UBEREATZZ BREAKS DOWN THE FIRST EPISODES OF THIS ICONIC SERIES
By ubereatzz | Images by Mpumelelo Macu
Red Bull returns with a new season of their exciting Red Bull 64 Bars freestyle segment that aims to bring out the best South African artists and producers from all over the country to create a whole song from scratch.
Sjava
Sjava opens it up this season with his ‘Nkabi FC’ freestyle featuring the groundbreaking producer, Stallion. It has him repping the trap maskhandi sound on this fast-paced beat. He begins the verse by detailing an interesting experience with a woman from Pretoria. He raps “Ngise Pitori yeah ketshwere mugwanti. Wathi kimi abuti ke kopa Barcadi. Ngasukuma ngamthengela idumpie. Ngithi wonyiwe phela mina angazi,” as he brings in spitori and raps in Isizulu and English, alternating between all these languages with ease. Although membership for the African Trap Movement isn’t open to the public, he managed to make one really want to be part of it with this freestyle.
Dee Koala
Dee Koala handles episode two with her freestyle called ‘Stixo’ featuring multi-platinum producer Zino D. Dee opens up her verse as fiery as ever as she uses this opportunity to address a few people who have stepped up to her the wrong way. She raps, “Kuse khona ezinye irappers ezind’qhela kak’bi. iWes kule game ndim uoledi, nizi laaitie. Ndavusa irappers bezilele manyani. Awunond’fanisa nezinye, asifani”. Staying true to her mother tongue, isiXhosa, she reaffirms her place as one of Cape Town’s best with her bold delivery, lyrics and confidence that’s so contagious, you feel her.
toss
Toss graces the third episode with his ‘Steja’ freestyle featuring Mdoovar, a South African Music Award winning producer who also cooked Toss’ hit ‘uMlando’. Toss starts his verse off by lacing a catchy four-liner that goes “Ng’phethe i spillion impilo on ng’fun’ i million. Ng’shentsha ama gear ng’fake is’gela on. Ng’phethe i King Pin skhath’ sin’? Faka perignon. Bes’fika siya sakaza naku radio,” that he lays on a smooth kwaito-piano beat. Showcasing his rap skills, Toss displays impeccable word play.
young stunna
In another surprise twist, Red Bull brings amapiano sensation Young Stunna, who flexes his versatility as he raps on the ‘Rhulumente’ beat by producer Roscosteazy. Staying true to the song’s signature flow, he raps “Came in looking fly, I see the bull is getting jealous. You thought it was piano, they gonn’ say this move is careless. Piano Ronaldo, if I like nd’ngabapholela. Thath’ ikhef’ el’ncinci, pull up on em’ send’ba pencil.” Stunna unlocks a side to his vocal talent many were aware of but never really heard which was quite a brave and impressive move by him.
kwesta
With one of the most stable and long-lasting careers in SA hip-hop, Kwesta comes in with ‘W.A.R’ that features his righthand man and multi-award-winning producer, Makwa, as he raps, “NeFame indala, well lakimi iFame indala. I’ve had my face on everything, the kasi Che Guevara. Got some bread and made a damn sandwich. Now I’m growing money trees, ntwana bank branches.” Kwesta’s ability to remain cool, calm and collected while delivering the hardest bars can make any hip-hop fanatic lose their composure. He proved why his career has outlived most rappers who started with him around the same time sixteen years ago.
The Red Bull 64 Bars freestyle initiative has unwrapped the coolest artists to energise their mics and producers to match their fly musical styles to the tee. It definitely has to do with the fact that they sip a lil Red Bull before they begin. With a roster this hot, the first episodes leave one yearning to see who’s coming next.