#ubuntu digital

When I left for South Africa six months ago, I’d say you were crazy if you said I’d be appearing as a guest host on an internet radio show in the middle of July.  First of all there’s the fact that had things gone according to plan, I’d have already been back home in the states for over a month now.  Then there’s the bigger question of what turn of events could lead to someone asking me to be a guest host on their radio show?  Well if there’s one thing I’ve learned all this time from living in the Mother City, its to just go with the flow.  And thus, after six months of going with the flow, and randomly meeting cool people who know other cool people, that is how I came to be a guest host last Saturday on the very first episode of Ubuntu Digital on MuthaFM.  

But before I get to pressing topics of Die Antwoord, nose rings, and Afrikaans music, I’d like to explain my understanding of both ubuntu and the history of Ubuntu Digital, and then most importantly, for what I’m concerned with, how this all relates to music.  Firstly, to put it simply (to be honest I’m still super confused), ubuntu is a community-centric way of looking at life.  “I am what I am because of all who we all are” (Leymah Gbowee) is probably the most useful definition I’ve come across.  With this idea of ubuntu/community in mind, Ubuntu Digital was launched in order to demonstrate that its possible to run a business in a more community-centric way, rather than the traditional economic system.  My new friend Adin’s idea for a moneyless business was put in motion last summer through a series of rooftop parties at the Penthouse on Long Street.  The economic aspect of it all goes way over my head, but I do understand the implications it has for making AfrikaBurn principles applicable in the real world, and that I think is really awesome.  The Ubuntu Digital show on MuthaFM, hosted by Adin and Adrian Gemini, is the next step in spreading these ideas about community to a wider audience.  The premise of the new show is that each episode will feature a different mixtape guest co-host.  But whereas the previous Mixtape Series show featured local DJs as mixtape guests, the new show has a more communityish way of defining DJ.  Really its just cool people who like cool music that are going to be featured

I was more than honoured when Adin asked me if I’d want to come on as the very first mixtape guest on the debut of the new Ubuntu Digital series.  Things got even radder when Adin suggested we should play all South African tunes for this episode.  Putting together my mixtape that week gave me a good excuse to reflect on the music I’ve come across in this country.  So on the one hand there’s some really kak boring stuff out there.  And for some reason I think these unoriginal Nickelbackians are the bands that get radio play.  But then there’s bands and artists like Two Minute Puzzle, Hot Water, Jeremy Loops, Londi Gamedze, and so many others who are just really really cool because they take chances and sound totally different.  I cannot understand why these musicians aren’t all household names.  Okay so now this blog entry might seem to be going on a huge tangent, but the point I will be trying to make is how this country (and Adin and the Ubuntu Digital radio show in particular) has taught me to imagine big things.  Lately my head has been stuffed with ideas about applying ubuntu principles to how I think of music.  First of all, I’m totally going to be starting up an Ubuntu Digital radio show Lehigh University chapter.  We will of course be playing all South African tunes!  There may even have to be skype interview guests coming all the way from SA.  Second thing I realized, I would really really love to organize a music festival.  Seriously it would be the raddest thing to get a group of really talented South African folk artists (and there are a lot!) to play for a day or two of awesome music listening.  Third, there’s got to be a way to start getting these ridiculously talented Capetonian artists over to the states.  How does a music exchange program sound?  We could call it Bands of Brothers (nice name Adin!).  We pair up a really cool South African act with someone they have a similar vibe to in the states.  Then we bring that SA band over to the states and market their gigs as being the “South African brother band to so and so”, while the American band plays some gigs in SA.  So for example, we could pair Jeremy Loops up with Andrew Bird.  I think it could work.  There’s some ‘unlike anything we have in the states’ tunes coming out over here that should be getting heard.  Oh yeah, and to really spice things up with ubuntu-centrism, maybe the SA band could stay in the American band’s place and vice-versa.  No need for covering hotel fees and all those logistical roadblocks.  It could be just like that movie The Holiday (that was Adin’s contribution!) but with bands.  Okay so maybe these ideas seem out there.  But the point is, its a really awesome thing to be thinking out of the box.  Kind of like what Youth Lagoon says in Seventeen.  That’s exactly the kind of imagining my favorite acts here have been doing.  And that’s why I think they’re so darn good, and especially when compared to the boring radio ones.  Okay well I may have gone on a bit too long, so I’m not going to get into the topic of Die Antwoord (at least for today) like I said I would.  So hows about check out the debut of Ubuntu Digital for yourself (its up on Mixcloud!) and hear for yourself some of our converging thoughts on the Zef side.  And also hear me get ousted to my parents for a new (but very tiny) piercing, some classic Johnny Clegg awesomeness, and even the American dubstep scene connection with Cape Town.

http://www.mixcloud.com/UbuntuDigitalRadio/20120714-udonmfm-launch-show-with-dj_diabeatic/

PS here's a list of tracks I played!

Mission to the Sun - Jeremy Loops www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQVFjXxWslw

Reflections - Two Minute Puzzle http://soundcloud.com/two-minute-puzzle/reflections

I Fear - Dave Ferguson http://soundcloud.com/colemanb-1/i-fear-dave-ferguson

Skinny Love Rerub - Das Kapital giving Bon Iver some Capetonian flavour http://soundcloud.com/daskapital/bon-iver-skinny-love-das-kapital-rerub

Gypsy Caravan - Rosemary Towns End 

Laduma - Hot Water www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4V9s9xQwTw

Radio Skaweto - The Rudimentals www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dvu4J5hU4g

Lucy - Shadowclub www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVJTpGLf7QE