Is this playful ode to coloured identity,* becoming the unofficial World Cup anthem?
Apparently South Africa’s football team–now finally scoring goals in warm up games celebrate by mimicking the dances associate with “(Show them) Make the circle bigger,” with a guest verse by rap mc, HHP. The numbers of people using it as their Facebook update or signing off with it, are numerous. Show them.
* For those unfamiliar with South African race talk, check right at the opening when comedian Joey Rasdien’s announces that “Coloured is a ou [old] term.’ Also interesting is the celebration–on t-shirts of coloured townships Heidedal (Bloemfontein), Eersterus (Pretoria) and Eldorodo Park (Johannesburg) on t-shirts. This unabashed celebration of coloured identity as an African identity is certainly new.
– Sean Jacobs
Feeling this song a lot! And the celebration of coloured identity that comes along with it…
I couldn’t find a link for JR anywhere… Can you give me some more info? What label is the album out on? It’s called Colourful.
@dundasfc: Finding info on JR has been hard. Maybe emailing HHP’s site.
On coloured identity, as I point out at the end of the post, the t-shirts mainly celebrate Jozi townships. So is the seamless inclusion of Tswana.
A slightly different musical take on coloured identity is that of Jaak Paarl, a rapper from the semi-rural Paarl area outside Cape Town. Here’s his new video for “Sweet” (Sweat). This is more in the tradition of social realism and depicts working class life in Paarl (though it follows the conventions of a music video; we see Jaak all the time), but crucially turns schmaltzy white Afrikaans popular music on its head in the sample (here from a song by the singer Laurika Rauch):
One last note on Jaak’s “Sweet.” The song is produced by Pioneer Unit (http://bit.ly/aHqSAw ), which also has a number of hip hop artists who partly rap in Xhosa like Camagu or Rattex.
@dundasfc @Sean You can find JR on Twitter (@JRsohot). And here’s an interview he did with Jason Von Berg of Times Live, back in February. The album was apparently already out back then:
Sean: I’ll try emailing HHP’s website.
And thanks for the link to Jaak.
I’m making my first trip to South Africa in two weeks… I’ll be there from June 1 – July 15. I’m very excited and really trying to absorb as much non-football stuff as I can (I’m going to be covering the World Cup).
And that’s why I’ve been enjoying Africa is a Country so much…
I would love to ask you a few questions if you don’t mind. I couldn’t find your e-mail address on the blog.
I am:
smith_colin@rogers.com
Please get in touch if you have a moment.
The best England World song is the classic `Green Fields of England` by George and the Dragons.
Never underestimate the love of an Englishman for England!
spicy it up in cape town
@bella: You gave me my first big laugh of the day. Anymore of these gems?
@ekapa: LOL indeed.
@sonja: Should have checked with you first!
BTW, though I appreciate Von Berg’s “interviews,” they are often so light–as in this case–as to not learn anything about JR’s music. Kinda remind of me of something on E!
@sonja: Many thanks! Yeah, that interview is quite soft but it’s better than nothing.