THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE

People! It's been a minute.

I've been busy. me and some friends (Emm Scarz, S-Lee, Em Tee) have been planting some bombs in every corner of the box. Strategically planning for the day we detonate. And now, we've blown the box open! And we did it right.

I introduce to you, 4FRONT. A group that's bound to re-shape your idea of music. A group I love. A group I'm proud of. 4FRONT fuses every genre that's currently considered Urban into a great cocktail (that word just made me thirsty) of chords blended with drums, garnished with soul and served in a glass of words! Dub Step, Grime, Drum 'n Bass, Hip Hop, Dance, Electro, House, Soul, Pop and R 'n B all find themselves fused immaculately with some creative rapping and emotive singing.

I can safely say that a new era has dawned. It's gonna take a bit longer for you to realise it, but you can hasten the process by downloading #DoItRight ft. Blak Suga (Produced by MarazA. This song is raw from the studio. Unmixed, unmastered) right here ---> DOWNLOAD. This is a song from the upcoming album #ElectricCity. This is not the first single though. That's coming soon and will be titled #LoveMeWhileImHere.

I promise you one thing: You haven't heard something like this recently. In an era where everyone is trying to do what everyone else is doing, we choose to do the opposite. Put a 4 up when you see me.

I BLEED MUSIC

NEW SINGLE - NEVER FALL

"I'll never fall stay firm on the top of this microphone and make records like the mic was on"

Wassup fam! We're back with another blazing hot single! It's called Never Fall and it's gonna be hitting more radio stations in the next week! It's produced by Kay Master and Ngane, and you can stream it for yourself in the meantime HERE.

Please share this with friends. Make the above picture your profile picture on facebook and twitter! We're one step closer to witnessing the release of 20 the album! Don't forget to share this blog with your friends so you can ALL stay up to date!

Follow me on twitter @Marazamc and join the Maraza facebook page.

Lot's of love. Remember, #NeverFall

20!

MARAZA ft. BLAK SUGA - WATCHU GONNA DO (Produced By Vampire)

Leaked straight from the upcoming mixtape by South West Records, Watchu Gonna Do is a banga of note. Produced by a Durban-based phenom called Vampire, this track promises to mess up the clubs if given the chance.

Blak Suga is one of my favorite rappers in the country, everybody knows that, but I'm not being biased when I say homebuoy SPAZZED on this one. Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by MYSTIK G at SOUTH WEST RECORDS STUDIOS in Braamfontein a few weeks ago, we've decided to let the world have it for free, while we wait to drop the official single for THE SWR MAXXXTAPE. Click here to DOWNLOAD THE SONG FOR FREE NOW.

The song has already been downloaded 470 times in it's first 17 hours online. That's massive where i come from. So, please share the link so we can get to 1000 before Friday the 13th *cue Freddy Kruger laugh coz Jason doesn't speak*

Lookin forward to gettin your feedback. Follow everybody involved on twitter:

@Marazamc

@Blak_Suga

@TouchDa8thWonda (He designed the cover)

@SouthWstRecords

#Team20

EMERGENCY ENTRANCE MIXTAPE : PART 1

OH YEAH! IT'S FINALLY HERE! Like I said! 1pm. November 19 (a day before the 20th, I might add). FRESH, NEVER-HEARD-BEFORE MUSIC. FREE!!!. EMERGENCY ENTRANCE MIXTAPE : PART 1. Who is on it? Check out the tracklist below:

1. EMERGENCY EXIT ft. S-Lee, M-Scarz [Produced by MarazA]
2. GOSSIP [A MarazA Remix. Produced by StreetRunner]
3. NAMES IN STARS ft. Money Mosh [Produced by Da Kompozitioner]
4. LIGHT UP [A MarazA Remix. Produced by 40 and HitMason]
5. SKYWALKER ft. iFani [Produced by MarazA]
6. 2011 SWAGGA [Produced by MarazA]
7. GONE CRAZY ft. M-Scarz, S-Lee, Bobzin Dash [A MarazA Remix. Produced by Don Cannon]
8. NANA [Produced by MarazA]
9. WINGS ft. Money Mosh [Produced by MarazA]

Shout out to MZI for recordin', mixin' and mastering SKYWALKER. And of course to Hhay' Mani, iFani, for the feature. We made magic! PATOU BISSAY and FORTUNE of CAMASA studios where most of the tape was recorded, mixed and mastered. A special shout out to ma brotha from down under: DA KOMPOZITIONER for that sick beat on Names In Stars, featuring the BADDEST CHICK IN SA HIP HOP RIGHT NOW: MONEY MOSH! This tape also features two of my favorite nu kids in rap: M-Scarz and the soulful vocalist rapper: S-Lee. He reminds me of Kay Soul (you ain't heard jack if you ain't heard Soul rap). Part two of this mixtape series will feature more of my favorite new acts like BEYOND MUSIC and BLAK SUGAR (Let's blow you up kid!).

Special shouts to ma home: MUSE Entertainment for the creative freedom I have. OWN YOUR MASTERS you rappers. Also, shout out to AMO PR and MANAGEMENT. I actually can't wait for y'all to hear this! Leave a comment, let me know what your favorite jam is and why. Fav lines. Fav beats. Fav fav! SHOUT OUT TO HEADRUSH! So, the link will be available at the top of this blog on the left corner. If you can't find that, then download the mixtape here.

We, MUSE ENTERTAINMENT, grant you the right to copy as much of this as you can to your friends all over the world. Don't sell it! It's free to download. We're counting down to the launch of 20 THE ALBUM. IT'S ABOUT TO GET STOOPID!

WATCH DA RIZE!!!

20 THE ALBUM - TRACK PROFILES (SHELELA)

Making this track was a great pleasure for me. There is always that one artist that you will always respect. Whom you believe is very good, but always get blown away every time you hear him. He is the shit and you know it, but everytime he puts pen to pad, he takes his shit to a new level. That artist, for me, is DEZZA!

My old-time friend and colleague, Dezza is a rare breed in South African Hip Hop. First and foremost, he is his own harsh critic. This guy scrutinizes his work man! Extensively. The result? A 16 that's perfect every time. So when I heard Dezza was coming up to J-sec, I knew that I had to do a joint with him. If it wasn't to feature SA's finest, then it must have been for old time's sake. As a much deserved ode to Jus Dat! The beat had to be proper, after all, this is Dezza we're talking about! So, Yaw Bannerman was the logical choice. Yaw gave me a beat titled "Mellow Keys" at the time. This was a certified banger, he said. And he was right!

So me I gave Dezza the beat and the concept, and a week later we were in studio. 2 hours later, and with lines like "I accept my life as it's been given/ not just living my dreams, my dreams is living", the second single for 20 The Album was born. And, after getting one foot in the game, the only thing left to do, is to shelela (slide) to the center of it! Thanx Dezza. And lots of love to Deejay C-live from 5fm and THE BIG ZILL from BCR fm in Barbaton who are already bumping the joint! Peace!

20!

20 THE ALBUM - TRACK PROFILES (THE BRIGADE)

Alright, the countdown has re-erupted. We are officially weeks away from releasing the album nationally. With that, it's time to give y'all a sneak peak at the craftsmanship that went into making the album. First track for us to dissect is the highly talked about, THE BRIGADE Ft. ProVerb, KoldProduk, Zakwe and Zubz.

This track came about quite curiously. It was mostly a result of me bumping into rappers I liked and respected, and realized that the respect was mutual. I knew however that I wanted this to be epic, so I opted for nothing less than the BEST beat I could find. My old time friend, and one of my favorite producers, Kay Master, provided the perfect canvas for lyrical painting. The first cat to agree to get on the Joint was Proverb. I've been a great fan of this giant since THE BOOK OF PROVERB, and he realised potential in me after Jam Alley Versus. It also helped that dude is just an all-round nice guy! With lines like "Forget a 16, drop 20 there ought'ta be some change/ my thoughts will be deranged coz I fought to be on stage/ so take it from me, go after the fortune leave the fame", the bar had been set pretty high. I then hooked up with Moki from KoldProduk at the MTN HYPE AWARDS Nominees Party, and dude was more than happy to trade digits! After hearing him spit "Don't speak about beef we got mad cow disease and best believe there ain't no antidote" on the track, I knew we had created a monster! I went to Durbs and got my boy Zakwe to drop a hot 8 barz as well. The line "And if you wanna be my fan, woza ng'kwenz' uphephe la" set the right standard for the legendary golden mic holder to start on. Zubz loves starting it on a high note.

Closing off this track was difficult. I mean, how do you even begin after such a lyrical assault from industry heavy wights like Zubz and Pro, kasi lingo crunchers like Zakwe and the urban crossover specialists, KoldProduk? What do you do? You go in with that braveheart mentality. Sharper than the tip of Mel Gibson's sword and more demented than it's owner. So that's the joint! Track 10 off of 20 the album. And what did Zubz and I spit? Well, the album will be in stores in very few weeks, as I'm sure you're dying to find out!


WATCH DA RIZE!


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FREESTYLE FILEZ - JHB CBD

I've been getting a few challenges for a battle (yeah, really). From sober people. Which is weird. The thing with battles, which is the same with everything that's about immediate satisfaction, is that they're more enjoyable when they're a gas station on your journey towards a bigger destination. And I've passed that gas station ages ago! Why should I walk backwards . . .

I've uploaded a freestyle I did last night (recorded by Mason at the Colosseum i JHB) coz that's something I still do, and still understand it's importance towards the growth of an artist. What is it? Well, you get to practice. More than anything, practice is important. Keeping your brain on it's musical toes. It's also very entertaining for the consumers of your music, and does not seek to specifically degrade another artist. Battles aren't bad. Making battles your ultimate destination IS. There is so much more to be achieved from making great timeless music as opposed to being involved in one forgettable street battle. Besides, if people like us, who have been in it for a while, start hogging the spot in the battle scene, what are the upcoming kids gonna do to sharpen their skillz?! And who are they going to look up to and aspire to be, if their idols are in the same cipher as them? Battles may give you street cred, but they don't make you a great artist. You have to leave the cipher to find out what it means to be a good musician.


So peep the freestyle above and enjoy the genuine mistakes and off-the-top lyrics. The album will be available for purchase in a few weeks. Support local music. I will upload the lyrics, as soon as I've figured them out, on my youtube channel. Follow me on twitter and facebook to see what others are saying about this freestyle. Leave a comment here as well. Click here for more of my music.

20!

IF AGE MATTERS, HE IS 12 YEARS AHEAD

I try and keep my blogs to 1 picture/video per post, but sometimes a point needs to be made. If you're a rapper/musician, look at yourself now . . . then look at where you were exactly 2 years ago. Any difference? If there isn't, you really need to read this . . .

On Thursday the 13th of November 2008, US mega star (he was a mega star then, at least) THE GAME put his beef with 50 Cent on hold to come to South Africa to bless the masses and drink unnecessary amounts of Vodka on stage (It does not matter that it may have been water, it matters that he wanted us to think it was Vodka). The Standard Bank Arena was packed! Real Gobhoza was there, E-TV's Showbizz report was there . . . hell even Daily Sun was there - pause for Daily Sun headline:
"THE GAME : CURSED BY EVIL MICROPHONE"
But what people ended up speaking about in the weeks after the event was not The Game taking his shirt off, it was not the over-sized white T-shirts and denim shorts on stage: it was about a 10 year-old boy who went on stage and took copious amounts of shine from The Game, literally. I'm talking chains and all!

Picture No. 2 above shows Mbekezeli, now known as Gamebuoy, on the shoulders of his idol at the concert two years ago. A lot of talk followed; was he just a copy? Is he a phony marketing scheme by the show's organizers? Will he ever release? Is he any good? I laugh. Picture No. 1 shows Gamebuoy as he is today. A fully fledged artist. A young beast that many will make the mistake of undermining. A hustler. A rapper, well-worth listening to. In two years, this kid has gone from bored haters' tea-time subject to THE FACE OF FUBU SOUTH AFRICA, and his album isn't even out yet! Music industry online recently did an article on him where I was mentioned as a contributor to the lyrics of his upcoming album. I'm really happy about this but let me tell you, Gamebuoy MADE the song! This young dude has a delivery so commanding, so immaculate, so perfect that I felt ashamed. Why? Coz I knew that, although I may have wrote the song, I could have NEVER made it sound that good. What we have here is an artist. This kid is dedicated to his craft. I've hung out with him a couple times, and all he wanted to do was rap! In an age where most of us rappers wanna see money in our accounts before picking up the mic, Gamebuoy is a breath of fresh air.

So let this be a lesson to y'all. Let it be known that if you become stagnant, young diamonds that look up to you will quickly outshine you! I'm very happy to be associated with this dude. Very happy that his album is coming out AFTER mine. Very inspired by him. Very happy that South African Hip Hop has gone this far. He may be 12 years old, but he is 12 years ahead of the competition! Don't sleep on him. FUBU, Moshito and the National tour are just the beginning. Shout out to Tsotsi Taal Productions for looking after my young new friend.

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ONE HIGHLY-ROTATED FOOT IN THE GAME

I've been looking back at the intense work we put in to shoot my first music video for the MarazA and Bobzin Dash smash hit single: "One Foot In The Game Ft. Kay Soul" (3rd Picture above). We couldn't have possibly anticipated that GREEN FILMS' master cinematography, direction and editing would give birth to such a successful video.

We're already sitting on 1606 views on youtube. The bulk of our success, however, is seen on ChannelO and MTV Base (to whom we're really grateful), where the video is seen EVERYDAY by fans and haters alike. It's really quite humbling. The coat is still highly debated, with split opinions on whether it's a Nay or Yay, but talk is talk and talk is good! I think what also makes the video so powerful, apart from the fact that it's a kickass song and the quality is one of the best we've seen withing these borders, is the muscle we packed in the star-studded cameos. Proverb (2nd Pic), KoldProduk and FratPack (1st Pic) all lent their iconic images to helping me realize a personal dream. That's something worthy of respects in my book! The dancers were also incredibly nanaz! Delta killed it y'all! She went on to win Masters of Rhythm in the solo females category, but that's no surprise.

The support has been phenomenal and many people are demanding that we get nominated for awards for this video. I won't argue with that! To see what the hype is about, peep the video on youtube here. Also tune in to channel 320 and 321 on DSTV. You can keep up with Proverb on his website and follow Fratpack on twitter.

Don't forget to check me out on twitter and facebook, and download some of my music here.

20!