In Die Antwoord, a South African rap group, pixie–voiced Yo–Landi Vi$$er sings like a perverse fairy while her co–conspirator Ninja curses like a pirate. They rap gross and engrossing lyrics atop twinkly melodies and punch–in–the–face beats. A longtime YouTube favorite, the group was signed to Interscope this year; $O$, the band’s debut album, has been re–released by the label to acclaim and confusion.
Die Antwoord represents the Zef movement, embodying a style that includes modern and out–of–date, trashy elements. They rap in both English and Afrikaans, a South African offshoot of Dutch. The Afrikaans is compelling, partly because it somehow sounds both lulling and jarring. It’s also interesting because this is still largely rap music, so there are about five topics up for discussion. And one of them is being really, really cool. It’s possible to forget you’ve never heard this language before because the message is so clear.
Compared to American music, which continues to churn out odes to bottles and models, Die Antwoord is scrappy, the voice of a people obsessed with things much easier to obtain. They satire rap’s materialism in “Rich Bitch” (pronounced reech beetch), a song about a woman whose “fuck you” attitude means she answers the phone only when she chooses. And, over a frenetic Diplo beat in "Evil Boy", Yo–Landi and guest MC Wanga sing a scary–sexy ode to, well… penises .
Infectious and intriguing, $O$ demands dance and a close listen. But enjoying Die Antwoord is hard to do without ignoring their weirdness. This is a group of bizarre individuals: watch their videos. A collage of macabre subcultures, it can border on disturbing. In spite of their strangeness, or perhaps because of it, Die Antwoord’s authenticity is refreshing.
Die Antwoord $O$ Sounds Like: Angry, global circus rap 99-Cent Download: “Enter the Ninja” Good For: When you’re sick of sane music 4/5 Stars
