Ученый из Родсского университета выпустил книгу о восточнокапской сцене хип-хопа

A new book by Rhodes University academic Dr Lee Watkins is bringing the talented voices of Eastern Cape hip-hop into the spotlight, with a focus on Gqeberha’s vibrant scene. The soon to be released Rap Soundings and the Spectacle of Democracy in South Africa explores the history of hip-hop and rap through the voices of artists and practitioners, examining what their music says about their lives, communities, environments and political realities. What began as an idea for his master’s degree developed into a wider academic interest in music, particularly the ways in which music intersects with society, politics and marginalised voices. “I want to challenge the conventional ideas of music and appreciate how artists use music to express their art, express their ideas and express their creativity,” Watkins said. “It brings out young people’s talents through the writing and the lyrics and the rapping. “It also has an activism aspect to it, because artists are able to express what they are experiencing. “Hip-hop gives young people a way to speak about their lives and their environment.” Watkins has a background in Ethnomusicology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Hong Kong. His research focuses on music, including its relationship to politics, marginality and social issues, and he is currently researching hip-hop and rap music in SA and China. For Watkins, hip-hop is more than music and rather provides young people with a platform to develop their talents through writing, lyrics and rapping, while also offering a vehicle for social and political expression. A key motivation behind the book is what Watkins sees as a gap in existing literature on South African hip-hop. Most of the literature has focused on the Cape Town scene, while little attention has been given to hip-hop beyond the Western Cape. “Most experts on hip-hop music come from America, and there are very few African voices. “I want to emphasise those local voices because the Eastern Cape often has voices, but those voices go unheard,” he said. The book features the voices of a number of Eastern Cape hip-hop figures, including Jason Fraser, known as JBux, Dumza Manxoyi, Thobela Fibi, Sebenzile Zalabe, Siya Zalabe, Earl Swartz, Rushay Booysen, Nolitha Dingana, Vuyisela Maguga, Xolila Madinda and Lyle-Marvin Ruiters. For Ruiters, being part of the project has offered a chance to reflect on his own journey while recognising the artists who helped shape Eastern Cape hip-hop and those continuing to drive the culture forward. “My contribution to the book was mainly through sharing my personal experience and perspective of being involved in hip-hop in the Eastern Cape. “I was given the opportunity to speak about my journey, what I’ve experienced, what I’ve been through and how I see the culture. “What makes it meaningful for me, especially coming from Port Elizabeth [Gqeberha], is the opportunity to speak about the people who built the culture before us. “I feel honestly honoured to be able to contribute my perspective to that conversation,” Ruiters said. The release date for Rap Soundings and the Spectacle of Democracy in South Africa will be announced soon.