11 posts tagged “anne-sophie leens”

Check out the brand new video for Welcome to Khaltsha by Rattex. The video was directed and edited by Anne-Sophie Leens for Apartment Studios.

You can read about the shoot and check out some behind the scenes photos here.

That's how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

We had a great day shooting the video for Welcome to Khaltsha in Khayelitsha yesterday. For those who don't know, 'Khaltsha' is the local slang for 'Khayelitsha'. After a bit of a late start we managed to complete our shot list by 6.30pm, just in time to catch the second half of Arsenal beating Chelsea!

We started the day at the Khayelitsha sign near Lookout Hill before moving to a variety of locations including Lookout Hill itself, Vuyani's meat spot, the Site C taxi rank, the barber's shop in Mandela Park and various spaza shops. We ended up at Solly's Tavern in Mandela Park where Rattex and Kritsi got on stage and broke up the DJ's house set to perform Welcome to Khaltsha. Initially people seemed a bit skeptical as the house beats gave way to Hipe's banging hip hop anthem, but as soon as people heard the first chorus where Rah proudly proclaims, "Khayelitsha made me", everyone went crazy.  

Everywhere we went, Rah got nothing but love and good vibes. While we were shooting people constantly jumped in to the shots to dance and hype up the hooks. The enthusiasm and pride people expressed that one of their own sons was making moves was amazing.

With mass media constantly brainwashing us with foreign product, one of our missions at Pioneer Unit is to make South Africans proud of where they come from. We want to do this by creating our own iconography and showing the world how we live down here. We hope we've captured a slice of life in Khayelitsha to show South Africa and the rest of the world.

Check out some photos of the day...

Rah chillin' in front of a shack (click for larger image).

Rah performing a verse (click for larger image).

Khaltsha kids (click for larger image).

Discussing the next location to shoot (click for larger image).

Bling ring (click for larger image).

Barber shop scene (click for larger image).

Kritsi shaves Rah's head while Anne-Sophie shoots (click for larger image).

Kritsi gets old skool with the boom box at the taxi rank (click for larger image).

Anne-Sophie filming at Solly's Tavern (click for larger image).

Rah and Kritsi on stage at Solly's (click for larger image).

Crowd at Solly's Tavern goes wild (click for larger image).

Showing love (click for larger image).

A well-earned beer at the end of the shoot! (click for larger image).

Check out the full set of photos on Flickr

That's how we rrrrrrrrrrrroll!!

This weekend we shot the video for Get Down, the first single from Rattex's album, Bread and Butter. The track is a club banger so we wanted to have some fun with the video - we got the slick rides, the hot girls, the fresh dances and of course, the high-energy performances.

Get Down features Kritsi Ye'Spaza, who some of you might know from Lungelo's video Dirty Girl. Kritsi is an amazingly talented and energetic performer who is bursting with kasi swagger - it really was non-stop fun working with him.

Anne-Sophie and Nick chose a clean and graphic look with a simple palette of white, red and black to act as a backdrop for the performances. The video also features a new dance called the 'Scooter' (which you can start learning here).  

We shot the video at the amazingly equipped Propaganda Studios out near Durbanville. The owner, Brad, even let us use his beautiful 1970 limited edition Camaro Z28 (and his golf cart!) for the shoot.

We're really excited about this video as the footage is looking amazing. The track is banging too so we're sure this is going to be a summer smash.

Anyway, watch out for the video for Get Down in the next couple of weeks. In the mean time check out the photos...

Wardrobe department (click for larger image).

The speaker shot (click for larger image).

Rah and Kritsi with the Pi Unit Jeep (click for larger image).

The 1970 Camaro Z28 (click for larger image).

The girls get busy (click for larger image).

Rah and Kritsi doing the 'Scooter' (click for larger image).

It's not all hard work (click for larger image).

Nick watches over proceedings (click for larger image).

On camera (click for larger image).

One of my favourite shots (click for larger image).

Anne-Sophie with the boys (click for larger image).

A job well done (click for larger image).

Check out the full set of photos on Flickr

That's how we rrrrrrrrrrrroll!!

The cover of One Small Seed (click for larger image).

Rattex feature (click for larger image).

Check out your boy Rattex in the latest issue of One Small Seed...

"RATTEX - KEEPING IT REAL POISONOUS

In the gold corner, hailing from Nyanga via Khayelitsha, Rattex Rah is just about ready to take over the whole god-damned city. And he's got backup: an arsenal of Minora-blade raps in three loxion languages, a battalion of producers and collaborators including Ben Sharpa, Lungelo, Nyambz, Hipe and Dplanet behind him and, of course, a banging soundtrack for the post-coup d'etat party. See you there, yeah?

Pioneer Unit, the label responsible for unearthing this time bomb, have been taunting us for some time now with smatterings of Rattex recordings on their blog. Having tested the waters with these initial offerings they're currently preparing to release Bread and Butter, Rah's first full-length album, in October and from the sneak preview I've heard this record could very well get colossal on our asses. Talking to the man after a session in the studio with executive producer Dplanet, the only real problem they're currently faced with is the prospect of making the album's final selection. 'The edit's going to be difficult', says D with a wry smile, 'there are too many good tracks.'

They've been writing and recording since the beginning of the year and the album is billed as a 'slice of life' of Rattex Rah, incorporating a vast stylistic range from unabashed prospective chart-toppers to aggressive anti-government verbal assaults and even a tribute to all the grandmothers of the world; it's a variety pack wrapped up tight with conscious lyrical flair. 'I find inspiration in everything, my man... just walking down the street. Once I get the first line - pfff - it's gone. It's in my blood.'

Even when the track is intended to do little else beside get yo ass on the dancefloor, there's a level of depth and sophistication in the lyrical content - whether it be Xhosa, English, Afrikaans or all three rolled into a single line - that sets Rattex apart from most other MCs. That and his intensity on the mic - an instantly detectable characteristic of his sound. Expect Bread and Butter to deliver more hard-edged lyricism, impeccable flow and a playful approach to indigenous phonics.

October 15th. Don't say we didn't warn you."

- Dylan Culhane.

Check out the latest press shot of me and Sharpa taken by Anne-Sophie Leens.

(click for larger image).

That's how we rrrrrrroll!!

Check out the new press shot of Ben Sharpa by Anne-Sophie Leens...

Feel free to download the high resolution version here.

Sharpaganda! (click for larger image).

That's how we rrrrrrrrrrroll!!

After a busy week of recording with Ben Sharpa, we just about had time to shoot the cover for his forthcoming EP which will be released in Europe to promote his tour in June.

The concept of the EP cover is that Ben is under surveillance by secretive forces for his anti-establishment views. We created a fictitious journey for him that started in the centre of Cape Town and ended up at the airport, shooting him covertly from various hiding places.

As always, Anne-Sophie directed the shoot and took the photos. She got some great shots so expect another amazing cover.

Here's some shots from behind the scenes...

The car park shot (click for larger image).

Anne-Sophie shoots Ben (click for larger image).

Watching Ben in the car park (click for larger image).

Posing in the car park (click for larger image).

Watching (click for larger image).

Watching Ben at the airport (click for larger image).

Chilling during the shoot (click for larger image).

That's how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Showbiz Report titles.

Showbiz Report's lovely presenter Sara Chitambo.

Me being interviewed at the Planetary Assault launch party.

Archetypes' Hyphen performing at the Planetary Assault launch party.

Driemanskap performing at the Planetary Assault launch party.

Anne-Sophie talking about directing the video for How We Roll.

KONFAB & Jaak in the How We Roll video.

KONFAB & Jaak in the How We Roll video.

That's how we rrrrrrroll!!

Last sunday Pioneer Unit was in full effect at the Hype Magazine park jam in Gugulethu. The sports complex grounds were full as an all-star line-up of Cape Town's finest provided a full afternoon of entertainment.

My highlights of the the show were Ben Sharpa and Rato performing Trash Talkers on top of the sponsor's vehicle, Jaak's set and of course Driemanskap holding it down in their own back yard.  

It was a great day but I have to be real, we must get these sound systems sorted out - these tin pot sounds are not allowing our artists to shine! A stage would have been good too.

Anyway, like I said, I had a great day and I don't want to be negative. Big up to Mizi, Simone and all the artists that represented to the fullest. This has definitely inspired me to step up our game and do more shows in the hood. It's about time these Cape Town brand managers woke up and realised that they need to start investing properly in our growing culture.  

Check out these photos by Anne-Sophie...

Jaak and Mizi

Ma-B and me
 

Having fun
 

Jaak
 

Driemanskap hype up the crowd
 

Ben Sharpa & Rato perform Trash Talkers
 

El Nino from Driemanskap
 

The crowd watching Driemanskap
 

The crowd watching Driemanskap
 

Sharpa's crowd
 

Ben Sharpa & Rato perform Trash Talkers

To see the full set of photos from the day at full size, click here

That's how we rrrrrrroll!!

A couple of weeks ago Anne-Sophie from Apartment Applied Visual Arts took to the streets of Cape Town to shoot Archetypes for the Pioneer Unit Street Life campaign. The campaign will promote the new range of Pioneer Unit t-shirts and will be used online and in the form of postcards.

We're really happy with the results. Check it out...

'Massage' (click to enlarge)

'Wall' (click to enlarge)

'Robots' (click to enlarge)

'Cadiz' (click to enlarge)

'Archetypes' (click to enlarge)

'Sky' (click to enlarge)

Back of the postcard (click to enlarge)

That's most definitely how we rrrrrrrrroll!!