No One's Arc Rocks!

Keep watch for these NelCity natives, they've been around for quite sometime. Shame on you if you turned a blind eye on them. We attended their launch at the Emnotweni Arena in Nelspruit, they owned the night! We'll be giving you the 411 on them pretty soon, start the fire so long...

Now that the fire has been started... let's keep it burning... As promised, here's the 411 on the band...

Based in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, the band formed in 2001 while the members were still in their teens. The initial formation of the band was made up of Dylan Bolton (Vocals & Guitar), Robby Johns (Drums) and Lee Nicholls (Bass Guitar) with Phinda 'Goophy' Magagula (Slide Trombone) soon to follow. During 2006 the band made two additions to their sound by including Bongani Mavundla (Trumpet) and Mimi Mthethwa (Backing Vocals).

Their debut album “A Shot In The Dark” was released in 2006 which generated great opportunities and media coverage, taking them to a new level of publicity. After winning the RP Studios Emerging Sounds regional finals, the band gained success outside the boundaries of their hometown which led to many performances in the Gauteng area. The band started appearing on line-ups at Cool Runnings, Roxy’s, Café Barcelona, Tempo’s and Schiva’s Rock on a regular basis.

No One’s Arc has exceeded all expectations in 2010! Towards the end of January the band set off on a nationwide tour known as the “Tour of ARC”, performing at 11 venues in 3 provinces in less than 3 weeks. During the tour the band had the opportunity to appear on the line-ups at the “Up The Creek” and “RAKA” festivals near Swellendam. In the Cape area the band shared stages with the Black Cat Bones in Durbanville and also with Tidal Waves at “Die Jukeboks @ BOHEMIA” presented by Robertson Winery. The band’s debut music video for the song “Fire” was also launched on the tour and has generated enormous exposure with regular airplay on mK.

After the “Tour of ARC” the band featured on the “Jo’burg Burning” line-up with the likes of Ashtray Electric, Wrestlerish and Taxi Violence.The 21st edition of the “Splash Fen Music Festival” was a great highlight of No One’s Arc’s career. The band appeared on the festivals compilation album amongst some of the country’s leading artists like Albert Frost, Hot Water and Dan Patlansky and many others. On the 13th of May the band showed off their acoustic abilities performing live on national television on mK’s “Studio1” with their song entitled “The Days Of Make Believe”.

The final weekend in May saw the band performing outside South African borders at the “STRAB” Festival in Mozambique with bands like Boo!, Zinkplaat and Die Tuindwergies.

By the end of August, No One’s Arc was on the road yet again! The “Cape ARCus” tour was a huge success, which included an acoustic set live on MFM Radio and sharing the stage with New Holland at the “geROOSter” Rock Festival. Returning back home from the “Cape ARCus”, it was time for the “By Die Maan” Festival at Blue Moon. This year’s line-up included Arno Carstens, Zebra & Giraffe, Prime Circle and Die Heuwels Fantasties, just to name a few.

Following the success of the band’s 2010 career, No One’s Arc launched their highly anticipated self titled album at the Emnotweni Arena on the 20th of November. The band then pursued on a nationwide launch tour with performances at “Synergy Live”, “Park Acoustics”, and the “mK 5de Avontoer” with 9 of South Africa’s leading acts including Isochronous, Jack Parow, Pretty Blue Guns and Glaskas!

Sorry ladies and gentlemen, we wished to keep things short but there was no way of doing such when so much of a profile had to be published... READ! REEEEAD!

On their latest single “U.F.O” we see Mr. Goophstar slinging a few rhymes, which remind us just how prolific an artist he is. Check it out...

More on http://www.noonesarc.co.za

Nu Error's Destiny

Poet / vocalist Themba Banda and acclaimed local producer / engineer, Joe Phiri are the two secret ingredients that make up the power duo: Nu Error. Joe or Joe Cymphonic as he has come to be known to the industry is from eMganduzweni and Themba hails from Matsulu the ghetto. Since it’s inception in 2008 Nu Error has been going hard until this day.

We picked up their first ever single: “Hold On (The Grand Piano Edit)” and availed it for download on the blogspot, which did exceptionally well compared to the other MP3s we had availed. Today, their debut album is out, simply titled “Destiny”.

Just like the promo EP they put out, the album is a blend of Hip Hop with a dash of Rhythm &Blues (R&B). We’ve heard the radio friendly “Hold On” and the re-affirming “Uthando lukaBaba”, there is more where those songs came from. Get your ORIGINAL copy of the album and hit us back with your favourites. Let’s support our own sons and daughters...

For Bookings / Telesales: c: Baxter @ +27 (0) 83 383 7701 | e: 8kyk@vodamail.co.za

Afro'traction Owned The Night!

So, where were you on the night of 2 September 2011? This was a very memorable night indeed, you really did miss out on a very good show. Supporting acts like Sizwe Gates, Chocolate, Babyman, Nativz Squad and Chillax took to the stage and the Smoke of Rhyme boys - Hebza Mabza & Perr, repped NelCity well. Kliff Oday (Kasi Empire), Madumane and Sweet Mike of Ligwalagwala FM played very good build-up sets to the main event of the night. TheBigZill from Ligwalagwala FM, was the host for the night, he carried the show well...

When Afro'traction crooner, Wandile Moya, hit the stage, we all sort of knew these guys were here to reclaim what was rightfully theirs - the night of course. The other main attraction, Teargas shook the whole of Ground Zero, Matsulu, a memorable night indeed, bowukuphi?

Check out more pics here.

Tarps Mash aka The Sinequanon

Tarps Mash aka The Sinequanon, remember him? You must not have seen Ehm’sHe’s 2006 VCD, “To everybody in Nelspruit show me the love?” Don’t these lines ring a bell? You do know Possibility or For The Pheenz right? track 4 and 2 respectively on the Smoke of Rhyme Fest Promo Disc of July 2010... well, Cluedo’s over, time to re-introduce Tarps Mash to you...

Tshepang Mashego began hip-hopping in 1995, and he only started putting the pen to pad in 1998 with One Off, a clan founded by him and 3 other MCees, Fiz: Hotchacoal aka Papiki, Tshepiso aka Biggie and the late Task Master aka Tenicious (may his soul rest in peace). One Off split in 2002 but that did not in retard his progression, in any way.

Two years after he started working with Ehm’sHe (Then spelled M-zee) after seeing some potential in him. Some of the songs on which they worked together did not reach the masses due to the challenges that the two had in terms of distribution channels. Ehm’sHe lent his vocals to songs like Respect; Madness and one of our personal favourites, Rocking The House, all produced by The Sinequanon himself. Ehm’sHe remixed Rocking The House and they performed it at The 26th Ligwalagwala FM birthday bash in 2008.

Today, Tarps is looking to expand his reach to the rest of Africa and abroad. To officially kick off this mission, a mixtape will be realeased before the fall of this year as a prerequisite to let his voice be heard however possible. He is calling on all true MCees and hip-hop DJ’s alike from all over the Province. “I can assure you that we, in Mpumalanga province do have subterranean hidden original Mcees and DJ’s. We’re just waiting, like troops in the battlefield, for that time to descend upon us”, He added.

Tarps is very passionate about what he does, those who have seen him on stage bare testimony to that. He endeavours to establish an empirical hip-hop source in the Mpumalanga province and he strongly believes that it will be found very soon.

Hebza Mabza - Women Salute (Video Shoot)

ABOVE: Hebza Mabza's Promo Poster for the mixtape from which "Women Salute" is lifted.

The video shoot will be Directed and "Snapped By The Paparazzi". This is another NelCity Basement initiative. Shooting commences next week. Invites are being made out to all the necessary cast and supporting cast members. Keep checking our facegroup for updates.

Things That Took Place Right After This Snap...

The birds continued to chirp, the sun continued to scorch us, regardless of our built-in sunscreens... this had everyone in the photograph sweating so as to regulate their body temperature. This is how each individual explained their story.

  

Ehm’sHe...

Founded Beat Engineurs with Romeo, Kornway and Young KingZ; he released Humms & Mic Checks: The Preseshin in 2008; he got a full page spread on Hype Magazine (February 2009) for the NelCity Basement; his song: A Promise feat. Avuya, was playlisted on BCR FM and it earned the artist a spot on the Hype Sessions Cover Disk that came with that issue; featured on and assisted Hebza Mabza to produce The Fantasium Streettape , released 2009; changed his initial spelling from M-zee to Ehm + is + he = Ehm’sHe; he produced a track for Switch Flow’s Switch Tape, released in the same year; he completes the VenGhuards duo with fellow rapper and friend, Sello The Tyrant of Words; he is featured on Wax Lyrikal’s The Peasant album; he compiled the free 10 track, Smoke of Rhyme Fest Promo Disc to help promote the performers who were on the line-up; Ehm’sHe continues to work on Humms & Mic Checks: The Show, he has not set a release date as yet and in the pipeline, is another compilation .

Lwazi...

He just disappeared, a reward will be given to you if you find him for us...

Wax Lyrikal...

Signed with Press Play Music; he and fellow Friend of The Attik: Floowid Flow, released a mash up project in 2007 and they contributed production to prominent acts like The BeatOven and The Anvils; Wax Lyrikal will be featuring on Ehm’sHe’s Humms & Mic Checks: The Show album; he released his sophomore album: The Peasant, this year; he contributed production to Chillimane’s The Code of Conduct, released this year as well.

Trixx...

He started Datatrix, a software development company; he recorded and mixed Switch Flow’s Switch Tape, released in 2009, he is currently working very closely with Mzitro, a progressive rapper based in NelCity Kabokweni.

I.N.I...

I.N.I, Lutho, S’boo (Truth), Black Switch, Marvin and Nyam-B founded the ArkFam; he produced Lutho’s Jenesaisquoi album, released in 2008; The ArkFam Mixtape was released early 2009 – I.N.I contributed production and raps; I.N.I’s Griot album also dropped in the same year; he produced a track for Switch Flow’s Switch Tape, released in the same year; I.N.I contributed production on Wax Lyrikal’s The Peasant album, released this year; currently the ArkFam is working on their sophomore mixtape album led by the single: Know Now featuring Nontu, produced by I.N.I.

Thee-yo...

No longer a kid, his stage name has changed to simply... Thee-yo; he is one of the members of Switch Flow, they released the Switch Tape in 2009; we saw him on the runway, modelling for Mpumalanga Fashion Week; he started Making IT Simple, an IT company and he features on the Smoke of Rhyme Promo Disc on For The Pheenz, a track with Tsheps Mash, initially produced by Ehm’sHe for the Beat Engineurs project.

Ntando (Virtuoso)...

He has gone completely off the radar...

M.X.O...

He is finishing off his studies somewhere in Johannesburg, South Africa...

Lutho...

Lutho, I.N.I, S’boo (Truth), Black Switch, Marvin and Nyam-B founded the ArkFam; he released Jenesaisquoi in 2008, this whole album was produced by I.N.I; The ArkFam Mixtape was released early 2009 – he featured on several songs; L, Louis Pae, Lutho Paris he goes by a number of aliases, started a blogspot and yolasite, check the sidebar for his link under the Basement Realm; We are not too sure of what is happening between him and the ArkFam because, he is not on the new ArkFam single: Know Now featuring Nontu, produced by I.N.I.

S’boo (Truth)...

S’boo, Lutho, I.N.I, Black Switch, Marvin and Nyam-B founded the ArkFam; The ArkFam Mixtape was released early 2009 – he featured on several songs; he also features on the new ArkFam single: Know Now featuring Nontu, produced by I.N.I.

KillaGram (K.G)...

This muso will be contributing production and vocals to Ehm’sHe’s Humms & Mic Checks: The Show album; He has an album’s worth of Hip-Hop / R&B material waiting to set the whole of NelCity on blue flames...

Mr. Cool...

He is one of the members of Switch Flow, they released the Switch Tape in 2009; he featured alongside (Masta Charma) M.C, Slave and Sello The Tyrant on Hebza Mabza’s Bosa Da’Deng, a track from The Fantasium Streettape , released 2009; currently he is working on his solo projects, he has established a very good working relationship with Mzitro as well.

Zero...

One the people who played a role in pioneering the poetry sessions at TUT, Nelspruit; he has been focusing on finishing off his studies at TUT.

Brief Basement Update

The NelCity Basement is now an organization which stands as a foundation for all of those who are willing to be committed to its cause. We look more into creating job opportunities for ourselves and growth as performers on the shows / events that we push. This leaves space for more movements to surface – meaning that our organization will always keep an ear in the streets for that kid or daughter who is really pushing and seeks direction and other facilities. This organization is a means of self-empowerment - ONLY to those who want to help themselves.

The NelCity Basement lent a hand in these projects:

Pedro Kan-ill's Kings & Nations Dreamtape (Mixtape) (2010); Perr's Sati Sase Mpumalanga (Album) (2010); Hebza Mabza's  Fantasium World (2010) and his promo release - The Fantasium Streettape (2009); J.O.B's Me and Mi Crazy Dream (2009); Switch Flow's Switch Tape (2009); Nu Error's Hold On EP (2009) and Ehm'sHe's Humms & Mic Checks: The Preseshin (2008).

Follow us on facebook.com


Stay tuned for more...