kaffein online magazine issue 6 ambiton

Kaffein Magazine Ambition 1

ISSUE #6AMBITION

BIG FKN GUN in the

2 Kaffein Magazine Ambition

CONTENTClick HERE to visit

our blog

Skorzch a tailor of gentlemen

P6 - 12

Ambition

P4

Event of the season

P14 - 19

Mars Attacks

P20 - 27

Where I’m from

P28 - 41

Heavy Jungle

P42 - 47

The Poet

P52 - 57

Cool Shit

P58 - 61


I thought I would have a theme song playing in the background while I tap my thoughts into the keyboard because the 6th issue of Kaffein Online Magazine has been published. I imagined myself with a cup of something nice on a beach somewhere on an exotic island with even more exotic people who speak

and do exotic things but alas that is a dream that has been sold to us through the starred and striped tube and the reality is that I am sitting in front of my computer while a two bar heater unleashes its blazing rage against my limbs, with a relief that a project that was started almost a year ago has been laid to rest.

We decided to theme this issue: “Ambiton” because it seemed to be the main fuel that burns for us as a creative youth to reach our goals and stand firm in the face of social demands and perceptions with the middle finger up and a drink in hand saying: “Fuck you, and stay monotonous” . We were set to cover some of South Africa’s emerging creative talents and document their dreams with hope that they would indeed stay ambitious and see to it that they reach their goals. We interviewed game changers such as BIG FKN GUN, Skorzch and others in the previous year with hope that our keen eye for impressive and dedicated talent will be worth it and after all the hard work it all came together like Karma sutra. Please read on and enjoy the fruits of our labour: Kaffein Online Magazine issue 6: Ambition!

Letter from the founder

A special thanks to our editor Vuyi Qubeka who mothered this issue, offering her time and skills in

organizing interviews and shoots and in editing the majority of the articles, ensuring that great work is produced even during tight timelines. Your eagerness to learn, teach and grow has kept us afloat during rough tides and it is because of you that we have reached the shore in one piece and in an even better condition than when we set sail. Salute to you soldier of love!

EDITOR


City sky lines bare scars from buildings that started as visions from architects. Buildings that grew from sketches on blue prints rose to towering

proportions, as a result of the human act of honouring one’s ambition. Ambition is that grip in between an artist’s finger tips as he translates inspiration from an emotion to a focal point that draws the eyes of the masses to a single perception of beauty. We may open our eyes and seek out to see a perfect world where ambition is only the driving force behind prosperity and wealth, but sadly the other side of the coin where ambition is used to drive misdirection and ignorance in the minds of those living life based on what they see from the media and their peers cannot be ignored. The beauty of ambition is that it is a powerful element of the human spirit that emanates from within. As we might have learned from super heroes “with great power comes great responsibility”, our responsibility is to seek within ourselves the strength to will, master and honour our ambitions so that they may work for us and not against us. Confidence: In the language of dreams failure is a lie that only discourages the basis of ambition. When in doubt of your dreams your reality lies in a compromised state for you can only succeed as far as you believe possible. The beyond may only be realised through an unlimited approach to your circumstances, meaning no matter how bleak or imperfect the situation is, you always focus on the clear skies that grace your horizons and not being defeated by the duration or difficulty of the journey. This approach may be realised through a resilient confidence in yourself and your abilities. First you need to understand and accept that doubt will always be - just as light needs the darkness to measure its own intensity - one needs to face doubt and the fear of failure head on in order to build character and self-confidence. What is it that you are afraid of?Now conquer those perceived fears and doubts and master your self-confidence.

Self-acceptance: Opinions are a source which inform us about what people are thinking at a particular time of an occurring situation. However these opinions shouldn’t translate into a method of measuring your worth against the worlds. You are what you think of yourself and never

what people think of you. A negative perception of self is the defining point that can lead to a downward spiral, standards set by the media and peers are a major influence to this. Let’s be realistic, companionship is essential to a culture of a fulfilling life. On the other hand friendships and social circles may have disastrous influences on a young person’s quest of being. Defining yourself through the eyes of others is as obtuse as expecting a blind man to cut a flawless gem. The effort of reaching outwards in order to fill a void within is

usually met with disappointment, regret and un-fulfilment. This void may only be filled by meeting the goals we have set in certain intervals within our own lives. These goals are our desires; we were all created to receive. From receiving the love of God, meeting our soul mate to getting that five-bedroom house; our desires to receive drive us to our ambitious state and ultimately, our successes.

Formulate all the answers to this single question, “what do I want?”, and then grant yourself the gift of honouring your desires and achieve beyond any limit. Ambition is an undying inferno fuelled by the desire to will

the godly spirit cradled within our human exterior. I wish you an in-depth understanding of yourself and your life’s journey. A toast to you my friend, may you relish in the power of being.

by: Sphiwe Mashaba

Ambition“When in doubt of your dreams your reality lies in a compromised state”


WORDS: BY LETHABO NGAKANE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ANTHONY BILA

a tailor of SKORZCHGENTLEMEN

What inspired the name skorzch?

Well the name came from two things; one being the scotch (plaid) textile pattern with the notion that scotch never dies and is a good quality material, Secondly, the word scorch means hot. We wanted something that sounded very exotic, sexy and classy thus; we changed the spelling and played around with the letters.

Where were you born and raised and how were you introduced to fashion?

I was born in a clinic within a small village in the Eastern Cape with a population of around 100 people. I grew up in that village until I was six years old; we used to walk about 5 km’s to school where I did my grade one. We soon moved to another village where I continued school up until grade six. Apparently, throughout those years I wanted to be like my dad who was a taxi driver and in construction. My sisters were in grade six and seven at that time and all of us were attending a village school. Some teachers felt that my sisters were a little too smart to be attending the school so luckily my parents moved us into a multi-racial school, which was quite rare at that time. There, we studied right through to matric.

Throughout those years I never thought I would be involved in the fashion industry although, for my matric dance I was one of the best dressed guys that night. Whilst most guys wore the Bronx school shoe, I was the guy to introduce the formal half-boot that blew up amongst the gents and yet still, I never thought “fashion”. My school pants wear a slim cut, as well as my blazer and tie, this in the early years of 2000. After years of ups and downs after matric I landed back home, with no education and no job. I found myself kind of frustrated because everyone around me was pursuing their dreams. In 2007 the t-shirt printing business was on the rise and that’s when I started Skorzch with the idea of doing t-shirts and possibly golf shirts.

“I’m inspired by the modern young gent who says I’ve got the money, I’ve got thehouse, I’m just missing the flair.”


We managed to do the golf T’s which sold pretty well. I was then introduced to a lady who was a qualified fashion designer, this was in 2008 and we became better acquainted and later became quite close friends. In February 2009 I learnt how to sew and made my first skirt, which was quite crooked but I was super chuffed, I felt like I had created one of the best designs on the planet.

“We’ll some call it retro and vintage but somehow I understand Skorzch to be a smart, classy, sophisticated, sassy, sexy and elegant

brand”She had DStv, which is where I then discovered Fashion TV and spent all the time I possibly could watching and learning about the various designers all around the world - that really helped me a lot. I started buying GQ Magazine and learning about trends, thus my knowledge grew steadily. I mostly took my clothes,

chopped them up and re-designed – at that time my parents didn’t like this “fashion” thing.

How would you describe your style and who inspires it?

We’ll some call it retro and vintage but somehow I understand Skorzch to be a smart, classy, sophisticated, sassy, sexy and elegant brand. It’s not really vintage; it’s just classified as so by people who are not truly fashion inclined. The trends we are pushing now are what we’ll be wearing two or three years from now so I guess you can call us fashion forward, if that’s the right way to put it. I draw inspiration from everywhere. I am a suit and jacket fanatic so my eyes are always moving around drawing inspiration from any form of jacket and suit I see. I’m inspired by the modern young gent who says I’ve got the money, I’ve got the house, I’m just missing the flair. So my clothes cater for such people. Skorzch speaks to the masses who want to be classified and identified as smart dressers who wear designer wear but without the obvious designer look. There’s obviously Gucci, LV, D&G and Ozwald Boateng who form a large part of my inspiration.


What makes you think your brand stands out and where do you see it in the next five months?

We don’t have really good menswear designers in South Africa. The designers we have largely cater for the females and their style for men is not that capturing… it’s too feminine and raggedy. Skorzch on the other hand stands out - just the name, the logo and the style. Our cuts and designs speak style and elegance. Skorzch says I’ve got character, I am somebody. The colours we use are bold yet wearable; the designs are simple and elegant. I think I’m content with how the brand is slowly growing, right now the most important thing being growing our client base, improve quality and design and keep our loyal base of clients so the next 5 months for me would be to stick to my basics, keep the clients happy, attract new ones, maintain quality and design and increase brand awareness. Skorzch has the wow effect, the “I must get” effect.

One thing I have noticed about local designer brands is that the clothing always looks “handmade” it doesn’t appear to be smooth and uniform, how would you describe the process from conception to the completely smooth and fresh final product?

We’ll a lot of work goes into the production of clothes. A suit for example requires a lot of focus and a visionary eye. If you see it before you make it, it puts you in a better place in-terms of making a smooth product. Suit: Measurements, Design, Production, FittingsIt’s important to get the measurements and the fabric right; these largely determine the outcome of the suit. A lot of layers go into the jacket to give it shape and structure whilst continuous contact and fittings with the client throughout the suit making process ensures that he is happy and that the suit is fitting well. I guess experience is one of the major contributors to product quality. The more you sew the better you get, for me it’s that simple. So I spend most of my time honing and harnessing my skill and learning more and more about fabrics. I’m getting better at it daily.

How important are endorsements and who or what are the kind of characters you would love an endorsement from?

We’ll when I was in the early days of Skorzch I strongly believed in endorsements until I didn’t benefit much from them. You see us South Africans, we’re not that crazy about our own celebs. However, I would like to work with really influential figures, someone focused, driven and on-point.

What are some of the difficulties you face as a young up and coming brand in the local fashion industry?

It’s really hard to start a brand especially if you didn’t go to school for it. You have to teach yourself everything and when you meet other designers they look down on you cause you don’t know the terminology used in the fashion industry but we are learning, we’ll get there. The fashion industry is saturated and it’s not that broad in South Africa. Worldwide its worth over $600 billion and South Africa doesn’t even account for a billion of that. It’s hard to get funding for buying equipment, people never take your seriously until you are associated with the likes of David Tlale or Thula Sindi. People place an order and never finish payments, there are times when the orders just run dry and you make no money; finance management problems, de-motivation. Sometimes you ask yourself, am I ever going to make-it?

“We don’t have really good menswear designers in South Africa”

Do you have anything for the ladies? Ever thought about targeting Lesbians, I got a few lesbian friends, stylish ones at that and I’m sure they and many more who would like what you can do with suits.

I’m still going to launch a ladies line, it’s not my strongest point right now but I’m working on it. I’ve actually dealt with quite a few homosexuals and there’s no denying that they are more fashion inclined than we are so I do cater for them. They are also quite loaded, if you ask me.

What’s the next step? Any dope new projects you working on?

Now it’s photo shoots, targeting bigger clients, weddings, events and private parties. I’m still working on my skill and more recently I’m playing with a lot of colour. It’s part of my strategy to attract a larger dream of Skorzch that’s out there waiting to be found. I’m networking and building relations in the fashion industry.


As a creator what kinds of core beliefs drive you and will keep motivating you until your death bed?

I think every day is an opportunity given to us by God to make better of what we did yesterday, to harness it, to polish it and give it the wow effect, the Skorzch effect. I believe in loyalty, brotherhood, honesty and integrity. From a young age I’ve always wanted to be something, be someone, I wanted to do something great for myself and those around me. Skorzch to me is my dream, it’s a way of life, and it’s more than just a brand.

Skorzch is my ticket to success; it’s my flight to my dreams. I’m motivated by individuals who, against hardships, trial and tribulations, still get up in the morning, put on their best clothes and take on the world. Steve Jobs did it, Bill Gates, Coco Chanel, Warren Buffet did, and Mark Zuckerberg did it. Impossible is nothing. God put us on this planet to make best of our lives and we need to live just for that… to be great, to change the world one Skorzch step at a time. Obviously there’s a lot of challenges that lie ahead but those are to make us better, make us grow and become stronger and wiser. The day I see Skorzch being mentioned alongside Carducci, Dolce&Gabbana… that is when I’ll know that I’m on the Skorzch side of life.

“The day I see Skorzch being mentioned alongside Carducci, Dolce&Gabbana… that is when I’ll know that

I’m on the Skorzch side of life.”

Winner of Renault Young Designer Search Award at the South African Fashion Week


SINCITY

Event of the season

By Groove Afrika

3


Event of the season


MARS ATTACKS!

An interview with the spaced out & muli-talented IIndman.

Firstly who is IIndman and who is MARS?

@IIndMan #MuthaF*ckinIIndMan is Phenyo Kgaffe, born in Mafikeng South Africa, but please call me Tlhap II’nd Man, in short Tlhap. Well MARS is a media company that focuses on releasing the unrecognized creativity in South Africa through different aspects of mixed media.

II’nd Man (2nd Man) is an alter ego that expresses my beastly creativity in a Media Abase Race in Space (MARS)!!! I bet you didn’t notice that (laughs). The name MARS and its abbreviation is self-explanatory when you look at my work.

You are a graphic designer, a photographer and you produce and write music. What attracted you to these forms of expression?

I’m an introvert, the only way I can express myself is through art. I draw, produce, sing, design and take pictures. With music it was when I saw my aunt Genevieve Kgafe on TV singing with Lekgoa back in 2000, I was like “WHAT?? I want to do that shit!!” I had already started making records on a tape recorder at like 10 but besides that AKILI BLAQ (MM3rd) is the dude who nurtured my music talent as I grew up as a musician and producer with a great influence by Erykah Badu and recently Flying Lotus x Captain Murphy.

The love for photography started when I came to own one of those old school film cameras and I started editing using Microsoft Publisher as well as Microsoft Paint, but as soon as I found Photoshop in 2009 I went to another muthaf*ckin level and everyday became a learning experience of my own. I don’t believe in being taught art but learning on your own, this is the thing that really brings my interest to Graphic Designing as I can create anything I put my mind to.

Do you find it hard juggling between these skills?

I really don’t find it hard to juggle through these skills. I’m gifted in any type of art, whether it’s producing, singing, graphic design, painting, drawing and crafting.

Which one do you prefer most?

(laughs), I really haven’t thought about that, but I guess Graphic design because I have a job almost everyday which just increases my experience but music will always have my heart.


“I really don’t find it hard to juggle through these skills. I’m gifted in any type of art.”


What lead us to you was your unique style in photo manipulation, can you explain how you got to create this style of yours and how it was received?

This style began when I saw the gap in South Africa for futuristic and abstract design. Everyone around here is doing the same thing and I hate seeing the same thing, so I developed a new style by creating images with an urban-vintage tone in a dark futuristic environment, this is how I see MARS in my eyes. I noticed that everyone has dark thoughts which run through their minds and they never actually reveal this to the world, I took the liberty to put this out in an artistic way which won’t make me look evil but just purely creative in an abstract form.

Please tell us what your top 3 favourite projects are.

Good Sundae is my biggest project, I work on it every year and every month. It’s a huge party in Durban hosted by Red Key Concepts. I’ve been doing their graphics for the past 2 years now and every month is a learning experience which makes me better.

Then I’ve got OTee who is my artist, his debut mixtape is being released early this year followed by mine later on the year. People should be expecting a new sound in South Africa from the lyrical content to the production of our tapes because we’ve took our time to make this sound very good, so yeah... THIRDLY it’s the VENUSvsMARS event we starting which will be touring around SA from July 2012.

Who are your inspirations in design and why?

I don’t have any people that inspire me in design. Tumblr is my daily inspiration to be honest. There are thousands of different pictures I see every hour of the day that just feed me with a reason to be more creative. I know they may be photographs but they give me an artistic sense of thinking.

What is the next step for you in design?

I’ve just finished Matric. I’m going to study Graphic Design this year so I can branch out into intensive animation and multimedia but hopefully I can move to America for some years so I can get the highest standard of design and come back and run the design game.

What is the biggest misconception about your work?

People think I’m disturbed or I’m promoting satanic imagery and I’m certainly not, I’m just doing me.

What would you like to see more of regarding local design?

To be honest, I think South Africa is 1000 years behind with design. Have you seen the designs abroad?? I f*cks

with that - flawless imagery. South African designers need to put their heart into this and not just do it because it looks cool. Cool lasts only for now but perfection can last forever.

Lastly how can our readers get a hold of you or view your work?

I don’t really put my work up for viewing but I leave a MARS logo on all my designs so its easily spotted as I grow more as a brand but people can check some of them on both my Tumblrs and my tweets.

Twitter - @IIndMan & @therealMARSteamFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/tlhapTumblr-http://www.muthafuckiniindman.tumblr.com http://www.marsmediafeed.tumblr.com


One liners:1. Favourite non alcoholic drink? Oros 2. Favourite alcoholic drink? Patron3. Favourite meal? King Steer Burger 4. Black.white.Cuban or Asian? White5. Xbox or Playstation? Playstation 6. Music or movies? Music7. Club or Pub?Club


T-shirt: Scarf print Tee - Upstairs JoziPants: Harem Pants - Rey Mui Designs

Shoes: Model’s ownWatch: Model’s ownShades: Stylist’s own


Head Wrap: Black/white - Stylists ownDress: Tribal Chiffon Dress - Upstairs Jozi

Earings: Balance Earings


Shirt Dress: Striped Black/white - Upstairs JoziJacket: Sued Jacket - Upstairs Jozi

socks: Knee Highs - Model’s own Shoes: Leopard Print - Model’s own


Bra Top: Black - Rey Mui DesignsShorts: Black - Rey Mui Designs

Necklace: Beaded Necklace - Model’s own


Velma:Shirt: Mixed colour shirt - Stylist’s own

Pants: Green & Ndebele print - Rey Mui DesignsNecklace: Gold - Model’s own

Castro:T-Shirt: 94 Holmes Tee - Holmes Brothers

Necklace: Fabric Neclace - Upstairs JoziShades: Stylist’s own


Velma: Shirt Dress: Striped Black/white - Upstairs Jozi

Jacket: Sued Jacket - Upstairs Jozisocks: Knee Highs - Model’s own

Shoes: Leopard Print - Model’s own

Charmaine:Bra Top: Black - Rey Mui Designs

Jacket: Ndebele Print - Rey Mui DesignsShorts: Black - Rey Mui Designs

Shoes: Black - Model’s own


Keith Kunene: ManagerSolomon: Vocalist/RapperSoul Faktor: Producer

What software do you use for your production?

SF: I use a launch pad for live performances and for production I use various software especially Fruity loops, it is funny how I used to write to the fruity loops forum and they would write back, they have a good relationship with their users.

How does a radio presenter say your name on air?

KK: Its BFG pronounced BIG FUCKIN GUN.

Where does the name come from?

S: It came from a computer game called DOOM; it’s actually a cheat code for the game.

How did the group come together?

KK: I met Sol when I was 21, he was 16...

S: Yeah, back in Durban in the Hip-hop circuits.

KK: I recognised Solomon as a really dope rapper; he didn’t know that I was checking him out. I met Soul Faktor in Tech where he studied graphic design, I was studying journalism part time and liked his designs. A year later I realised that he makes beats and I started visiting him at his home in the notorious Lamontville, He was an RNB type of dude which was interesting because his beats

reflected the opposite of that and it made me realise that to make good music you have to have a wider scope of sounds to appreciate different techniques of making music. Soul Faktor listened to a large array of music from Jazz, maskande and all the way to Gospel which I found quiet weird. Years later when I started the group with Sol I thought of him because of his insane sound and believed that he would make a perfect addition to the team and so he joined.

Is it safe to say you had the vision?

KK: pretty much…it was one of those dream things.When did you guys begin working on material?KK: In 2009 we did our first mixtape called “Stick up the HI-FI”S: Which is available for download on our Band Camp page.

KK: that mixtape was our defining moment.

Did that mixtape define the sound that you currently have?

S: It pushed us to where we are now.

“I thought of this dude with an insane sound who would make a perfect addition to

the team.”

An interview with BIG FKN GUN By: Vuyi Qubeka | Photography : Sfiso Sibanyoni


How do you articulate the sound?

S: It is dangerous to try describing the sound because you almost lead it into a genre and like Keith was saying earlier on, SoulFaktor listens to all kinds of shit and at the end of the day we create music we like to hear, it’s a collection of all the music we find inspiration from.Would you say that your mind set is more channelled towards graphic design, music or creating in general?

SF: It is more channelled to creating in general but I’m obsessed with music.

Who did the artwork for pop models?

S: Sindiso Nyoni does the artwork, he is a graphic designer/illustrator and art director, Soul Faktor also handles some of the artwork. Sindiso listens to the music and interprets it into images.

Would you say that graphic design is similar to sound design and music production?

I have reached a level where I designed visually as I design in audio, sound is similar to texture.

Were you working towards an album on “Stick up the Hi-fi”or just messing around?

KK: we were working towards and EP and ended up with like 12 tracks and it became an album.

Since Soul Faktor is based in Durban, how do you guys make music?

SF: WE use technology.S: The Pop models ep was made via BBM.KK: we would literally send every elements via BBM.SF: The skeleton of Pop models was done over BBM too.

Which work are you guys mostly proud of?

(All): Pop Models EP

KK: Pop Models was like literally giving birth. What’s the message behind the song Pop Models?

BS: It’s based on club politics, it’s a story of a dude trying to get lucky with a girl and the girl won’t get with him unless he is of a particular status and the dude lies to try and get the girl but at the end the girl catches him out.


What story are you guys trying to tell as BFG?

BS: We are trying to be reflective of where we are and where we are from, with the experience we have in the game we realised there is a factory style production in terms of where music is at, people are making carbon copies. So we took a stance to be reflective of where we come from because the whole world is looking at Africa.

How do we as artists ensure that we own our style?

KK: I have always maintained that we have so many languages and if you can tell a story in your own language then you own it. Like Sol was saying if you are being reflective of where you from then its easy.

Last dinner, two people, one meal and one album, who and what will it be?

KK: Steve Jobs and Jacob Zuma, because Steve Jobs has such a distinct focus of what he wants to do even though he is constantly told it cannot be done, and if you could put him in the same room with President Jacob Zuma looking at South Africa and the context of our generation and where we need to be, they would generate some relevant solutions. I would listen to Tubular bells by Mike Oldfield. My last meal would be Mogdu(tripe)

SF: I would invite these two guys(points at Keith and Solomon), why invite strangers, we have been creating so much music and we literally share a life together. What they have done for me is incredible and I feel like I have just been born again. My last meal would be my grandmother’s dishes, beans and mince. My album would be Pop Models.

S: My grandfather and Chicco Twala, I have never met my grandfather and would love for him to see what I have done with the surname and the language and Chicco Twala to package it all. The album I would be listening to is the greatest hits of Sankomota. Inyama e hosiwe traditionally braai meat, its quite interesting because every month we would braai meat because mydad was cultural and my mother was

deeply religious so she was against the slaughtering of animals, so braaing was the middle ground.

What are your views on traditional roles between men and women?

KK: Well a mother automatically gets the naturing role and I see my role as the one who moulds my child, as a futureristic thinker of my time I feel I should intstill my views on him, So I would say I believe in traditional roles of males and females but not so much in the cultural point of view.

SF: Well I’m not married.

S: I don’t like roles, although some things are natural for instance the mother will be a mother and want cook and stuff like that and culture evolves through its people and is a sign of the times.

When do you know that it is a wrap?

KK: I’m never satisfied anyways, but I think when it feels right you should let it go.

Do you have professions outside of music?

KK: We are all in advertising.

The bigger things become, do you become more compelled to do bigger with them or step back and think about how you approach the situation?

SF: For me it is just exciting, seeing what is coming is what I have always wanted, it is what I have been gearing up for.

KK: there is nothing more exciting than a future uncertain.

What’s the one place you would like to perform?

BS: Coachella!KK: international recognition is beautiful but what is more important is to be recognised at home.

“I have reached a level where I designed visually as I design in audio, sound is similar to texture.”

“It is dangerous to try describing the sound because you almost lead it into a genre”


6 issues in a Row:our favourite Pencils&Crayons illustrations.

www.PencilsandCrayons.tumblr.com


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Donald NeoSapien Mokgale’s Ambitious journey in the humble art of poetry began when he was born in Johannesburg, he was raised in Soweto (Diepkloof) then moved to the township of Thembisa and eventually settling in Brakpan. It is most likely because of all the moving around that he became a loner

and spent most of his time in front of the T.V. The magic on the other side of the screen became a catalyst to an active imagination. At the age 6 he fell in love with the performing arts and eventually kissed the lips of poetry in high school, falling in love with Shakespeare’s work.

His self-proclaimed PUN-chy and thought provoking style has seen him win various slam poetry awards and in 2007 his work was published in an anthology called Portraits of Propaganda. The Neosapien has grazed the stages of sessions such as Freshly Sliced Poetry Sessions, The Showcase at AFDA and Voices Poetry Slam. In 2010 he worked his way to winning first prize at the house of hunger poetry slam. We spoke to the God fearing, rhyme slaying intellect about his journey and what his views are on the art of poetry.

"I have probably done more collaborations with poets than any other individual poet in the scene”


Your pseudonym Neosapien directly translates to new human, please explain to us what lead to the adoption of this identity/name.

It was a spiritual rebirth in Christ that led me to this; the bible teaches that when one accepts Christ as a Lord and saviour they become new and boy was I new and I felt I needed to create an identity that communicated this.

Who is Neosapien in contrast to Donald Mokgale?

Neosapien is the epicentre of Donald’s being, the very core, the Christian values and principles that weave the fabric of Donald’s being. Neosapien exists because of Donald’s past experiences. I suppose Neosapien always existed in me, but only got revealed to me when in the fullness of time.

How did you get introduced to the world of poetry and do you remember your first poem?

I got introduced to poetry in high school in English class (laughs) with Shakespeare’s “shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” and I was hooked by the power of pure wordsmithery. I actually don’t remember my first poem(laughs), I am blank.

When you write do you write with someone in mind and if so do you think it reaches the intended recipient?

Not at all, I write to express truth, opinions, and views to provoke thought and because we at least have our humanity as the common denominator, more often than not, people can relate so my work always reaches the audience.

I feel that your style is a mixture of performance arts, social commentary and a coy sense of wordplay. How did you come to this style?

After I lost my poetry book in high school, I quit poetry and fell in love with hip-hop, so I became a freestyle MC. Through cyphers, battles and listening to the likes of Canibus, Proverb and Immortal Technique I learned what word play was and how to manipulate words to have double meanings that made the audience scream. My view of a good poet was someone with social commentary and wit and since I have an acting background, I used all these things at my disposal to create a style that I felt best represents who I am.

You are now somewhat of a public figure in the world of local poetry do you feel a higher sense of responsibility in the words you speak?

Yes, I have been named with some of the very best poets/writers in the scene and that is a huge honour. I get a lot of people wanting me to mentor them, edit their work and so forth, so this has made me more prudent with my tongue as there are people looking up to me whom I believe I have a responsibility to build, the best way I know how, with words.

I realised that I am only a part of the sum and not the sum itself.“

”


What is killing poetry?

Egos, greed, favouritism and selfishness. Some people are trying to own poetry, to control who gets to perform etc, people don’t work together, collaborate, support each other enough, these things are really killing poetry.

What have you actively done to improve the situation?

I have probably done more collaborations with poets than any other individual poet in the scene, I have referred plenty of poets to corporate gigs that paid them, I always buy other poet’s products and attend their shows as much as I can basically, I am not perfect, I try to play my part to the best of my ability & I realised that I am only a part of the sum and not the sum itself.

It is reported that you were once invited to compete at the house of hunger poetry slam in Zimbabwe but was unable to make it, regarding the milestone it would’ve been for your dream, why did you not make it there?

A very stupid thing actually, I did not have a passport so I had to decline. Learnt my lesson.

What are your highlights and Low lights of your journey thus far?

Wow highlights have to be the rapid pace with which I grew to become one of the most active poets in SA’s poetry scene, TV shows, radio interviews even this interview is humbling beyond what words can express and all the standing ovations I have ever received including Don Mattera who told me that I was one of the poets to shape SA poetry. One low light I remember was losing a slam because the main judge said I was too good and that I need to give others a chance since I was one of the winners the previous year.

What are your views on the current state of South Africa, are we being too harsh on ourselves or are things spiralling out of our control?

I think things are spiralling out of control, the moral decay, rambunctious corruption, incompetent political leaders elected by the blind, unemployed youth who live like they will be young forever. There is a false sense of control in the country.

Egos, greed, favouritism and selfishness.”“


What is the one goal that is constantly in your crosshair?

To have a Poetry TV and radio show, to have poetry used by corporates as more than just an entertainment piece at parties and events.

How can technology and poetry work together, to grow the art?

Audio visual will always be part of our lives no matter how much it evolves so more poets could record their work on AV and have education works showcased on the state owned broadcasters as part of nation building.

How important is it for poets to go corporate and is it sustaining to be a professional poet?

In terms of going corporate it depends how you look at it. You can be like me and be the poet whom corporates call on to entertain or to customise poems that suit their events and get paid for it. This is not sustainable as it is dependent on events and if there are none, then you go hungry. Essentially, if you want to be a full time poet you need to work harder than a miner from Marikana and even that may or may not be enough depending on your client base & lifestyle; poetry becomes a business when you go corporate and your name becomes a brand which must have rates etc. This is a whole new chapter all together, the idea of just ‘expressing’ changes once you depend on poetry to feed you. I can go on but I feel I need space lest I half step and discredit myself here.

In closing, can everybody and anybody become a poet?

No, either you are one or not and you will know if you are a poet and so will everyone else upon reading/hearing your work.

the idea of just expressing changes once you depend on poetry to feed you. ”

“


COOLSH*TThe coolest in gadgetry

E gg hatch moment, CRACK, squeak, squeak - reborn once more to bring you the coolest sh*t out there on this blue rock called planet earth. I have been summoned like one of ‘THE AVENGERS" to nourish your mind with

awesome gadgets and foreign tech flavours that have been created for our enjoyment.

Words by: Japan

Executive pinstripe hoodie

Dressing to impress can certainly be an enormous pain in the @$$. We all strive to look presentable but at times we’re uncomfortable with the clothes we have on especially when it comes to office attire, collard shits and stuffy suit jackets are sometimes as appealing as a t-shirt made out of cardboard and tea bags....when you’re feeling like you would like to break that mould and unleash your inner wrapped “Don Draper” think about getting yourself one of these gray executive pinstripe hoodies from Betabrand. Made from superfine merino wool. the best of both worlds, this suit could see you closing a very important account in the office, then heading out to the bar later or perhaps be the most dapper looking guy working out at your local gym.

Price $148

Custom Xbox 360 controller with bullet buttons

There is something about the addition off any sort of arsenal that gives a certain object a sense of danger and excitement. you add bullets to anything and BOOM! you’re guaranteed to be 100% cooler than anyone of your wolf pack buddies. Some people would say it was a pre-requisite like a tattoo, explosions or really large boooooobs. Etsy seller Lace design can custom make or fit 9mm bullets on your A-B-X-Y keys on your controller.

Price $20


HOBO EAT KIT

This particular item has been dubbed “The Swiss army knife for the dinner table” this pint sized utensil in your jean pocket could ultimately revolutionise how we as humans dine on the run. Gone are the days of using cheap plastic utensils, all you need to do now is pull that Hobo eat kit out and BAM! start eating to your heart’s content. Whether it is Italian, your weekly Chinese takeout oooooor a little cheese cake, all I have to say is that this is a generous little contraption and I know without a shadow of a doubt MacGyver would be proud to have this in his arsenal of awesome mini tools.

Price $27

Knife Cufflinks

There are but a few accessories a regular guy needs to survive this gruelling and highly demanding concrete jungle’s social evening fancy dress swaray.number one item would most definitely be a pair of pants of course buuuuuut we think something that will set the bar would obviously be a pair of Cufflinks, just to add that flawless dapper look, to be exact a pair of knife Cufflinks. So now you can go to a party and say “ hey everyone, look how good looking I am, oh don’t forget I’ve got knives at the end of my sleeve sooo don’t provoke me or someone is going to get cut, so check yo self before you wreck yo self ”. These blades leave u looking “sharp” at a reasonable price and they also come with a diamond dust sharpener.

Bearski

If you are down to shred the white powder - that being snow - and you’re constantly getting your nose or facial area frozen, I have the solution to your problem BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! Next time you go skiing or snowboarding don’t forget to take your Bearski. This state of the art ski mask warmer is perfect for cold climates and keeps your face super protected from the elements...it’s warm safe not too much of a distraction and it makes you look like you’re one of the ZZ Top members. this furry little facial gem will set you back $39.95 depending in the style of the beard....

Price $39,95

Price $55


We doing things slightly different this time around with an addition of a Profile on Pierre

N.F. Roux. We decided to check him out because ummmmm, shiiiiiiit we felt like it. On a serious note, we pretty much saw how talented he was and figured this dude is downright the perfect fit to be immortalised in our pages, he went above and beyond to come up with the coolest things we’ve seen so far and he’s straight up a local born in South Africa. Let’s take a look at his cool creation...”The BikeBench”.

Mini profile

When someone goes out of their way to create something that hasn’t been thought of yet in the aim to aid us as human beings to make life a lot more simple, we should applaud and admire this person because he took his time and energy to solve a problem that we clearly see but do nothing about. Introducing: Pierre N.F Roux dubbed the father of the “BikeBench” the Architect from the city of gold.

Pierre’s over all motivation for this idea stemmed from his surroundings, looking for a problem in his area and solving it in the best way he knew how.I think this is by far one of the most insane but beautiful things I’ve seen in a very long time, creativity has no boundaries and this proves it by far. This “BikeBench” is not just an artistic marvel but on the other hand it is also very functional for the day to day user.

“The BikeBench” was entered into the Design indaba in 2012 and it was a finalist in the student category.Recycling played a big part in the design of this creation, the materials used in this project were well thought out considering our harsh climate. The “BikeBench is made from “Alien/ invasive woods that dry up our river beds”, “My Bike Bench seeks to solve this problem by offering cyclists a secure place to chain their bicycles and allowing them a chance to rest along their journey”- Pierre mentioned.Simple, Creative and eco-friendly, the Bike Bench is indeed some cool sh*t

“The BikeBench” was a finalist in the student category at the Design indaba in 2012.


The End


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