Three Days of Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) in Cape Town

Written by Sabelo Mkhabela, Images taken by Benjamin Moyo

By now, you should know that Yasiin Bey (the artist formerly known as Mos Def) has been a Cape Town resident for a few years. You either have spotted him yourself or know someone who has. It’s said he lives in a penthouse somewhere in the CBD. My partner in all things art, Andy Mkosi and I got an opportunity to encounter the hip-hop legend on three different days in Cape Town as he prepared his Now Years Eve concert held at the iconic Zula Bar.

Friday, December 27^th: Bush Radio, Salt River 

Yasiin Bey has turned down almost all interview requests since moving down here. Promoters who have reached out haven’t been successful either.

Yasiin Bey agreed to sit down with us on the last Friday of the year 2013 which marked the last Headwarmaz episode of the year. As Yasiin walked into the studio with his cousin and rapper Whosane, we were, as a welcome gesture, playing the Premo-produced “Mathematics” which would be followed by Whosane’s “Mamela (Listen)”. We exchanged greetings and everybody took their seats. We offered everyone Red Bulls, Yasiin opted for water. Both Andy and I were nervous at first.

But, as we started conversing, it all vanished. And partly due to Whosane’s humour. Yasiin is a chilled individual, forever wearing a wry inviting smile indicating utmost humility and an overall hospitable personality.  All questions me and Andy posed got long erudite responses that would end up veering into other topics. The range of topics we covered was wide; his demonstration of the inhumane force-feeding at the Guantanamo Bay procedure, Nelson Mandela, his most criticised albums New Danger and True Magic… and a whole lot more. 

I’ve always been curious what was going on in his head when he chose to make such cringe-worthy albums especially New Danger which would suffer comparison to his culture-defining debut, Black On Both Sides (1999). He claimed it had the most challenging music he has ever made. “I wasn’t trying to win anything. I thought, ‘this is where I’m at, this is the zone I’m in and feeling’” he defended himself. “And the label was like, ‘Na, we want a Mos Def rapping album’ and I was like, ‘Okay, cool’” He made it clear that he likes both albums. “I was pleased with the record (New Danger). I was pleased with True Magic [too],” he stated. However, he felt he could have done better with the latter but he had issues with the label (Geffen) that’s why the album would go on to be released without an artwork and credit list.

His 2008 aptly titled comeback, Ecstatic, a personal favourite of mine, was what Mos Def fans had, for several years, been asking for from him: a good Mos Def rap album. “I was like I’m only going to do songs that I’m crazy about. On Ecstatic I was dealing with each song like it could have been a single on its own,” he explained.  And I can’t agree more, listening to it gave me the same impression. The album title was testament to that.

Our conversations would carry on even off-air. One significant revelation he made off-air is that the second Black Star album is definitely happening. “Yeah, it’s gonna happen. Me and Kweli have a plan,” he revealed subtly. He also revealed that he wasn’t officially signed to Kanye’s G.O.O.D Music imprint which he has worked closely with in the last few years. “Kanye is a friend, long-time friend. Possibly in the future we can do something together. There’s been some talks but no formal deals or anything. Last time I saw him, he said, ‘we need to get into studio’” he said imitating Kanye’s voice.

Moving away from music a little – after all, Yasiin is an actor, phillanthropist, fashion icon and other cool shit – we asked him about his daring Guantánamo Bay experience where he underwent the horrid force-feeding procedure used on detainees on hunger strikes at the controversial detention camp. “The reason I did it is because I felt very strongly that people needed to see what is happening to innocent human beings who are being denied just their rights whether they are criminal or not,” he explained. “I never spoke about it or explained why I did it, I think the statement is in the action.”

While he was still talking in depth about it, Whosane interrupted: “Yasiin is a brother, mentor and friend to me and me watching that, I felt pain for him as a human being, as a brother…and though ‘wow this is him…as a person not just the entertainer… ‘”

The subject of activism led us down a conversation about the late South African president and apartheid struggle icon Nelson Mandela, who had become a divisive figure as many felt he sold us out during the CODESA negotiations.  “And let me say this too you know, it’s not even been 30 days since Madiba has passed. His life was about the resistance of oppression. Period. Whatever gaps that people feel he left, it is for those who are living to fill those gaps.” He continued, “Madiba’s life is a great archetype for how you can really win. He didn’t die as a martyr or victim. The very people who slandered him, imprisoned him, tried to murder him, many of them he outlived and the ones who are still living have to sing his praises.” We all chuckled.

Monday, December  30^th: Boaston Society, Long Street, Cape Town  

Yasiin Bey expanded more on the socio-political matters at a three-hour-long meet-and-greet held at Boaston Society concept store and project space one day before his Now Year’s Eve concert. Flanked by Cape Town rap duo, Ill Skillz, DJ OnQ, poet Lebo Mashile and of course Whosane, and arriving an hour late, he availed himself to an audience of Cape Town Mos Def fans which consisted of flamboyantly dressed ‘cool kids’, budding creatives, weirdos and (insert whatever category you fit in here).

His presence could be felt every second. He opined on African politics touching on the likes of Lumumba, Mandela and other African leaders, knowledge of self, art and other topics.

All panelists had some valuable stuff to share to the attentive audience. They touched on independence, non-conformity and how privileged our generation is to have such resources as the internet that allows us to express ourselves freely and free from the vexing red tape of mainstream media. “If Facebook existed at that time, I doubt I would have even signed with Rawkus,” Yasiin said. Looking at how all these events (from his radio interview, the meet-and-greet session to the concert itself) were promoted purely through the internet (Facebook and Twitter) without any aid from major media houses, corporate sponsorships whatsoever, the point was well supported. The Ill Skillz duo also testified: they have managed to build their brand without substantial major media support and this, they blamed on the media’s repulsiveness to their sound. The message that all artists on the panel echoed was loud and clear: the corporate world doesn’t care about art. At all. “They are not trying to create a music culture. They are promoting a [night] club culture,” Uno July, one half of Ill Skillz asserted.

Questions from the audience ranged from clichéd to weird with a handful of pertinent ones. You know how that goes.

Tuesday, December 31st: Now Year’s Eve show, Zula Bar, Long Street, Cape Town     

The recent ‘festive season’ marked the first I have ever spent away from home. For reasons that shall not be mentioned, I was in Cape Town throughout December. I had envisaged myself spending New Year’s Eve in bed tweeting I was ‘turning up’ somewhere. But Mos Def’s Now Year’s Eve concert came to my rescue. I made my way to Zula Bar, surfing fun-lovers – young women in the skimpiest of outfits and highest of heels, guys in the skinniest of jeans and darkest of shades (at night, yes) – gallivanting on Long Street with alcohol-influenced woozy gaits.

After being palpated by the bouncers at the entrance, I finally got into Zula Bar and reunited with Andy and some other friends of ours. The mood was vibrant. With Zaki Ibrahim, Lebo Mashile, Ill Skillz and Whosane opening for the Brooklyn veteran, it was poised to be a great night.

Host for the night was UCT Radio’s Bread and Butter host, Kyeezi. Up first on stage was Ill Skillz who gave an applaudable performance. They were followed by Motif Records’ Zaki Ibrahim. She seems to have gotten light on her feet now; she had some dance moves I had never seen from her before. She was a marvel to watch.

Right after being serenaded by Zaki, the crowd was treated to the witty recitals of Lebo Mashile. She managed to captivate a club full of half-drunken youths on a New Year’s Eve. Not the easiest of tasks if you ask me.

The last opening act was Brook-lon’s Whosane. Clad in a Muslim-style outfit, he owned the stage. He gave a stellar performance and the crowd was in awe. Overall, all the opening acts were great and set the tone for Yasiin quite well.

Whosane finished his set a few minutes before midnight and host Kyeezi announced that the audience should move upstairs for Yasiin’s performance. We shoved and scrambled up the stairs, smiling from ear to ear; this would mark the first time I (and a majority of everyone in attendance) had seen the legend perform live.

A few minutes after midnight, which officially marked the beginning of 2014, Yasiin took to the stage. Dressed in a Muslim-style outfit just like Whosane, he looked more like a brother on his way to a mosque than a rapper in a club. Adorned in his light smile, he sprinkled roses on the stage and threw some at the excited audience before starting his set.

Backed by Cape Town’s DJ OnQ and holding his red vintage microphone, Yasiin kicked his set off with “Casa Bey” from Ecstatic, followed by more of its siblings; “The Auditorium”, “Priority”, “Pretty Dancer” and “Life in Marvelous Times” to a crowd that kept on screaming sporadically for Black On Both Sides and Black Star material such as, among others, “Umi Says”, “Ms Fat Booty” and “Brown Skin Lady”. You know how those stuck-in-the-90s niggas are with their nostalgia.

But Yasiin, as he has indicated with his moves, fully embraces progress. To everyone’s surprise (and I imagine disgust), Yasiin performed a cover of Drake’s “YOLO”. He called his version “Yasiin Over Lyrics Oh wow – YOLO” and he rapped about wishing you good luck for your job-hunt. It was amazing. 

While many were still astonished by the freestyle, he followed with covers of Jay-Z’s Rick Ross-assisted banger, “FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt” and The Throne’s “Niggas in Paris” driving the crowd into a frenzy (at least a majority of them). He went on to perform such crowd-favourites as “Sex, Love and Money” and “Ms Fat Booty”. The last jam he performed was “Umi Says” and then he went on to vibe jovially on stage to a funky instrumental before leaving.

And that is how 2014 started for me.