Earlier this year, Skwatta Kamp’s Lebogang Mothibe (aka Shugasmakx) was adamant that the seven-MC group’s next offering would “not be the same shit in the same toilet”. Listening to Bak on Kampus — the group’s fifth album, released two weeks ago — the Lunch Bar log, after an unsuccessful flush, floats to the surface.
Not necessarily a bad thing. Especially if you are a fan. Skwatta Kamp are in fine lyrical fettle, comfortable within a mainstream musical space and delivering goods that will not disappoint. While musically polished, immaculately produced and presented, Bak on Kampus is not an incendiary new vision for hip-hop in this country — the album’s lapses into the generic prevent this.
By using a variety of different producers, including Mark Montgomery, Sthembiso “Stethoscope” Ngconwane and Skwatta members, the group mine new musical territory — including funk, Latino and rock — yet much of Bak on Kampus is, inescapably, classical Skwatta Kamp updated. Those characteristic beats reinforced with sinister lyrical hooks are as infectious as the Ebola virus. The accessible chant-back nature of their songs, the arrangement of drums and bass incites listeners to march.
It is a recognisable sound that has previously brought commercial success, reflected by the gold status of both the South African Music Award-winning albums for best rap group, Mkukhu Funkshen (2003) and Wash’Umkhukhu (2004).
Thematically, Bak on Kampus includes observations from within the music/celebrity industry as on Fake Ass Pimp (where wannabes get a lashing with lyrics like “You’re an X-tra strong trying to be celebrity / Always trying to get in VIP”) to (yawn) laying honeys “who blow Tarzan like suicide bombers” (Touch) and hanging out in clubs (Habashwe or Little 2 Much). Then there are the dance-floor numbers tailored for summertime, including Feel Like Dancing and Bumpa 2 Bumpa, which feature vocalist Relo and where Adam Howard’s trumpet and guitaring by Lira and Robin Kohl add a South American flavour.
The Skwattas get serious on tracks like Kings and Queens, which deals with issues of child abuse and violence. Mothibe, speaking to the Mail & Guardian this week, said this represented the “conscious side of the group, something we always have done”.
“Child abuse and violence is something which is killing our country and we have to get people to think about these issues. Kings and Queens is a message to and for the kids,” said Mothibe.
Satani, with its sample of The Dramatics’ Lucifer, with James Brown-type crooning, is one of the most successful songs on Bak on Kampus. According to Mothibe, it is about “the temptations in society, from greed to drugs, and is preceded by a hilarious David Kau skit situated in hell’s call centre”. Feels a lot like subjecting oneself to reporting a fault to Telkom.
Bak on Kampus is a typically rousing offering from Skwatta Kamp, and in keeping with the group’s musical tradition, which stems from their debut Skwatta Kampain (2001) and another best rap Sama-winner, 2002’s Khut en Joyn, and runs through Mkukhu Funkshen and Wash’Umkhukhu.
Mothibe says, lyrically, the album is an affirmation of Skwatta Kamp’s status within local hip-hop, as kings of the pile, and hence the title: “The logic is that we have schooled you before, and now we’re back to school you some more. We’re the lecturers on this campus.”
According to Mothibe, the group — which includes Siyabonga Metane (Slikour), Nkululeko Habedi (Flabba), Nkosana Nkosi (Bozza), Sechaba Kgalala (Infa), Musawenkosi Molefe (Nish) and Sello Mofokeng (Nemza) — has been working on the album “for the past year-and-a-half, but seriously hit the studio from March this year”.
Formed in 1994, Skwatta Kamp remain savvy about the music industry and their space within it. Their signing to Gallo in 2003 — the first time a local hip-hop act was signed by one of the major music labels — was considered by media watchers as the beginning of hip-hop’s assimilation into the mainstream.
It was. Artists like Prokid and Selwyn have since followed Skwatta Kamp to Gallo. Skwatta Kamp themselves have moved from Gallo to EMI’s new Virgin Urban label, where they are the only local band. The group still maintain their own management and recording label, Buttabing.