Mindset: May 2012

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Zuma jokes going too far?

South Africa President Jacob Zuma

Our president, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma commonly referred to by South Africans as JZ, has some what always been ridiculed by SA media and artists and understandably so.
I swear at times it's like he deliberately does things so we can pick on him but he is our president none the less, one of the most entertaining we've had by far. I mean really having a president who chants "Leth' umshini wami 'mshini wami, wena uyangibambezela" translated "Give me my machine, my machine gun, you're wasting my time", at almost every public appearance is definitely something...well unique.

JZ chanting Umshini wam' and doing the traditional Zulu dance

He's shower story also didn't help him much. For those of you reading from abroad, our president was accused of raping an HIV positive woman. He was vindicated but not before he had a chance to tell us that he was certain that he was not at risk of getting HIV because, even though they'd had unprotected sex, he had taken a shower afterwards hence he was safe...not the most intelligent thing to say hey.

Left: Zapiro's depiction of Zuma's shower comment

But even with all his shortfalls there's something very charming about the man, that much can not be denied, the man has 6 wives and probably counting and ...well nobody is really certain how many kids he has.

JZ with four of his wives at his 70th Birthday Celebration earlier this year

But even so, I too have to admit that the line has to be drawn somewhere, we need to have some level of respect for our president. Yes we don't agree with some of his moral decisions and well, decisions in general, but he is the head of state and therefore deserves respect from his public.
The latest depiction of our president by Capetown artist Brett Murray, displayed at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg, has outraged the ANC and he, along with the gallery, will be facing legal action, understandably so. Murray's painting "The Spear" was sold for R 136 000 and was bought by a foreign buyer.

Brett Murray painting "The Spear" of Jacob Zuma. Previously I posted the original with the jewels showing but thought it best I edit it.

He won't be the first though, Murray can ask fellow artist Zapiro, who has also been sued quiet a few times actually by the president, how to handle this pickle he finds himself...shame neh...and all in the name of artistic freedom/freedom of speech. Kodwa honestly speaking you can't tell me Murray thought the ANC would be ok with this, I mean a waiter was found guilty of assault for accidentally spilling a drink on Zuma at last years Durban July.

Zapiro was sued 15 million for this cartoon of JZ seeing to be raping the justice system.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Good music or freemasonry?

I've never really been into the whole debate of freemasonry and artists giving their souls to the devil and what not. Reason being, not that I don't know it exists, I just don't want to walk around being paranoid and closing my ears whenever I here a song that is supposedly by a freemason artist, heck I'm not even sure what this whole freemasonry thing is about, there are way to many explanations and opinions it's all too confusing.

I determine what I listen to by the lyrics of a song. If a song is talking about being cheated on, how life sucks and getting killed and ish, then I don't listen to it. I'm a firm believer in "umlomo ayakha" meaning what you say with your mouth comes to pass. So if you're in a good relationship and you are singing/listening to music about being broken hearted then that's exactly what is going to happen, you called it upon yourself. How do I know this a fact? I'm a firm believer in The Word and God Almighty, not ashamed to say it, and if it says the Lord said with his mouth let there be light and there was then I believe it. And so since we are formed in his likeness, like the word says, then surely we can speak things with our mouth and it will come to be.

There are so many artists that are said to be freemasonry or have given themselves to the dark side such as JayZ, Beyonce, Rihanna, Kanye West Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Snoop Dogg, heck even Michael Buble and some of our local South African artists, the list is endless, if I believed it all I'd never listen to music another day in my life. Think of an artists and I'm sure they've been accused of such, even some christian are said to be putting up a fer-sad. Even poor Blue Ivy (okay maybe not poor coz' when you got Jay-Z and Beyonce for parents, there is nothing poor about you but you get what I'm tryna' say) was accused of being satan's spawn. The child was barely a day old and people were prophesying death over her #smh. The way I see it, even if it were true that her parents play Russian Roulette with dark forces, she's just a baby and people talking negatively over her ain't right, she has her own life and destiny to fullfil. As for Michael Buble, I just can't imagine him on the dark side...he's music is just too good and I mean it's Michael Buble batong!

Below right: Beyonce, Jay-Z and Ivy Blue Below left: Michael Buble

Poor Blue Ivy Carter #smh

I don't know for a fact that the above mentioned people are what they are being accused of, although some of their music is just plain scary and nasty.

The way I see it, let the artist/music speak for itself rather than accusing very artist who makes it big to have sold their soul, the Lord also blesses with success too you know. *side thought, there's a movie I watched on e-tv a while back about this guy who gives his soul to the devil because his life sucks and is willing to sell himself for 7 wishes to get anything he wants. He makes his wishes and before he makes the last one he panics because he doesn't want to sell his soul anymore and sadly he can't wish it back. Then some random black dude tells him he can't sell his soul because it's not his to begin with. I thought that was interesting...oh and I loved the fact that the black guy wasn't the evil guy, lol*

Ok, I know some of this ish is real but there's always another way of looking at things. We can't hide ourselves in a closed off because the world is this big scary place full of bad people.

South Africa's main form of public transportation

Now I'm a big fan of good music and real HipHop, none of that I make it and I'm the ish stuff, and so there is no way I'm going to close myself up from music, even if I wanted to it's highly impossible. I mean where ever I go there's always music playing, the mall, taxi, grocery stores, radio stations, music shows and TV ads and so forth. Now with so many things raring music all the time, how on earth am I going to run away from it all. I can't tell a taxi driver nogal to turn off his radio, I'd be asking to get chewed and made a laughing stock off, if you live in South Africa you know what I'm on about. Other drivers don't even put down the volume just for a few seconds while you're on the phone and wena ke you want to tell him akayivale totally??? You have a death wish.

In a mall I can't go to mall management and be like I don't like the music you're playing switch it off. As much as the customer is always right I'm just one in a gazillion people who go to malls and majority of them enjoy the music so why mina ke I must think I'm special and everybody else must suffer. Boycott malls? And then where on earth am I going to do my shopping? Do you know how irritating West Street is (Durban people know). Taxi's honking non-stop and blaring loud music, conductors screaming "South Beach, Wheel, e-Point", with irritating voices *side thought: they all sound the same mara, like a mosquito on a speaker phone*. I think you get the point now. It's a matter of choosing what you indulge in. There’s a whole variety of chocolates and desserts but they don't all taste good to you, you choose that which goes with your taste, which might not be necessarily the same for someone else.

Seeing that I pay so much attention to lyrics, I was listening to some music on Sunday (best day of the week to indulge and appreciate good music) and came across a song by this rapper named Bizzile. His song caught my attention because he's a Christian rapper but in this song he was dissing other artists *frowns upon*, namely JayZ and Rick Ross (don't really know Ross's music, all I know he is big, has a huge beard, wears shades at night and for some reason people love him and he's supposedly the best thing since spinning rims *hides*).

kanye west jay-z nicki minaj rick ross monster video

Left: Kanye West feat. Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj
Right: Bizzle

I did find Bizzle's song interesting though. It doesn't matter who you are, if you got good flow I respect you, depending on what you say though. Bizzles song came after Rick Ross released a song called Free Mason featuring the Jigga man, Jay Z (Freemason or not this nigga got flow and he damn good at what he does.)

FreeMason - Rick Ross ft Jay-Z

And this is what Bizzle had to say

Here's another track where he's dissing Jigga

Ross and Jay haven't responded yet so I wait to see how this plays out. Or maybe they have and I don't know, so holla back and let a sister know or if you got valid concrete info about this masonry ish please do educate I'd like to get proper insight and understanding, not rumors.

This Bizzle character is interesting though so I'ma watch his space. Get a feeling he's going to get hammered, we'll see if he can stand his own though.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Serena Williams: Rap Debut. Hot or Not?

So Serena Williams has decided to be a rap artist. Ag nee man, why on earth would you think of doing such a thing Serena. Don't get me wrong, I like Serena, but rap? Cum'aan *Andy's voice in Cougar Town

Andy Torres of Cougar Town

Serena Williams, as I'm sure many would agree, is a very good tennis play *3 hoorays for black people taking over white sports* but when it comes to being in the rap game I think the closest she'll can get is dating rap artists. And the closest she'll get to a beef is rap artist beefing against each other, namely Common and Drake.

Left: Serana & rapper Drake

Right: Serena & rapper Common

I ain't hating on Serena, I'm not the worlds best rapper in fact I'm not a rapper at all but I am a big fan of it and I know a good rap when I hear it. So personally I don't think she should quit her day job but hey that's just me. Listen to her Debut Rap Single and decide for yourself. #NoHating

Serena Williams Debut Rap Album

Friday, May 11, 2012

MET GALA 2012

So the MET took place earlier this, just thought I'd share who wore what. Must say though, didn't like most of the dresses but hey I ain't that fashion savvy so I'll reserve my opinions to myself and let you decide.