Die Antwoord

[HappyTree]

Those of you in the know will no doubt anticipate my reaction. How do I convey the mixture of shock, surprise, disgust, excitement, fascination, arousal and fear that has just taken me over? Saying "What the actual fuck?"

Writing. One. Word. At. A. Time?

Maybe I could throw in one of those "I can't even" incomplete sentences.

Or maybe just link to the video I can't stop watching even if I don't exactly know why. It's like picking at a scab. The pain becomes pleasure, then shame. Then shameless excess. Then I want to die. Then I feel like I already have.

Fatty Boom Boom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIXUgtNC4Kc

Two things immediately strike me as compelling: the first is the South African language and accent. It's just on the very edge of comprehension. Then there's the way this is different. Something actually different. Whether it be good or bad, they go all-in with their own trip and that commitment commands respect.

The music is not something I'd listen to on its own, but with the videos it's like something I'd expect to stumble upon in some weird art installation in Helsinki. I don't know if I love it or am going to vomit. I've never felt that combination before.

[Shit Good Nose]

I saw them in Chappie before I knew they were musicians.  Hated them from the second they appeared on screen.

The guy does a terrible job at trying to disguise the fact he's about 65.

[hedgehog90]

I often wonder what Yolandi and Ninja must be like as parents.
Pretty unconventional I'm assuming.

[Noodle Lizard]

I've tried really hard to "get it" based on the number of people whose opinions I respect telling me how amazing they are.  Sadly, I don't get it.  Anything worthwhile about them is taken from somewhere else, and the music is rinse.  It's about Nicki Minaj level, but I'd argue even she has a bit less hubris about the artistic value of what she does.

Honestly struggling to think whether South Africa has produced any good entertainment at all.  You could make an argument for Neill Blomkamp (though I'd disagree), but even he got the fuck out of there before adulthood.

[Shit Good Nose]

Honestly struggling to think whether South Africa has produced any good entertainment at all.

Casper de Vries is pretty funny, particularly when poking fun at his own people, but an awful lot of his stuff is in Afrikaans so it doesn't travel.

Bloomkamp's District 9 is pretty good.  But ever since then he's been making exactly the same film.

After that, you've got The Gods Must Be Crazy and The Gods Must Be Crazy 2, AKA South Africa's best and funniest films of all time.  Jesus wept.


There's always shark attacks I suppose...

[hedgehog90]

I've tried really hard to "get it" based on the number of people whose opinions I respect telling me how amazing they are.  Sadly, I don't get it.  Anything worthwhile about them is taken from somewhere else, and the music is rinse.  It's about Nicki Minaj level, but I'd argue even she has a bit less hubris about the artistic value of what she does.

Yeah, that's about right. Bit of a mystery how they became so popular 7 or 8 years ago (christ). Certain sections of the internet/music-press at the time were like 'These guys are crazy! They're like, kind of ironic, but not really. They're weird, lol.'

Honestly struggling to think whether South Africa has produced any good entertainment at all.  You could make an argument for Neill Blomkamp (though I'd disagree), but even he got the fuck out of there before adulthood.

errrr, Nelson Mandela?[nb]dancing[/nb]

[HappyTree]

I liked District 9. Elysium was pants. This film the band are in, Chappie, is from the same director.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chappie_(film)

Might as well give it a look.

I think I'm under the "weird, lol" spell right now. Watched all their vids on YT tonight. I wouldn't say I like it but I've been caught in the YT rabbit hole all night. Watched a vid of them performing live and yeah it's quite poor. Video band.

A bit like a very dark cross between Dave Lee Roth's story videos and Adam Ant's war paint. It's been quite a ride!

[Noddy Tomkey]

Bit of a mystery how they became so popular 7  or 8 years ago (christ).

At around that time, somebody told me that Aphex Twin had bought them over here and acted as their DJ for the tour.

I saw them live a few years ago, and it was good

[Billy]

This is the crossover top 40 single they had in the UK charts in 2010, the poppy-but-still-quirky 'Enter The Ninja' which I've always found quite fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cegdR0GiJl4

(0:43 to cut straight to the song)

Apparently Yolandi's fairly normal but the main bloke was a total psycho when filming 'Chappie' to the point where he'll probably never be cast in any film ever again.

[hummingofevil]

I think they are fucking great. Intrigued by their cultural background as they literally the only thing I've ever heard of as coming from the South African white working class. Yes there is a lot of all-mouth-and-no-trousers about the music but that video for Ugly Boy is ace. I've watched it literally hundreds of times (Bjork Hyperballad live in Paris and The Carpenters doing Help ate my other obsession videos) and happy conceded I might have mad crush on at least 3 women on screen but love it.

[hummingofevil]

Also I have a South African by birth adopted South Walian cousin so I'm fascinated by his name. Think the South African-South Wales cultural story probably has something in it that worth a documentary somewhere along the line.

[hummingofevil]

Christ. Yolandi in black face is fucking in your face. A pop band who are fucking trying at least.

[swordfish_bhoona]

Die Antwoord is (to some extent or another) an act mind... their output is intentionally trashy and vulgar; they are quite capable of making really smart and mellow hiphop as evidenced in their former guises as Max Normal (in this band they looked completely different in suits and ties, their gigs presented as powerpoint presentations with Ninja fronting the show and Yolandi playing his assistant; the rapping style is a lot more controlled and lyrically versatile too) .

I way prefer the Max Normal stuff musically, but find the Die Antwoord music videos immensely captivating in a beautifully crappy way. They are intensely creative individuals in ways that not many people are. Honestly, have a listen to their output before Die Antwoord too it's really good!

[HappyTree]

I saw them in Chappie before I knew they were musicians.

Ah right, you already mentioned the film. I didn't know what you were talking about so it must have gone in one eye and out the other. Doh!

Man I got an ear worm now. Ayee-ayee-ai, I am your butterfly. I need your prrrrotection, be my Samurai. I've decided I do like this now. Like with olives, I've broken the salt barrier.

[Rocket Surgery]

Would have preferred to just give you a karma, but you'll have to speak to Neil about that. A reasonably interesting spiel about a reasonably interesting group. Well done.

And holy shit was it really that many years ago? Yikes.

A pop band who are fucking trying at least.

That was my general impression, at the risk of erring horribly.

[Repeater]

She's a ride, both of them are charisma personaified, love it. Music is bizarre, hypnotic, repulsive... love it.

[HappyTree]

Would have preferred to just give you a karma, but you'll have to speak to Neil about that. A reasonably interesting spiel about a reasonably interesting group.

Reeling from your florid appreciation, I think you could ask Neil about the possibility of awarding ½ karma points :-D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqOzPUzfUNE&feature=youtu.be

[Bobby Treetops]

The short film they made with Harmony Korine is rather lovely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMVNjMF1Suo

[jobotic]

At around that time, somebody told me that Aphex Twin had bought them over here and acted as their DJ for the tour.

I saw them live a few years ago, and it was good

That explains this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMK0prafzw0

[HappyTree]

The short film they made with Harmony Korine is rather lovely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMVNjMF1Suo

Shock, revulsion, morbid fascination, obsession, like, love, genius. That's been my path through this crazy trip. These peeps are the best thing I've seen for ages. Watched all their vids over and over again. Looked up what the lyrics were saying. Then what they meant. This film above is like Vic and Bob level genius. The Weekenders, but in South Africa with guns. And a real gentle poignancy underlying the top layer of ultra violence and gutter language.

And when they told Lady Gaga to fuck off rather than go on tour and get massive exposure, lol. Real deal my bru. Bring da beat back hoi tek.

[imitationleather]

I can't believe this group are still going. It's like when you see Goldie Lookin' Chain on a festival line-up.

(Except GLC were good. It's more like when you see Electric Six on a festival line-up. Except they were loads better than Die Antwoord too. Basically, it's just amazing this very shit band is still a going concern.)

[kngen]

I like everything about them apart from their music, so they reside alongside Crass in a fairly specialised part of my consciousness.

[alan nagsworth]

Die Antwoord is (to some extent or another) an act mind... their output is intentionally trashy and vulgar; they are quite capable of making really smart and mellow hiphop as evidenced in their former guises as Max Normal (in this band they looked completely different in suits and ties, their gigs presented as powerpoint presentations with Ninja fronting the show and Yolandi playing his assistant; the rapping style is a lot more controlled and lyrically versatile too) .

I way prefer the Max Normal stuff musically, but find the Die Antwoord music videos immensely captivating in a beautifully crappy way. They are intensely creative individuals in ways that not many people are. Honestly, have a listen to their output before Die Antwoord too it's really good!

Christ at least someone's done their fucking research! It baffles me that in 2017 people can still watch a video on youtube and their only response is "whoa, this is random haha" and then just continue to speculate on what the story could be, despite the band's entire artistic history being traceable in a matter of minutes. And this happens literally every time I've ever been in the presence of anyone talking about Die Antwoord.

They're both very intelligent and capable artists. Watkin Tudor Jones in particular has made some incredible stuff, as already noted by yer man bhoona here, and also performing under his own name. The Fantastic Kill is a particularly brilliant album, some of the most fresh and fun hip hop I've heard.

The long and short of it is that Jones and Visser wanted to re-brand themselves as a "rap rave" act, infiltrate western culture with something that was both interesting and a complete joke, and see how far they could push it. It was a success, they had major labels drooling over them and to this day a very large number of people who know who they are still don't actually know who they are. Fairly certain this is probably the reason Aphex Twin took such a liking to them. Personally speaking I think their self-made success is awesome, but the act ran its course after the first couple of albums and they're not doing anything interesting enough with the name any more. They're capable of so much more.

The MaxNormal.TV song "Total Fuckup" from 2008 features lyrics which predate Die Antwoord that serve a rough outline for what they would go on to achieve:

I want to break free, why does everybody hate me?
Maybe I should take E, and maybe try to get in with the new rave scene
I'll change my name to Wad E, rock space age shades and shave my body
Sport tight little white shorts, now I'm the man
A tight white vest says "pump up the jam"
Change my accent; make it more wild
Total makeover, change my whole style
With the tiger balm inside my palm
My mind is gone, but the vibe is on

Here's a lovely photo of Jones, Visser and their daughter from back in the day:

[HappyTree]

Yes, you can see there are different levels to what they're doing. Especially in the way Yolandi manages to do a serious snarl with that self-aware amusement still behind it:



Nice potted history, I'll look into the earlier stuff when I can be arsed/have the time.

[kittens]

constructus corporation is wick bros

[HappyTree]

I've had this Max Normal track in my head for the last few days. Tik Tik Tik.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95eJAai9TtM

Absolutely hypnotic. And when you pay attention and look up what the Afrikaans bits mean the lyrics are very good.

I wonder, is there a little hommage to Mike D in the rewind bit? The rhythm of the backwards beat is the same as "Come on, break it down in the old skool style" from his Unkle collab "The Knock".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JovrvcW6DDM