Why We Love...// DIE ANTWOORD
The common reaction
to one of Die Antwoord’s music video’s is something akin to ‘What the fuck?!’When
their most recent video came out, sneaked out onto Noisey like the proverbial
prawn, the shit-filled threads of YouTube were awash with similar sentiments. But,
we suspect, that was the intention all along…
For almost every
other comment was in the positive vein and good music is always the most
divisive; Indeed, we at The Zine like the kind of band that feature insects in
their videos a la I Fink U Freaky. We also like the kind of band that produces
music that is on the face much more complicated than it seems. Yes, Yo Landi
and Ninja are many things to many people, both good and bad – perhaps just a
weird fad but where else are we getting music (and videos) with as much imagination
and production flair as theirs? Often, indeed, with Ninja directing or
co-directing they are weird, bizarre and often downright menacing. But they are
freaky and we do like them a lot.
Ninja, often seen
bare chested and scowling, menaces perfectly whilst Yo Landi is already iconic –
her Zef inspired bling a hot with many, Indeed with a menacing sexuality and
less than statuesque height she has quickly become an instantly recognisable
figure. The mysterious DJ Hi Tek also plays his part, producing the beats on
his “PC computer” to perfection. One of his most notorious appearances is in
the song Fok Julle Naaiers, when an appropriation of Mike Tyson’s many
catchphrases suggests he’s going to “fuck you in the ass” and if you’ve seen
the video you’ll know just of what we talk!
But why are these
three cool freaks so instantly likable? Well, it could be the fact they’re
rapping in Afrikaans or it could be that they are so utterly unique in their
style. As some are prone to disbelieve, these guys are apparently completely
different in real life and it’s the creation of musical aliases that makes the
music so brilliant. If this was a real situation it’d be tabloid level fodder
but as a very cleverly constructed piece of performance art it’s gold – from the
role switching to the personalities they have forged it’s no wonder something
in the water did very well…
Words by Culture
Agent #1.
Photography by Roger Ballen.