24 Facts: Die Antwoord

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The world seems to think Die Antwoord came out of nowhere, but Ninja and Yo-landi have been familiar faces on the Cape Town streets and a big draw card at South African music festivals for years now.

Die Antwoord

1. "Ninja" has been renamed more often than the average street in Durban. 

2. Over the course of his career so far, "Ninja" has gone by many other names including The Man Who Never Came Back, MC Totally Rad, Yang Weapon, Max Normal, Constructus Corporation, Maxnormal.TV, Watkin Tudor Jones, Jones Junior ... He is most commonly known in Cape Town as "Waddy", but frequently will not answer to this name.

3. "Waddy" has always been big on collaborations. Long before he hooked up with Yo-landi, he exploded into the Rainbow Nation’s consciousness in 1994 fronting wigga crew The Original Evergreens. Signed to major label, Sony Music, their albums Puff the Magic (1995) and Burn the Evidence (1997) were hailed by critics as a mercurial "funkadelic jazzy hip-hop" spin on Cypress Hill's spliff-rap.

4. Always the creative chameleon, Waddy's next conceptual makeover saw him fronting live hip-hop band Max Normal. Their relaxed sounding, but biting grooves took cool Joburg clubs like 206 by storm. The original Max Normal line-up featured the talents of Waddy plus his DJ partner Simon 'Sibot' Ringrose, drummer Sean O Tim, drummer Adrian Levi, and guitarist Mark Buchanan.

5. Max Normal had only just begun to make underground waves worldwide with their album, Songs from a Mall (2001) when Waddy disbanded the crew and moved to Cape Town.

6. They played their last gig as the support act for Faithless on the international group’s 2002 SA tour.

7. Urban myth has it that a pre-famous Nelly Furtado was so smitten by seeing Max Normal perform at the Pukkelpop festival in Holland that she wanted to collaborate with Waddy.

8. On a mission to keep it real, Waddy invented another fantasy world for himself: The Constructus Corporation. Aka Constructus, this super-underground crew brought Waddy as Watkin Tudor Jones together with the beat Sibot and Markus Worsmtorm. Sibot and Markus are all also former African Dope fiends, and underground alternative icons in their own right, partnering up in The Real Estate Agents and sculpting beats for Playdoe and Sweat X respectively.

9. Constructus was a masterpiece of design and marketing, and The Ziggurat (2002), another mall-themed album, featured Waddy playing various characters, a book illustrated by Nikil Singh, and a bonus blank CD with instructions on where to download extra songs and audio, free of charge.

10. Fans who missed Max Normal’s more accessible sound were excited when Maxnormal.tv, a reinvention of Max Normal as a corporate hip-hop crew, came to town. Max Normal.tv gave musical multimedia presentations styled like motivational talks, with Powerpoint presentations projected above the stage.

11. The Maxnormal.tv line-up featured characters Max Normal (the boss), Yolandi Visser (a romance novel writer), as well as Brad Armitage (the playboy), Jakob Basson (the workhorse), and Justin De Nobrega (the angel) all of whom had different responsibilities and roles to play in Maxcorp, a conflicted but caring corporate entity sent from heaven to save the world… or something like that.

12. Die Antwoord came next. The current crew consists of Ninja, Yo-landi Vi$$er and DJ Hi-Tek (aka Max Normal.TV’s Justin DeNobrega).

13. Die Antwoord performed live for the first time ever at Ramfest 3 in February 2009.

14. Watch the video of them performing "Doosdronk" with Fokofpolieskar (f*ck off police car), who probably were genuinely doosdronk (that's pussy-drunk literally, but it doesn’t translate) at the time.

15. They also became the stuff of legend after jumping onstage to improvise "Sail Away Mutherfucka" when the Wedding DJs played the famous Enya track at Oppikoppi 2009.

16. Like any b®and savvy crew, Die Antwoord isn't just about music. They also make movies and merchandise. Their creations include a boutique range of limited edition, hand made soft-toys with a delightfully ear-catching billing: CHOMMIE TOYS.

17. These 'chum toys' are strange and wonderful creatures that include a Giraffe who is so chilled he can end arguments just by walking past, a Bokkie who likes raving to the techno heart-beat of the Earth and a cute little Rabbit that practices shiatsu. The tip: cosmic, not creepy, to "help kids - of all ages – find freedom of expression." Watch out for an edgy range of GOMMIE toys coming soon.

18. Waddy doesn't drink alcohol, while Francois Van Coke of Fokofpolisiekar has been about 50% proof most of his adult life.

19. Die Antwoord (is it wrong to call them DA for short?) billing themselves as "a mysterious force from the dark, dangerous depths of Africa". Having convinced celebrated photographer Roger Ballen to shoot their debut album cover, they continue to take a weird, scary approach to publicity. Here are a few of their first photos .

20. To get into the zef-rap rave groove, Ninja and Yo-landi wrote a series of "How Can We Help" you columns for Speakerbox.

21. Ninja also penned a series of experimental album reviews for Speakerbox. Read some: here and here

22. Styled as Cape Flats dwellers in the new South Africa, and performing from Mitchell’s Plein (see a video here) to Central Cape Town and blowing festivals away (see that too here), Die Antwoord quickly became huge on the trendy scene with songs like "Wat Pomp" (watch video).

23. Always very hip to the use of multimedia, myth and legend, Die Antwoord have recently exploded on the international scene with the "Zef Side" video (instantly losing half their Cape Town fans, who don't like to share musical interests with the mainstream.)

24. Many instant fans overseas people believed the video depicted their real lives. Actually, Yo-landi and Ninja are married and have a daughter, Sixteen, who is about to go to school.

Bonus # 25th fact! Die Antwoord's (absolutely amazing) Website now boasts that they’re “taking over the interweb”, and based on the minute by minute updates on Twitter, it seems this, at least, is true.

 
 
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(Comments may be edited or deleted at the Channel24 editors’ discretion)
champamoore 6/4/2010 12:48 AM
as ninja clearly has stated: if you love us, we love you too. if you hate us, it's because you're not on our level. these guys are genius! and the haters just prove how much that is true.
Kaaskop 5/7/2010 11:01 PM
Creative. Critical. Satiric. Succesfull. Filthy. Funny. Unpretentious/Extrapretentious. Untouchable. Extraordinairy. Totally weird. Back2theFuture. Well executed. NextLevel. POESKOELE RAPRAVE CREW!!! That's just my opinion. This is usually not my cup of tea, but don't take it too serious. It might not be quality music, but they just do their own thing and kick @$$ doing it!!! Clearly with succes and then who is anyone to say it's crap, apparently a lot of people all over the world thnk differently.
ktii 5/4/2010 5:12 PM
Pukkelpop is not in Holland, but in Belgium.... http://www.pukkelpop.be/
Zefirelli 4/25/2010 5:54 AM
@Wolfie Yes. Definitely the first two. Illiterate would be the third 'cause I don't know if you're blond or not. My suggestion: re-read the article. Weird, all the hate here. Christians? Maybe... but no sign of jesus. Don't get how people can be so blind as to call Die Antwwoord talentless. For those that do: represent. Show us something. @Cor 's got his finger on the pulse yo
KID B 4/23/2010 12:32 PM
Get your Zef Side tshirt here http://www.kidbclothing.com/?p=205
Smily 4/14/2010 1:34 PM
Guys, seriously, you need to start respecting yourself. Listen to christian music!! Die antwoord is a load of CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Steve Funk 4/14/2010 11:32 AM
I think they look cool , and they're interesting and what ever But honestly their music sucks....its just a bad joke set to programmed beat , nothing I could ever listen to more than once or twice for a laugh and a novelty
god 4/9/2010 4:28 AM
there is a difference between joke bands like Weird Al Yankovic or something and serious bands/groups/artists that might use humor or employ different concepts like Ween, Beastie Boys, early Eminem etc. Based on what ive heard and read i'd place die antwoord in the latter category. ninja and co. seem like a pretty creative collective. their music (including other projects) is too weird and diverse to be considered similar to mainstream top 40 recycled shitpop made by paid songwriters who have sold their souls so they can pass it off for a million dollars to some dumbass with no shame or a nice pair of legs w/out any creative talent.
LordWabbit 3/30/2010 4:23 AM
Yawn. Did the band write this article themselves or something? What a load of crap.
@ ALWYN 3/17/2010 3:46 PM
Obviously you've done something wrong after "years in music" WHO are you??? Hahaha - Jou ma se ... hahahaha
edwins 2/26/2010 11:29 PM
production value is really high with this group, I can see how their live performance would be lackluster though. Dr Dre was in a faggy group before he got together with NWA so don't think they are less than just because they've all been together for a long time just with different names. ...and if you are complaining about how this is ruining S. Africa then you need to shut the fuck up. We are all going to die maybe some people like to laugh more than you do, let them have their fun without pissing on their parade.
howlowcanyougo 2/23/2010 6:38 PM
They are lower than pond scum. Its a good thing that overseas people does not understand the lyrics. People would think that if you live in South Africa, that you are as common as them. Die Antwoord: please move to another continent.
Mem 2/19/2010 4:13 AM
Aside from them being hilarious, they're actually really talented. hope they get big ;D would love to see them live in the US someday.
rhineshark 2/18/2010 12:08 PM
Jeez, people. It's called SATIRE and ENTERTAINMENT. You either love this kind of thing for what it is or you hate it, because it's gone way over your head. Have a look at their website, the production quality of their videos, their Facebook/Twitter presence - marketing perfection. Even if you hate their music, which is always a subjective issue anyway, you have to love their genius.
LBrown 2/18/2010 11:02 AM
People want to be entertained & the bottom feeders have the short term recipe for those that want to it...I wonder what Waddy's upbringing was like? Rich kid syndrome, Did get any attention as a kid, bullyied, nerd????
Zef-Side Jedi Warrior 2/13/2010 9:18 AM
Die Antwoord is Die Fo**en Antwoord Poes!! The Yin to the Yan! BigUp Respect!
Sniper 2/12/2010 11:02 AM
From standing joke on the music scene to musical infamy. Not really much of a progression, is it? Given the frequent changes in previous line-ups do you think they will last to the end of this year?
Soul 2/12/2010 3:30 AM
@Wolfie. His previous projects, especially with Max Normal (before he was married to Yolandi or rapping with her), gained some success long before Die Antwroord. Max Normal's album "Songs from the Mall" was very popular in Cape Town a decade ago, kinda like early comedy Cypress Hill, but a lot more mellow.
dan E b00i 2/11/2010 11:20 PM
these phat zef beats are poes woes sexy korek
Upto anything 2/11/2010 1:33 PM
This is the biggest crap and downgrade of our country - they should be banned. This is definitely not close to music.
Kim 2/10/2010 11:05 AM
@Alwyn: Maybe it's time you people who "have worked in the music industry for years" take note of what we, the "kommin" people want to hear, and stop mass producing the formulaic rubbish YOU think we should be listening to.
Bingrrrl 2/8/2010 1:19 PM
Here's what's really funny: so many people on this message board behaving exactly like that Die Antwoord satarises or opposes. Just naaasty, man. Nasty! Wash your fingertips.
Goda 2/8/2010 10:35 AM
@alwyn Let me guess... a pub and wedding band?
james 2/8/2010 8:29 AM
another 15 minutes...lowering the culural and musical bar even further. we can swear in afrikaaaans. yaaay!!
mandy 2/7/2010 8:49 AM
yo-landi rocks! you go girl.
ALWYN 2/7/2010 7:01 AM
I cannot believe that Die Antwoord are so popular. I have been in the music business for many years and i cannot believe that people can call this music. Anyone can get on a stage, motherless drunk and talk a lot of shit and swear at each other. That is not what we call music. A lot of bullshit
Jean Barker 2/5/2010 6:52 PM
@wolfie yes, you're being silly. He was already famous. See: Max Normal (everything is clearly dated). And there were other reasons I won't go into here.
katie 2/5/2010 5:05 PM
man, this group rules regardless of all the "omg they're just max normal.tv rebranded" bullshit. can't stop jamming their album. be proud of 'em!
Cor 2/5/2010 1:27 PM
Haha! It's ok to write swear words in Afrikaans, but in English it has to be ed*ted. That's like Apartheid in reverse (in those days Afrikaans was heavily sensored and English fairly free).
Cor 2/5/2010 1:03 PM
My life is ruined. I really wanted to believe that Die Antwoord was the answer I've been looking for. Now you tell me this is all lies? I can't get over it! Death to Die Antwoord. Death to Zef. I'm gonna have to tell the world, who up to now never heard of a humble South African artist until he created a fascinating new persona and somehow (out of nowhere) managed to penetrate their minds. You've all heard the story of the crabs in the bucket. Whenever one tries to climb out another pulls him back in, because those who can't achieve doesn't want to allow others to.
Wolfie 2/5/2010 12:58 PM
Your heading "Ninja and Yo-landi have been familiar faces on the Cape Town streets and a big draw card at South African music festivals for years now" does not make sense with point 13 "Die Antwoord performed live for the first time ever at Ramfest 3 in February 2009." Am I tired/stupid/blond or what???
edwin 2/5/2010 12:57 PM
Jean Barker here is the only specific you need: DIE ANTWOORD are better than you
Stewart 2/5/2010 12:39 PM
@jean: xmas bonus point #25 is 110% correct...
.Jean 2/5/2010 12:27 PM
@Edwin er... which one is false, in your humble opinion? You forgot to accuse me of witchcraft by the way. Get with it! In answer to your second question: Neither. RTFM. @griff and @stewart - again, you don't give specifics... but then again, I doubt you can.
John 2/5/2010 11:44 AM
@ lustmade.blogspot.com "here in the states... we don't go for fake manufactured stuff like that" thats a joke right?
edwin 2/5/2010 11:27 AM
Most of these 'facts' are completely false. Is this News 24 or Heat Magazine? Where is this poor bloody woman coming from? This woman is a sensationalistic liar. These so called 'facts' need serious investigation.
Gobbo @ lustmade.blogspot.com 2/5/2010 11:24 AM
"here in the states... we don't go for fake manufactured stuff like that..."??? Dude, everything (entertainment wise) in the States are fake & manufactured! Go smoke something proper, listen to Die Antwoord & wisen the f**k up!!!
griff 2/5/2010 11:08 AM
Actually, a whole lot of the points are bent. Badly.
lustmade.blogspot.com 2/5/2010 10:10 AM
here in the states... we don't go for fake manufactured stuff like that... but this crew is quite entertaining.
Stewart 2/5/2010 10:07 AM
Some of your points are bent... get it straight.
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