BoolZ – The Lo-Fi Tape [Side A] Review
by Phil Chard
In my former naïveté, modern rap showed no lustre, no pizazz, and no apparent value. If and when it was digested, it was all in jest; admittedly, I used to be the type to stoop to the low of listening to something ironically. At age 16, I was expressing my opinions openly on the internet, not at all very enamoured with trap as a genre of hip hop. The vapid lyrical content from hip-hop's commercial elite made the listening process a bit strenuous, while beat makers continued pushing the same club banger over and over again for the sake of selling records (I don't know how well that works out here in SA.) The climate of rap back when I was a younger young-in wasn't much different than it is now; people are still rapping while also acting like they're trapping, all the while not actually trapping (you know who your favourites are.) Authenticity seems to have reached a high point in its relevance to hit records, but oddly enough also not as fans and pundits alike can't discern who's "really out here doing it."
In a culture of bar-raising and one-upping, there's one self-described asshole taking the debauchery of previous genre innovators and maxing it out. Arguably the face of Rudeworld Records (the rap side of things) resident, BoolZ, is finding some of the freshest takes on the party-line "meme-ery" that has encumbered the genre.
A big contrast between 6-years ago and the present state of the South Africa's rap scene, lies within the introduction of different tropes, the level of production quality in relation to budget, the technical ability of up & comers; the modern rapper has access to resources like the Internet, where anyone, ranging from the average listener to the recording artists themselves, can showcase their talent in whatever way they deem fit. Influences are wide in range, and the more adept of the newer generation tends to stray away from age-old swag grabs and intellectually unacceptable lyricism, substituting it out for unique content, new cultural references, and incorporating our multiple languages into it as a whole. Make no mistake though, this hip-hop renaissance has been on the cards for some time. These new ideals are running wild within the minds of rappers, old guard and new guard alike. The genre staples from the artistic surge (e.g. Khuli Chana, K.O, Ma-E, etc ) are still making music consumed wholeheartedly by the masses, while some select young guns are taking risks, some shooting and never missing.
In a culture of bar-raising and one-upping, there's one self-described asshole taking the debauchery of previous genre innovators and maxing it out. Arguably the face of Rudeworld Records (the rap side of things) resident, BoolZ, is finding some of the freshest takes on the party-line "meme-ery" that has encumbered the genre. THE LO-FI TAPE is BoolZ's idea of the "new way to do it," flexing a nihilistic, cynical and overtly sensuous approach to flow, lyricism and instrumentation, all while handling artistic responsibilities completely on his lonesome. Breakout single Apha EKapa is as infectious as it is potent, sporting a backing track that's equal parts club-banger and lyrically enthralling.
Whatever's BoolZ landscape of choice is to produce his work, his use of the ever-famous textures seemingly derives from influences from Dirty South rap in a way which contradicts the industry banger blueprint; He focuses more on the interaction between lyrical content and musical stylings, and in the process he creates a completely unmistakable sound. It's somewhat astonishing how natural he sounds inside these dissociative, syncopated, and often uncomfortably intimate settings. BoolZ sits inside the pocket all day, every day with his music, never trying to be something he isn't. BoolZ is the allegorical depiction of the function, fit with a humorously wry set of punchlines and sample usage as in good taste as it is blatantly sarcastic. This is a conceptual divorce from struggle rapping as a form of keeping it real, while still satisfying those who seek reassurance from the familiarity of subject matter.
Everything about me ? Dope, Everyone around me ? Dope. Langa, Gugx to eNyanga ? Dope
Niggas know I'm fucking dope, bitches say I'm fucking dope, I know that I'm fucking dope
4-years of consistently dropping new material, BoolZ has three more projects, all of which still exist within the paradigm of his snide, trap-derived vision for hip hop. Songs like ON TRIPL3 6 IN THE MIX and KWAITO 2 D34TH (1995), are continuing where Bring Tha Hate tape and the Love That Hate EP left off, all on the same tip that BoolZ wants to be on with his music, contrasting only qualitatively. Admittedly it's hard to compare his projects with one another, as they're all so undeniably significant and unique to the current canon of rap; this tape separates from the rest in its coherency and consistency. Homie gets a little lyrically redundant sometimes, but it's in the spirit of creating a unified project (all of the iterations of amajita, nama medi enu, would make for a dangerous drinking game). Along with the relatively short runtime of 22 minutes, BoolZ apathetic hedonism morphs and twists, switching narratives from outward to inward throughout. This constant shifting of focus in particular makes the EP successful artistically, and any opportunity to vary the content on the tape is taken. THE LO-FI TAPE has the interesting effect of being equally rewarding to the listener regardless of how it's taken in. Each of the songs themselves can hold their own when isolated as well as fit nicely in the tracklist, which is very reflective of BoolZ multiple roles in its conception. BoolZ has an artistic versatility that allows him the luxury of copping any and every stance, whether it be his dirty south trap shenanigans (FOKOLCHANG3D 199014 SYKEDELIKSPIDANS), his affinity for sex and drugs (TRIPL3 6 IN THE MIX), etc.
On SiDope [LOFI REMIX] Lord BoolZ spits some scalding hot bars that feel like a marriage of his usual simplicity;
Everything about me ? Dope, Everyone around me ? Dope. Langa, Gugx to eNyanga ? Dope
Niggas know I'm fucking dope, bitches say I'm fucking dope, I know that I'm fucking dope
reiterating firmly on how confident he is himself and his craft, while sampling Aaliyah's "At Your Best (You Are Love)". Some of the most memorable bars on the EP come with an introspective BoolZ (2:00 AM I been sitting thinking about this cash, fuck being broke, kinda shit just makes me mad // fuck dreaming about all this money that I wish I had, fuck a 9-5 kukho ezinye indlela to get stacks") on the trilled out "Always Kreepin", basically crafting a set of lines that meshes really well with his overall aesthetic.
Ultimately, the rap game has changed; some arguing for the better and some arguing for the worst. This new breed of emcees doesn't really care about what the hip-hop heads think; they're just doing their own thing entirely.
Ultimately, the rap game has changed; some arguing for the better and some arguing for the worst. This new breed of emcees doesn't really care about what the hip-hop heads think; they're just doing their own thing entirely. Whether traditionalists want to knock BoolZ for his apparent lack of technical ability or his happy go lucky, life-of-the-party narrative, the thing that absolutely no one can strip from BoolZ is his ingenuity: his lyrical manoeuvring between synonyms and slang terms, his instantly memorable hooks and one liners; everything displayed here is uniquely and undeniably his own brainchild. BoolZ is just pumping out jams and doing his due diligence for the art form. Perhaps it's correct to argue that rap as a genre is heading south, but it'd be more correct to argue that it's been South for a while: Dirty South that is having the strongest influences on the scene right now. BoolZ has crafted a standout tape that dares to be unique in an otherwise overpopulated and oversaturated climate; he doesn't care for the comparisons or props or the masturbatory fanfare that comes with being in the rap game. Among a convoluted mass of internet rappers, BoolZ is out here carving out a special niche for people sick of the norm.
This review originally appeared on Rapfornincation and was authored by @Malume_uJayv