The N.Y.A.O.P.E Team’s Note

 

 

Hola bade!

N.Y.A.O.P.E Magazine is a youth based magazine that deals with uplifting the youth in all different sectors of the arts. The name N.Y.A.O.P.E, is an acronym for “Now You Are On Point Everyday”, meaning that the readers who will read this magazine will be “on point”. We hope to remove the bad connotations associated with the word Nyaope (which is known as a drug that is destroying our South African youth), the same way that Dope (which is also a drug) lost its bad connotation. Now the word is used in a good way.

We aim to uplift the youth by profiling upcoming musicians, graffiti artists, artists (the kind that draw, paint & so on), tattooists, food guru’s (aka Chefs), fashion designers, Motor-Mouths (car specialists) and  Television Personalities.

We as the N.Y.A.O.P.E team would like to introduce ourselves and give a big thank you to all the people who have supported us and have been behind us through this whole journey and made this happen. As we embark on this exciting new journey, we promise to deliver the best and most entertaining work that we can to all our readers. We promise to bring you the most entertaining and informative articles, interviews and features including videos of events and some of the interviews.

 

A special thank you goes out to the Ydidi family for the opportunity to embark on the dress Jozi Walk.                                                               

What a special day that was and we enjoyed every single minute of it.

Another special thank you goes out to Shap Moja Films along with First Joint films for the extraordinary experience we had shooting the Micro-Buzz show. We destined for Greatness.

Thank you 

The N.Y.A.O.P.E Team

Now you are on point everyday



DRESSED FOR THE OCCASION by: Nkosinathi Msimango

 

 

It’s a dark and cold morning but there’s this aura of hope and optimism.

When approaching the Newtown fields, near the Sci-bono and Bassline building, all you could see was the red and black of the Yfm banners and backdrops. All I remember thinking was, “I can now say, on the 6^th of June 2015, I was at the Dress Jozi Walk” (which happens every first Saturday of June)

As we arrive nervous, as this is our first time here, we are greeted and welcomed by a diminutive and friendly figure that makes us feel at ease and at home. This hospitable figure is an integral member of the youth based Ydidi organization that deals with uplifting the youth, Neo Rantele Kuaho.

As more people arrive, the atmosphere became electric and I just couldn’t wait but begin this journey of giving to the less fortunate. I could feel that I was going to make a difference in someone’s life today.

As we embarked on the journey around Newtown to the Westgate taxi rank to help the less fortunate, there was this Great Spirit from the participants in the walk, singing, laughing and helping each other during the walk while being escorted by the police. I witnessed some of the most heart-wrenching sights I had ever seen. I came across welcoming human beings that most of us regard as “hobos”. They were so thankful for the clothes and blankets. It felt so fulfilling to put a smile on a person’s face. To see men old enough to be my father run towards us to receive clothing and blankets melted my heart on a cold winter’s day.

I was touched to see everyone interact with the less fortunate and homeless, and treat them like human beings instead of the usual disrespectful treatment that our fellow brothers and sisters receive.

The one incident that brought tears to my eyes was when we arrived at an old burnt out house that houses many homeless and less fortunate people. Upon arriving there, I found a young girl who was draped in nothing but an old jacket that her mother had put on her. This made me feel like an ungrateful person as I had been complaining to my friends that I had no clothes and needed to purchase clothes for winter. The mother was so grateful and I couldn’t help but smile throughout the rest of the walk.

As much as I was tired, I couldn’t help but be satisfied with what we had done to help others.

I recommend this to everyone out there, because many homeless and less fortunate people out there need this help and if we could help so many people in the radius of 12km, then how many people can we help if everyone decides to join in?

*A special thanks goes to Ydidi and Yfm for the opportunity*

 

 

The Beautiful Sound Of Rap and Melody in Hip-Hop (part 1) by BlackSpace

 

 

 

 

This article will be discussing the evolution of rap and how the game changed in essence to South African Hip Hop music. South Africa has a lot of artists, each with their own style, technique and an approach that keeps the game at its feet. Hip Hop is an art that has a very strong influence. It changes a lot from time to time. South African mainstream Hip Hop began in 1986. “It's the mid-80s and Bubble-gum music is the order of the day in South Africa.” (Kay, 2012) Hip Hop changed from party rap to conscious rap between 1996 and 2002, the development stage, and then transitioned to revolutionary rap from 2003 to 2008, the golden era. From 2009 until present is new school. South African rap has gone back to party rap once again, like GZA–the founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan collective–said on the interview he had on Star Talk with Astrophysicist Neil deGresse Tyson; “Hip Hop is forever changing musically, it is corporate wise, it is on another level as far as the money, the business side, but I think lyrically is regressed” (GZA, 2015). South African Hip Hop has gone to a less developed state. Rappers were a lot more lyrical because Hip Hop was more about the relevance of the massage carried into the song, and now all you can hear in most of the songs in the current Hip Hop era, is the non-informative, pompous lyrics that only reflect on how much money one has, cars and/or girls.

There are rappers and Hip Hop fanatics that strongly believe that Hip Hop is deteriorating, for that reason they remain underground, and fans listen to old school Hip Hop to console the near loss of the true and original meaning to Hip Hop–a non-revolting revolution through music. A lot of record labels are money driven and they do not consider the art and style that a musician/rapper incorporates in their craft. Humans are afraid of what they do not understand. Therefore, what people do not understand will not sell in this country, or any other country for that matter. The competition is no longer about who makes more sense in their music. Rappers are now competing for sales. It is a shame because; these types of action reflect badly when it comes to other countries taking South Africa seriously. Therefore, the next succession of articles will also focus on the awareness in the constitution of literacy that Hip Hop was also meant for.

 

 

Bibliography

Nyovest, C. (Performer). (2014). Phumakim. On Tsholofelo. Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

www.citypress.com. (2014, 09 28). Retrieved 06 02, 2015, from City Press: http://www.news24.com/Archives/City-Press/6-of-South-Africas-finest-hip-hop-rappers-20150429

GZA. (2015, May). Star Talk. USA.

Kay, R. (2012). istory of South African Hip Hop. Retrieved 06 02, 2015, from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rashid.kay.5/posts/10204378731446606

Modau, T. (2012, 09 16). South Arican Hip Hop. Retrieved 06 02, 2015, from thabangthinks.blogspot.com: http://thabangthinks.blogspot.com/2012/09/south-african-radio.html

Modau, T. (2014). South African Hip Hop. Retrieved 06 01, 2015, from thabangthinks.blogspot.com: http://thabangthinks.blogspot.com/2014/07/south-african-hip-hop.html

Ready_D, D. (2014). Hip-Hop Activism Post-Apartheid Siouth Africa. Retrieved 06 02, 2015, from http://www.summerschool.uct.ac.za/hip-hop-activism-post-apartheid-south-africa

Thomson, M. (2014). South African Hip Hop. Retrieved 06 02, 2015, from thabangthinks.blogspot.com: http://thabangthinks.blogspot.com/2012/09/south-african-radio.html

 

 

 

The Buzz around iCaracara by: The N.Y.A.O.P.E Team

 

 

Just as you think that music shows are played out, here comes a new innovative hip hop show that encompasses live performances, interviews, a platform for upcoming hip hop “emcees” to showcase what they are made of and hilarious skits that remind me of the Ashifashaba show, where the host does skits with the “Big Dawg” DJ Fresh who acts as an older guy in class who keeps failing and the late Senyaka. This new exciting project produced by Shap Moja Films and First Joint, is an incredible touch on Hip Hop and the streets. The name just says it all, MICRO-BUZZ!

The setting is out of this world. It’s set out in one of the most famous streets in South Africa, Khumalo Street in Thokoza, East of Johannesburg which is known for its history during the apartheid era. As you arrive on the set, you are greeted by a live band playing and a DJ right beside them. The people involved in this production are ever so welcoming and make you feel at home. On the far right, there is a stage and right next to it is a vintage book shelf with old television sets on top of tyres which are stacked on top of each other. On the other side of the stage is an old but still in good condition couch for the guests to sit on.

The presenters, Sinikiwe Ngcobo and Kabelo Kevin Tshabalala have the bubbliest personalities and are a professional pair. The band is made up of a drummer and a pianist who is also a rapper. He opens the show with a performance alongside vocalist Flow H. It is an electrifying performance and I could not help but bob my head and tap my feet.

The audience there was amazing and they were enjoying themselves, and the technical team was outstanding. I could not help but watch in awe.

Towards the end of the show, rap extraordinaire, former member of Hidden force and one half of Deep Level, Lebohang “Lebza” Masiane arrived and got the crowd moving. He is hilarious and down to earth. He gave some of the young aspiring artists some words of wisdom.

This show might be something that South African television has needed all along and I cannot wait until the show airs.

Art-in-transit: a story to tell by: George Lukeru

 

 

 

 

Thandiwe Khumalo

 

On our way to meet a talented young lady by the name of Thandi Khumalo, a graphic designer, we came across a house with a vintage look, it drew our attention we thought why not let us check the place out as we walked toward the door we came across all the Sharp Moja films members. They welcomed us with their stories and they were the people who opened the door for us we found Thandi Khumalo

Thandi Khumalo from Thokoza is well known for her beautiful artwork. She found her talent at a very young age but she did not get that much support from the people she lived with but she found a guy from around her location his name is Hloni is also known for his tattoos he was the one who told Thandi about an art school called Art Proof Studio. She called them and they told her she must bring her portfolio she went there she got an interview they liked her work they told her to come though and that’s how they discovered her talent her first year was on the year of 2014 she is currently in her 2^nd year she is currently studying print making, ink specialty, screen printing

INSPIRATON

What inspires Thandiwe’s work is the urge to create awareness of certain circumstances like how children grow up in the township. She is also inspired by people’s emotions and sometimes her own emotions, like how she feels at that very time.

She also sees someone whom she only refers to as Lebogang from Soweto as a major inspiration to her. Lebo is a professional visual artist and mostly does street art.

WISE WORDS

Thandiwe or “MaThandis” as she is affectionately known says that if there is anyone out there who has the passion or the love for Art, then they can do it no matter what. “If you want to do it, you can do it. Do not worry about what other people have to say or what they are doing, just do you.” Big words from such a little humble soul.

EAT-IN: KITCHEN TIPS by: Sakhile Sithole

 

 

 

Not all foods we feature in this column has to necessarily break the boundaries of fine healthy food.

Sometimes it pays to go back to the middle ground, focusing on affordable and easy cooking ingredients…

 

      I.        Crisped whole sea bream with a ginger and chilli stuffing:

*45 minutes*

*Serves 2*

#Easy

Ingredients

1.    2 whole Sea Bream fillets, approximately 300g each, scaled

2.    6 Thick Ginger slices

3.    2 Bird’s eye red chillies

4.    1 Spring onion, finely sliced

5.    Sesame oil

6.    Flavorless oil (Sunflower)

7.    1 Lemon, Quartered

8.    Sea Salt flakes

Procedure

1.    Check the fish for any scales and scrape off any you find.

2.    Cut six slashes through the skin.

3.    Close each side of the fish.

4.    Toss the ginger, chilli and spring onion with sesame oil, lemon and Sea salt flakes into the fish.

5.    Rub the outside of the fish with flavorless oil.

6.    Grill