Represent Review: Keith Murray and friends
Get your dictionary’s out ‘cos the Matrix has been working out with his thesaurus again and this time round we let his words flow without cutbacks. Reuben went to check out US HipHop star Keith Murray aka another “I’m home in the motherland” visiting artist, on our behalf – He wasn’t impressed with the women-izing but had a bash all the same. Enjoy:
“Ke mokone; Paki ya bo – Darkie ka di – Baki mpya!” , you’ll forgive me for dropping my 2 cents worth of lyrical rhyme here, but the short-lived excitement and free flow repertoires of last weekend’s mammoth rap concert at Emperor’s Palace has left me with an aura of unquantifiable satisfaction.
If I’ve ever doubted Ghetto-Ruff’s ability to stage a world class event, I was wrong. My cynicism was shoved aside by Saturday’s hip gig: shame unto anyone who still believes that an “A” grade event under the African skies is the equivalent of a shebeen bosberaad! To this end – the Matrix bows to Ghetto-Ruff’s skillful and artistic management of a world class event in a world class African City – Jozi – our Jozi.
Now, back to the lecture at hand, this Saturday evening/ Sunday morning yours truly was in the East Rand to Represent all you outgoing Jozi folk in what will go down in Mzansi’s event history as “a diamond in the rough” of Jozi Hip-Hop concerts. At first glance the venue (Former Caesar’s Gauteng), draws you into a comfortable world of plush and splendor only befitting the “have more’s”. The lobby is lit in such a way that your heart beat starts to pace as you digest the surreal magnificence that’s almost overkill.
“Suprise, suprise” the artist line-up was a bit too biased in Ghetto-Ruff’s favour (but then again, this was their show!). The listings boasted the flamboyant and very “stout” (we shall get back to this…) Keith Murray and a host of Ghetto-Ruff artists and co-opting allies like: Drenco, Slice, Gum Shev, Maggz, Mr. NK, Jub-Jub, Jus Dat, Morale, Malic, Bricks, DJ Cleo, HPP, Morafe and Zola, although the latter 4 artists did not make their stage appearances (and with no public service announcement as to why not – I found this to be a bit disappointing!), however their absence was cheered up by Mandoza’s surprise appearance and the reinforced turn-table skills of DJ Speed-Cop.
The Down-Low: ‘Jus’ Dat’ raised the curtains to a half-empty auditorium of fanatics who nevertheless received them with cheers and excitement. As the night advanced further Jub-Jub lashed us with his spiked whip as Emperor’s Palace got thumping to their famous single: Good time of your life!
Mandoza and Bricks got us doing moves to their “Left, Right” song… Then Keith Murray: Unlike most of his die-hard fans, I had no intimate knowledge of Keith Murray’s stardom or the circles in which he associates until this Saturday when I saw him on stage. He’s a little bit taller than me and definitely better built than yours truly (but that’s not the point…).
Point is, like so many African Americans before him, Keith Murray left no stone unturned in his quest to get his “African brethren” on the same band wagon as himself as he repeatedly proclaimed: “I came all the way from the USA to the motherland”.
To show just how part of the “motherland” he was, he even wore Truworths-Man undies and a South African flag bandana! How I wondered if most African Americans would still confess the whole “arrival in the motherland” when landing in an African country with No Credit Card or traveller’s cheque-clearing facilities (How I wonder…)
Granted Keith Murray is a super star no doubt and he showed it, typically jumping off the stage into the up-lifted hands of the amassed fans, gesturing with confidence like I’ve never seen before.. .He performed with such flair and enthusiasm. I scolded myself for not being able to confidently recite his deep-bass lyrics (make some noise…!!).
However one thing got me really fired-up and i`m sorry if any Representah feels that i`m being a party pooper by addressing this, but anybody – I couldn’t care less if you’re a super star or the highest civil libertarian, but anybody who disrespects women and acts like a chauvinist pig deserves to be labelled as such.
Despite the overdone vulgarity which included derogatory words like b*tch and n*ggar. I found his unrelenting contempt for women to be unwelcome, especially when he roped a couple of sisters to the stage to dance for us all while we voted for them. This was all good, apart from the fact that the Nay or Yay had to be in words which can’t be repeated on this platform. Africans, “Pinyana ge ere ping, e kwele ping e kgolo”. Better to bend a tree whilst it’s still small, lest you get faced with a mammoth of a task when the damn thing is too big for the handling!
Apart from this blemish which left a sour taste in my mouth, I found the show to be absolutely spectacular (especially the performances of our local talent!). To all at Ghetto Ruff and especially Mpumi Philips (Sister o ya Rocka!), Keep it rollin`!
Reuben-the Matrix-Malema
