On World Music Day (21 June), I would just like to go back to the good old days when Namibian hip-hop was actually a thing. Back to a time when Namibian hip-hop actually filled venues. I want to go back to the time when Namibian hip-hop dominated Namibian radio. A time when we would zula a few coins throughout the week to make sure we were able to pay entrance on Saturday for a hip-hop show at Bank Windhoek Theatre school, the Warehouse or any school hall venue.
I want to go back to the time when Namibian hip-hop dominated headlines in the print space. A time when Namibian hip-hop was a way of life. A movement that made you feel like you belong. Namibian hip-hop was all that and more. How dare we forget how Rock n JaiCeé ran these streets? (Dance to Survive) was and still is the anthem! With rappers like Doré,
hip-hop had that pure raw with pun-intended lyrics that gave you chills.
I want to go back to a time when people like Stanley Mareka and his dance crew, now a fully-fledged entertainment service offering, Equipped Dancing Academy, made it so cool to be in these Namibian hip-hop music videos. I want to go back to the time when NAMTV would drop these zone sessions where these cats would drop hard bars. Speaking of cats…we will not have a conversation about Namibian hip-hop without mentioning that culture-shifting moment when the late Catty Catt’s zone session dropped: The session in which he singled out all the weak links in the game. That session had the whole country talking. Dice’s reply to Catty Catt had these streets in a chokehold. FYI, dare I say, NAMTV gave birth to KChinga, Lioness, Skrypt, KP Illest and FZone AJ. Legend has it that the streets are still undecided on who killed that cypher.
Now on the subject of beef. I miss the good old days of Namibian hip-hop beef. Top of mind, I remember the S-man-Wambuseun beef. KK vs D-Jay, AliThatDude vs Neptune Black, Nga-I vs Kwame Sankara, Chris Paul vs well…everybody. That clip of Chris Paul getting ambushed lives rent-free in my head, the list is endless.
I miss the good old days when female rappers were as insane and competitive with the raps as their male counterparts. You know Lioness today, but before Lioness, there was Snazzy, DQ Blaze and Ru CuteGeek. Lioness had tough competition from rappers like Bella Harris, Miss Cassy Rap-Goddess, Shawty and Ghettoballerina (who is still active today). I know for a fact I’m forgetting a few more. You are more than welcome to hit me up on X, using the hashtag #IndustryLoop.
I miss the good old days of Namibian hip-hop, where crews were everything. Run N.A.M.S, Infinity, Lafamilia, Bermuda, 061 Music, Black Market, RV, Mad Boy Genius…etc. A crew was a must back in the day. Will we ever experience a second wave of Namibian hip-hop?
Until the next Loop, we say #GMTM
Need an MC? I’m YOUR guy. Hit me up…naobebsekind@gmail.com