It started with Fokofpolisiekar, Die Heuwels Fantasties and Van Coke Kartel also helped it and Die Antwoord and Jack Parow added another edge. Together these alternative Afrikaans bands have managed to make Afrikaans music, culture and identity cool.
And in may cases, the music appeals to a mass (international) audience, and not just a minority sub-culture. Bittereinder is the latest group to join this “movement”.
The group has been around for about two years, with Jaco van der Merwe as the MC; Peach van Pletzen as the producer, vocalist and instrumentalist and Louis Minnaar responsible for the trio’s visual identity. Minnaar is also an occasional vocalist. Their approach has been described as “conscious rap” but it’s also noticeably accessible.
“A Tale of Three Cities” is Bittereinder’s latest single, featuring Jack Parow and Tumi Molekane (of Tumi & the Volume). The song, off their debut album “’n ware verhaal”, is a “meandering narrative of three cities, containing three verses and three unique rap-styles”.
Rhythm Records signed Bittereinder and the album is the culmination of about 20 months work on the project. The music video (see below) for their first single, the title track, is quirky, original and gathered a lot of followers on YouTube.
