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Home , Chicago house, Deep house, House music

My dearest , you are the architect for the to believe we “discovered” in South house that Jack built, but did you have any idea Africa, when the truth is house has had a in that your music was fueling the rage and resis- South Africa long before we tuned in. Sort of like tance against apartheid? Did you know that this the pre-existing civilizations that Sertima sug- created in your mama’s base- gested Came Before Columbus. But let’s be clear, ment would become a part of the cultural it wasn’t that we didn’t care. We can use this mo- of one of the most historically complex places on ment in electronic music history to admit that earth? That House Music is a part of the Mande- not enough of us in the States received a reliable las’ (both Winnie and Nelson’s) cultural vocabu- education about the contemporary cultural de- lary? velopments of Africa. And at the risk of sound- Many a househead in the U.S. would like ing like an Intro to Afro-centric Studies course,

.22 5MAG.APRIL2012 5MAG.APRIL2012 .23 5CHICAGOCOM 5CHICAGOCOM we’ve learned a great deal about Africa through can equivalent of a Harlem speakeasy. “We lis- of the soundtrack of social change and was the rica spoke to a larger point that I had never really the lens of white supremacists who sought the tened to this sound that we called international underground answer to the chains of restriction considered: is healing. It makes sense resources of Africa (both human and natural), to music, and thought, this is hardcore music, dif- imposed by the Dutch/British minority who oc- that a place still haunted by the ghosts of apart- help institutionalize their superiority. But today, I ferent from the bubble gum artists like Brenda cupied South Africa through the system of apart- heid would make House Music the sound of daily need us to know better. Fassie most of us were listening to at the time.” heid. In fact, the Bronx, the South Side of Chicago living. I heard House Music played everywhere Now granted, ’heads were busy with our Clive shared that House Music went hand in and South Africa were all united by the stank of in South Africa – in the clubs, in the taxis, in the own developments, blending music that Traxx hand with Pantsula dancing, a local and tradi- disenfranchisement and the electronic music in- elevators, at the airport and in the stores. There Records, and Mr. Fingers gave tional dance that came to life in the townships, spired by the lived reality of people in all three was even a religious segment of househeads us. Not to mention what The , West primarily in the ’80s and gained momentum with places amplified the inequalities that connected that played House for Christ. Thanks to Kaya FM End Records and Steve “Silk” Hurley offered. We the dismantling of the apartheid regime. around the world. (Johannesburg) and Metro FM (national), I heard had our hands full and our dance floors pow- South African musician/musicologist Tho- To understand the context of South Afri- hours of House on commercial radio during dered. We had no idea that the migration of this kozani Mhlambi talks about House Music in the can house, Mhlambi places it at the center of a prime time slots. I witnessed Soweto swingers, electronic cultural product called House was post democracy context. “House Music is the generational response to freedom (real or per- rambunctious teenagers, grandmothers, former travelling beyond our housing projects, ghettos same age as our democratic dispensation in ceived), and a new access to technology. “House activists, struggling students, teachers, waiters South Africa [18 years old]. The in- Music grapples with the difficult issues we have and doctors bouncing to House. crease in access to overseas sound been unable to resolve in our material reality. In So it didn’t surprise me when I came across CLIVE BEAN OF SOUL CANDI REMEMBERS material in the early 1990s led to House Music we see the co-mingling of ambigui- a little known fact that explains it all; South Af- HEARING CHICAGO’S FRANKIE KNUCK- House Music’s growth locally.” ties within the post-apartheid scenario... House rica has been dubbed the world’s biggest House With the support of a Jerome Music conflates these issues in a dynamic and ex- Music market per capita. And to be clear, the LES IN 1987 AT A LOCAL STOCKVEL, THE Foundation Travel and Study grant, periential way, addressing precisely that which love and creation of House doesn’t stop at South SOUTH AFRICAN EQUIVALENT OF A HAR- I paid a visit to South Africa, deter- we have been unable to speak in words.” African borders. It can be heard in neighboring mined to understand The Afro Digital South African House is characterized by countries Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and LEM SPEAKEASY. ‘WE LISTENED TO THIS Migration: House Music in Post Apart- the heavy, churchified synthesized sound Zimbabwe as well. SOUND AND THOUGHT, THIS IS HARDCORE heid South Africa. I wanted to explore of classic and some of the Euro- I will always love Atjazz, MAW and Osunlade, MUSIC, DIFFERENT FROM THE BUBBLE- how House Music took root in South techy sounds heard coming of and but my ears, my feet and my Afro Digital lens have Africa and shaped its national iden- England. It incorporates syncopated, repetitive been permanently changed – I would even say ex- GUM ARTISTS MOST OF US WERE LISTEN- tity. The impetus for this research , traditional African instruments and panded – by the South African House Music experi- ING TO AT THE TIME.’ was my belief that electronic music sounds and lyrics sung in South African languag- ence. There is a dangerous, and at this point, boring in the African Diaspora is an under- es, mainly Xhosa and Zulu. Prior to the South focus on Black American music as being THE sound explored cultural product. As a DJ, I African “invasion” that we have come to know of the African Diaspora. To learn more about Black and boroughs and settling in the South African was driven by the clean production and seam- through DJs/producers like Kent or Black Mo- American music, we must reach into the soul of township. How could we know? There was not less mixes I heard; as a dancer, I wanted to wit- tion, pioneers of the sound like DJ Oskido and it. There we’ll discover Brazil, Ghana, Jamaica and a single network I can think of that broadcasted ness the intricate body movement inspired by Arthur Mafokate took this township electro , a host of other global influences. We’re a multi- music, videos or favorable images of modern Af- House; and as a scholar, I wanted to figure out slowed down our beloved 120bpm groove to dimensional people and our music reflects the true rica. National Geographic doesn’t count. how, in the face of state-sanctioned surveillance about 90bpm, added social context and vocals meaning of Diaspora. Who’s to say what ancestor House Music in South Africa did not start and harassment, the music flourished. and gave birth to a sub-genre of House unique used you as a vessel to create your sound? Let’s with the hyper-talented and contemporary Black Most of the DJs, musicians and producers to South Africa called music. While Kwaito share the bass that unites us. ttt Coffee, Culoe de and Soulistic crew; in fact, I connected with in Joburg, Cape Town, New- never made it into the hands of the global House House in South Africa has roots almost as long as castle and Durban mentioned community (a sign of gross negligence on the Hip-Hop’s golden era in the Down Bronx. as being their introduction to House Music in part of the industry), it demanded the collective therunout: DJ Clive Bean of Soul Candi Records re- the late ’80s/early ’90s. Clive Bean adds, “We attention of South Africa as nation and provided You can contact Lynnee Denise at lynneedenise@gmail. members hearing Chicago’s Frankie Knuckles in were listening to this music at the height of fertile ground for what was to come. com and hear a mix to accompany this piece at djlynneede- 1987 at a local stockvel, which is the South Afri- [apartheid] resistance.” House Music was a part The feeling that came over me in South Af- nise.podomatic.com.

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