I have been following Die Antwoord now for over a year since one of my former studio members introduced them to me with the question - Are they serious?
Since then Die Antwoord has quickly hit mainstream with their white trash saffa, foulmouthed techno hiphop shit on the next level. I like Die Antwoord because there are more to them than meets the eye. A lot of people think that they are taking the piss. YES THEY ARE PEOPLE....and this is a great thing. The beauty of Yolandi and Ninja is that they are taking the piss out of things in their world, far removed from many of ours.
They are opening doors or windows, if you like, into their way of life, their unique experiences and ultimately and most importantly, a side of South Africa that the western world rarely see.
This movie is no different. There are still some serious issues in South Africa. The title of this movie is Umshini Wam, in Zulu this means 'Bring me my machine gun'. It is also known as a struggle song and is widely known as the ANC's military wing during the apartheid struggle. It has recently been linked to the current president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma and is still sung in rallies and demonstrations throughout the country.
I think this is the understatement of the movie. It seems as if many people in South Africa still haven't learnt the lesson from the violence associated with apartheid. To have this type of mentality, that of a dominant colour, within the so called rainbow nation obviously creates some serious social divides. To me, this movie seem to have a message about a social divide and the still evident prejudices and racism that goes on within SA's borders.
Yes, I believe that, of course, the movie could be done in another way, but this way is full on and maybe that is what is needed to start a discussion about this issue. A little bit of humour, some phat beats by DJ Hitec and a lot of swearing hits home with me.
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