1/4/10

The 'Hood Diary

The holiday season was the finest piece of detox anybody ever needed. Especially on the heels of a crippling recession and an inflation rate that is daily defying gravity. For some of us still rooted in our ghettos it was quite an intriguing time. Folks we haven't seen in years pitched to appease the old bones of their ancestors to 'help' them navigate the financial crisis. But I mean if your grandparents died broke why the hack do you think they can hook you up R12000 installment for your wheels?

However, beef aside it was quite an interesting time in Shatale, I don' t know about your 'hood but mine was the ultimate 'hood. Here we now have a Luv Ur Hood culture, it's monthly hip-hop sessions hosted by Katsuko at Kabila's and which feature a whole bunch of talented folks with skills still to be unearthed for the mainstream.

During the final show I was disturbed when I heard that this year's gonna happen artist Abe-Crazy demanded R1500 to perform for the 'hood. I mean not at the time that Nas is contemplating hiring the whole Trump Towers top floor for the 'hood at no cost. I mean for the better part of December I have been listening to Abe's music and it is brilliant and I am thinking this dude needs as much publicity as possible and a platform to showcase his skills and potential and I get told that the dude wants R1500. I'm like 'no ways' and I get told that's his condition.

But I mean the whole Luv Ur Hood concept is to encourage people to 'thand' ikasi' which subtracts a transactional relationship. To make matters worse the session contiues with much flav as there are more cats with swag and then Nkoto Malebye, yeah, you know here - the lead singer from Kwani Experience decides to bless the session with a free rap performance.

I should have written free with a capital letter. A recording artist who have travelled the world with an uber group giving a free performance while a dude still hustling for a deal wants money? Tell me I'm being judgmental and I will apologise. Abe is my dog and I shall be the first dude to give his music love cuz it rocks - and I shall be the first to correct when he goes wrong.

Overall the 'hood got love from the regular 'hood cats over the holidays with the MONICE brothers bringing the roof down with their ritualistic gigs, Katlego Mashego mingling with the 'hood commoners during one of the gigs and well - 2010 we are here, regardless of spoilers on New Year's Day. Go out and achieve greatness comrade. Welcome!