OP-1 On My Christmas List

I can't stop raving about this nifty little gadget. This is a dream for producers who are serious performers like myself. I first saw this synthesizer in the music video for Swedish House Mafia's global club-crusher "One (Your Name) ft. Pharrell". In the video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxuEl8qkErs ) , you see a bandaged hand creating a sick, filthy synth from a simple 4 beat kick! SICK!

This is the part where all beat-makers/slash kool kinders pay serious attention: This small baby (about 30cm give or take) features 2 octaves of keys that have been well tested for repeated bashing when the music and lights bring the clawing animal out of you. The way I see it, the OP-1 (that's what it's called) together with my new ibanez electric axe, will soon become a regular feature in my stage performances. Not only does it feature great workability with an insane library of beat-raping sounds, it's also got the sickest colour-coding, making it an absolute essential for the artist who wants to rock the crowd in monstrous style.

Next time you see me on stage with a drummer, a keyboardist, my axe and THIS BABY, just know that I'm packing one helluva voetsek-attitude! Gadgets like these bring that out in me.

20!

Twitter: @Marazamc
Facebook : MarazA Watchda Rize
http://www.revernation.com/maraza

CAPE TOWN

I just came back from a 3-day performance marathon in Cape Town. BEST THREE DAYS OF THIS YEAR FOR ME I TELL YOU!

First up was an in-store live radio performance on Goodhope FM hosted by Grandmaster Ready D, at the Sportscene launch of STR.CRD KICKING IT WITH SPORTSCENE. Sharing the mic with Ill Skillz and Driemanskap is always a pleasure.
Lot's of love goes out to Eric from PBTV and the kid with the beard Riky Rick for setting up the second performance and hosting me in their haven of awesomeness. I've got black holes in my mind from that Thursday night! SEASONS will definitely be seeing a lot more of me.
And last but certainly not least, I got on stage just after Ill Skillz at South Africa's first sneaker expo, STR.CRD KICKING IT WITH SPORTSCENE. This was Nanaz. Much love to Hardy McQueen and DC shoes for getting my cred worthy of the streets, sneakerwise. Kid was fresh.

The weekend was given further authenticity by peeps like P-Kuttah, Blackmoss, Siyabonga Ngwekazi, Lungsta, Akio, Walter, Uno July, Jimmy Flexx, Nonku, Sally and a lot more who made it a phucking memory! Bring your best amnesia, this one won't be forgotten! I would say a few copies of DA RIZE DVD were definitely left in random places in Cape Town for all to watch. Came back to Jozi quick to discuss with an investor for the next two videos. Check out www.rikyrick.blogspot.com and www.strcrd.com to peep some of the action from the past weekend.

Always keep in check with @marazamc on twitter, MarazA Watchda Rize on fb and this blog right here! 20 the album on sale in 4 weeks!

A CONSTANT INSPIRATION

It's been a pretty good minute since I blogged!
Fiddled aroud with a few new blogs: dope aliases, great intentions, NOT A SHRED OF TIME IN THE WORLD. So I've decided to revive my very own, with the little time I have. I promise a fresh blog EVERY week. AT THE VERY LEAST!!! Starting off with . . .

I've been spittin' and scriptin' for a while. On and off. That was a mistake. Not the "for a while" part, the "on and off" part. If you look at the history of music, the greatest and most long-loved artists never took breaks or hiatuses. Look at Madonna: she was a pop culture icon! Then she took a short hiatus, and never again regained her elite status. She's still huge, just no longer colossal. Then you look at peeps like weezy: Dude is in prison, but he even prepared for THAT. Shooting videos and recording tracks to keep his fans entertained until he got back. That's puttin' in WORK!

So, I myself have left the comfort of the queen's cell, and joined the worker-bees in the rest of the hive. And we grind HARD and are in no hurry to taste the honey. I've been recording, writing, making beats for almost two years STRAIGHT. My first album is finished, but it's not even in stores yet and I'm already working on a mixtape and the second album. The picture above is from a studio session last week. There have been 4 more since then. Even had a straight 12-hour recording that gave birth to 5 songs.

So what I'm basically saying is: Work hard and never stop, unless it's retirement. Keep your eyes on this blog, @Marazamc on twitter, MarazA WatchDaRize on facebook and www.reverbnation.com/maraza for the fruits of my labor. When bees buzz, honey will soon out.

Lots of love

20

THE STEADY RIZE!

Wassup famlay!

If you're in jozi this friday, catch MarazA perfoming an Exclusive track at the Launch of JOZI's 2nd album. There will be lots of entertainment on site.
If you're not around here, and maybe you are in, say, Nelspruit, you're in LUCK. MarazA will be perfoming at MPUMALANGA's BIGGEST HIP HOP FESTIVAL at THE BLUE MOON, THIS SATURDAY. Come and hang out with me and get to see the likes of Prokid, Ventilation crew and Nelspruit favorites: Jus Dat!.

For those who asked for a collabo with Phoenix and Abduss, it has happened. The song is titled "New Era" and is going to be on Phoenix's upcoming tape. There is one more to do for MarazA's own.

We have also decided on a first single titled "One Foot In The Game". The Song has mad raps from MarazA and Bobzin, and the soulfull vocals of Kage! Produced by Yaw Bannerman and Nova, it is bound to blaze the speakers hectically! Listen to it athttp://www.myspace.com/marazamusic OR
http://www.reverbnation.com/marazamusic where you can also download Maybach Music 2.6 for free (Hurry up, the song is making it's way all across Africa and the UK. Get it before the rest of the world does).

We at MUSE Entertainment would love to thank everyone who has joined and those who invited friends. We appreciate the love and support. MarazA's album "20" is even closer than ever.

Let's get the biggest audience to WATCH THE RIZE!

20!

THE RITALIN

Music has evolved a lot over the years. Staying relevant is not only critical for an artists sustainability, but also for their listen-ability. Meaning it's difficult to stay focused on someone who keeps straying from the point or points out things that mean nothing to you.

"20"

What we (MUSE EntertainmenT) have found ourselves doing recently is trying to see which songs (Out of the more than 25 already recorded) are relevant to NOW but also remain time-generic enough to be timeless. We want to release an album that you will instantly relate to the day you buy it and the day you give it to your grandson. It wasn't a difficult task, because all the songs we've recorded are such. However, this fact made it difficult. How so? Well, if every song is good, you still haven't chosen, have you. But rest assured this will be sorted out. Even if it means putting out a double album. Funny.

Release date?

Well, we don't have one. Straight up honest! It would be against our principles to set a date that we can't honor. This is why we have just been collecting, fixing and refining our different infrastructures and marketing tools. We don't want to come out in drips and drabs. That's boring. Instead, we've held back on Radio, TV, Print and Web articles and interviews (Apart from the HYPE and Lifecheckydi.com interviews). This blog, http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=75304631491&ref=ts, http://www.facebook.com/pages/MarazA/71402127614?ref=ts, http://twitter.com/Marazamc, and the myspace.com/marazamusic page have been the only source of accurate information regarding the artist: MarazA. Our guns are loaded and in place. When the album is ready to hit the shelves, we will come out with the pistols blazing.

Best be ready. The ritalin is coming. No more attention deficit disorders when it comes to music. You're gonna have your ears glued to the speaker.

"20". It's just the beginning

WATCH THE RIZE!

WHATS WITH THE HOLD UP!?

Iv been getting a lot of messages from good people asking for my album. Here is the deal:

From previous albums (Like the classic Jus Dat albums and other artists) we have learnt one thing: A GOOD ALBUM THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE IS THE SAME AS A GREAT ALBUM THAT IS AVAILABLE! IT IS USELESS!
SO
AVAILABILITY?
We are working hard to get proper distribution structures in place. As you have seen from the net and th papers and HYPE, there is movement and presence but, we are limiting it to prevent over exposure before the product is available. We want you to not only want it, BUT GET IT! In every store possible. 

GREAT MUSIC?
We are also getting great musicians to add their flavor to the album by playing some of the instruments live (Bassits, Drummers, Electric Guitarists, Violinists, Pianists etc.) to create a very live, big, soulful AND ARTISTIC sound that will engage you as it entertains you. We have a great team of professionals from the engineers right down to the cover designer AND the video maker. It even includes some of your most favorite poems from [.:*"20"*:.]MarazA's Poetry Corner[.*"20"*:.]

We basically want this to be a project you can own and enjoy more than just music. IT'S FOR ALL OF US!

Keep your messages coming. they make a huge difference!

MUSE EntertainmenT
MarazA
"20"
WATCH THE RIZE!

WHATS WITH THE HOLD UP!?

Iv been getting a lot of messages from good people asking for my album. Here is the deal:

From previous albums (Like the classic Jus Dat albums and other artists) we have learnt one thing: A GOOD ALBUM THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE IS THE SAME AS A GREAT ALBUM THAT IS AVAILABLE! IT IS USELESS!
SO
AVAILABILITY?
We are working hard to get proper distribution structures in place. As you have seen from the net and th papers and HYPE, there is movement and presence but, we are limiting it to prevent over exposure before the product is available. We want you to not only want it, BUT GET IT! In every store possible. 

GREAT MUSIC?
We are also getting great musicians to add their flavor to the album by playing some of the instruments live (Bassits, Drummers, Electric Guitarists, Violinists, Pianists etc.) to create a very live, big, soulful AND ARTISTIC sound that will engage you as it entertains you. We have a great team of professionals from the engineers right down to the cover designer AND the video maker. It even includes some of your most favorite poems from [.:*"20"*:.]MarazA's Poetry Corner[.*"20"*:.]

We basically want this to be a project you can own and enjoy more than just music. IT'S FOR ALL OF US!

Keep your messages coming. they make a huge difference!

MUSE EntertainmenT
MarazA
"20"
WATCH THE RIZE!