Slanging SA Hip Hop
So we all know where the term “Stan” came from, right? Eminem’s track Stan birthed a noun that carried much more significance than just naming. It became the go-to-term to describe a die-hard fan, hell-bent on attaining adoration from their favourite rapper. It’s become an adjective symbolizing obsession. Sorry to all the non-fanboy Stans out there, it’s how the cookie crumbles!
The origin of how Stan has become a frequently utilised adjective is really intriguing though ‘cause it shows just how much longevity slang words coined, or promoted, by rappers can take hold of our collective vocabularies. Well, have you ever wondered how some of your favourite South African rapper’s slang words came about? Which rapper popularised a term… or which slang words we’re using now will stand the test of time? Let’s have a look.
The Whole Design or The Whole Time is a phrase largely attributed to Ricky Rick. It’s littered all over his tracks including P.A.I.D, where he’s featured by Da LES. What few know is that the term is the property of one-third of the legendary TKZEE. Magesh aka Tokollo who first rhythmically brought the catchy description to our attention in Khala Kahle off his album Longest Time. To be fair to Riky Rick his term that shares the song title Sidlukotini has even been translated to Cotton Eaters for the benefit of the trust-funders amongst us. His crew BoyznBucks rarely get credit for their effect on the culture either. From being on the frontline of trends such as forming their own Racing Apparel clothing line to creating a craze in the form of the Taxi Driver dance; they’ve also coined terms such as uMswenkofontein… and the Swenk Korobela as heard on Okmalumkoolkat’s Free 100k Macassette. These terms signify where the fun is at and being swagged out from head to toe.
A BoyznBucks admirer and Okmalum’ collaborator on his breakout hit Gusheshe, Cassper Nyovest showed us his appreciation of the trendsetters with his version of the Taxi Driver dance in the Phumakim video. He’s also credited with coining the phrase “Upper Life”… or simply “Upper”. This statement is used to depict the levels he’s reached and the subsequent luxurious lifestyle he has come to lead. Speaking of Levels, the word not only served as the title for AKA’s sophomore album but led to his frequent collaborator dubbing himself as self-styled North God. Da LES was also a fervent user of the phrase Fresh to Def, which is still confusing to many!
By now it should be obvious that most slang terms used by rappers are meant to exalt their standing in the game. From how they live, to how they dress… their dopeness is in every inch of their fabric. This is a cornerstone of being a rapper, it is a competitive sport… sometimes involving contact but mostly about hyperbolic display. It’s no surprise then that braggadocio comes across both songs and music videos. Speaking of visuals; a visible element of AKA’s repertoire has become his trademark shoulder roll. His dancing has become a larger factor in his live performances, but his vocabulary has also contributed to contemporary South African Hip Hop jargon.
Following the lead of Nigerian maestro Don Jazzy, AKA starting out by hailing himself as Doro Mega, until he finally settled for the Supa Mega. In 2014, he had everyone either under supervision or control after the release of his catchy club joint Kontrol featuring the North God Da LES. The Cape Town-born rapper and his crew have since expanded their diction and now you’ll hear a lot of Shuuu! and how everything is a “a dream, a movie or just a lot mate!” Speaking of movies; Youngsta’s Top Ten List portrays him as a slasher hell-bent on exacting revenge on the Hip Hop game overlooking him. Also audible is his trademark callout of Kaapstad Naaeir, loudly repping his city whilst popularising the term. Youngsta also often chants Salutas, to shoutout his hood. He also mentions his native Wynberg and on the remix of Ejay’s Hosh which features both him and Fonzo. Incidentally Hosh, also popularises cape slang and exposes the mainstream to it whilst showing some solidarity for Cape Town Hip Hop. The catchphrases our favourite rappers use seem to seep into our everyday lexicon, without us even realising it.
One can’t have a conversation about expressions without considering Blaklez’s Aaaah Yes, Ifani’s Brie or Khuli Chana’s RRRAAA! The next time you drop a fashionable phrase, ask yourself where you heard it first. It might just have originated on the street corner, from a catchy 90s track or may be the product of your favourite rapper’s imagination. It will be interesting to see which of these phrase last as long as Magesh’s, which served a previous generation musically and is still being use the whole time after such a long time!