to in fact persistence is definitely remote locations, in nature spots the key. Also when it comes to to just kind of chill. So I’m either reaching big goals its good to looking at something else to do kind of write a list of manageable or I’m just completely chilling. goals that you reckon you can Shel: Do you have any favourite achieve in short amount of time shows that you’ve done at all? and just check as you go and Locnville: Yea, definitely quite you’d be amazed at how quickly a few. Recently I’m quite happy you can tick those things off. that we’ve been able to do a lot Slowly things will just sort of fall of bigger shows than the ones into place. that we started out with. We recently did a show in Durban, So some of that infamous which I was really happy about. Chaplin magic has certainly We shared the stage with a lot of rubbed off. Oh yea did I mention talented acts like Goldsmith and that the boys are descended from that was a fantastic energy and the late great Charlie Chaplin that was the first time that we’ve himself. Their infectious sounds actually performed in Durban. are spreading fast and with I think they were feeling a bit the name Locnville on the tips deprived at one point so we had of everybody’s tongues it’d be to go and make it happen. foolish to miss out with soon to be Shel: Can we expect to see you UK dates approaching. Keep an in the UK soon? eye out for their whereabouts via Locnville: Yea hopefully soon. their Twitter: http://twitter.com/ Shel: What other tours have you Locnville Facebook: http://www. got coming up? facebook.com/Locnville and Locnville: We’re going to be even their official website: http:// doing a little tour here in South www.locnville.com/uk/home. TinchyLocnville Stryder FEATURE

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