Emile Jansen and Black Noise

Been reading a book called My Hip-Hop is African & Proud by Emile Jansen from Cape Town, South Africa (flick above from the African Hip-Hop Summit opening party). The book is a dope collection of essays, lyrics, poems, and short stories. It gives a unique perspective on South African hip-hop, the apartheid era, and the hip-hop renaissance that is currently going down all over Africa. Read more about it here (especially the first paragraph from Emile).

Emile Jansen, a.k.a. Emile YX?, is the Afrika Bambaataa of South Africa--the Godfather of SA hip-hop. He's been in hip-hop since 1982, and continues to be an active b-boy, MC, graff artist, author, educator, and hip-hop activist. Over the past two decades, Emile has launched numerous projects including Da Juice hip-hop magazine, Heal the Hood, and the African Hip-Hop Indaba.

His crew Black Noise is a hip-hop collective that records, performs, teaches, and engages in community development. The proceeds from their products (books, CDs, DVDs), school tours, and concerts support the organization and its members. Black Noise has sent more than 50 young dancers to the World Breakdance Championships in Germany. They are currently involved in a membership drive; they are looking to register 5,000 new members in the next three years. Each member will be required to sell 15 locally produced products, and the money raised will fund educational initiatives in the townships.

I had a chance to interview Emile during the summit and I learned a lot from him. Much respect. In fact, talking with him radically changed my approach to my own book. (More on that later.)

Everyone should cop his book.



Here's how:

Send your postal order for $20 US to...

Black Noise P.O. Box 31184, Grassy Park 7888, Cape Town 8000, South Africa