Written by Daniel Wright

If you came to the same conclusion as last week’s Sound Check review of Lil Wayne’s Rebirth, you likely took to the internet to fill the void. If so, it is highly probable that you found Die Antwoord, whose YouTube videos more than quadrupled in views over reading week and continue to grow into the millions.

Little is actually known about this straight-faced, (arguably) sarcastic, group from South Africa; and what is known is mostly extracted from their viral videos: “Zef Side,” “Enter the Ninja” and “Take No Prisoners (interview).” Regardless if Die Antwoord is a more serious version of The Lonely Island or a “legit” group, they have a 16 track album, a professionally produced music video for “Enter the Ninja,” and upcoming European and North American tours. In addition, Die Antwoord (questionably) promotes progeria awareness by featuring a survivor of the rare genetic disorder named Leon Botha in their video for “Enter the Ninja.”
Die Antwoord consists of Ninja (Watkin “Waddy” Jones), Yo-Landi Vi$$er (who sports an Eminem-in-the-front, party in the back type mullet) and DJ Hi-Tek (not to be confused with DJ Hi-Tek from the Cincinnati-Brooklyn duo, Reflection Eternal, with Talib Kweli). DJ Hi-Tek proudly makes “next level” beats on his PC computer, while Ninja and Yo-Landi rap and sing. Ninja is the primary rapper and alleged hubby to Yo-Landi. Ninja is a man of many “self spoken” words, as displayed by his many prison-style tattoos: “If you don’t like funerals, don’t kick sand in a ninja’s face,” “How can a angel 8reak [sic] my heart,” “pretty wise” and his “secret fairy forest” tattoo (which he unfortunately regrets). Ninja has been compared to satirist Sasha Baron Cohen (Ali G) and for good reason; if you believe that he is in fact acting. Like Cohen’s Borat/Brüno, Ninja has been criticized for portraying an unfair racist/violent stereotype of South African’s version of “white trash.”
Their name, “Die Antwoord” is Afrikaans for “the answer,” but like in Douglas Adams’ novel, Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, the group still seems to be struggling with what exactly the question is. The group fuses Afrikaans/slang Afrikaans and English into their rap style, which has been coined by the band as “zef” or “rap-rave.” There is no literal translation of the word “zef,” but Ninja describes it as “The ultimate style … where we find our full flex … like in the video games when you reach the next level.”
On $O$, there is no one dominant sound, but Die Antwoord are generally at their best when Yo-Landi balances Ninja’s crude raps with highly digital hooks (e.g. “Enter The Ninja”).
Die Antwoord’s soon to be released, $O$ can be fully streamed at www.dieantwoord.com. But if that’s not enough zef rap for your ears, make sure to check out their upcoming film, The Answer, which they say is like “…District 9, but just with more rave and more rap.”

Notable Tracks: “Enter The Ninja”, “Beat Boy”, “Wat Kyk Jy”
Listeners may also enjoy: Major Lazer – Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers do, Aqua – Aquarium
Next Sound Check: Girls – Album

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