'I Am West Coast Hip-Hop' Initiative Releases Smartphone Application

An initiative started to help promote the local Hip-Hop scene has now grown into a more reliable source of entertainment, but will this improve its success? The question stands.

Branded as 'I Am West Coast Hip-Hop', this initiative is something some might already be familiar with. With it's establishment earlier this year on Facebook, the promotional efforts of this brand has accumulated 93 likes on Facebook so far, extending it's roots to Twitter to ensure a greater public reception.

So far the likes of War3 Karakt3z, Legacii, Big Twist, Ill Scripts, BALLERGANG & Tha Real U have risen to acclaim in this scene with constant mention on it's social networks. The initiative aims to help build and improve the South African West Coast Hip-Hop platform and has seen various newcomers such as EM-K, Wild Boys, AB, Lazy Cats & WBMG receive their much deserved attention as well. With arrangements such as a collaborative show known as 'West Coast Hip-Hop Night' proposed on the 1st of June this year and the 'I Am West Coast Hip-Hop Radio Show' on local community station, Radio West Coast (93.2fm), the initiative has grown to invest more and more in developing it's artistry. Theses attempts however have proven to be unsuccessful, but might improve as new plans are rolled out.

The latest plan from this initiative is the 'I Am West Coast Hip-Hop BlackBerry Application' known as 'Weskus Hip-Hop by SwagCity' on BlackBerry App World. While this application was developed by it's sister project, SwagCity, a mobile music website established for the same purpose, the partnership in this smart-phone application could prove to be one worthy of recognition.
The announcement for this plan was made two months ago in August, as SwagCity later shut down for maintenance to relaunch it's services on September 24th. The relaunch would include the application apart from the changes made on the music website. However part of this plan was later postponed due to pending status of both the vendor registration and application release by BlackBerry's Developer division.

The application finally hit the Research In Motion's smartphone online store this week with an announcement made on Saturday the 19th of October. Features from this app include, content from the West Coast Hip-Hop initiative's Facebook page, articles from two of West Coast Hip-Hop's media sources, Startouch Magazine and Lyrics & Truth, and the Top 20 newest releases from the West Coast on partner mobile website, SwagCity.

To download the App, search 'Weskus Hip Hop' in BlackBerry's App World search

• Like 'Weskus Hip Hop' on Facebook
• Follow '@IAmWeskusHipHop' on Twitter

Big Twist To Release 2nd Mixtape

Following the quiet delayed release of 'Twistyle Mixtape', Big Twist doesn't stop there. The Vredenburg rapper has found inspiration to create a follow up mixtape subject to be released next year. The title is yet unknown, the same applies to the amount of songs and artists it might feature but Twist suggest that it might be a second edition to the previous mixtape.
 

The content however is guaranteed to be mind blowing. Twists intendeds to deliver a message as to how life is being a teen rapper and ensures it will be 20 times better then the current tape.

 

He plans to give Twistyle artists a framework to build their artistic careers. Through the 2nd release a variety of instrumentals will be used instead of self-produced - enabling a quicker and more convenient production procedure for the team.

To download 'Twistyle Mixtape' visit: www.bigtwist.tk.

Real U Wears The Crown For The Underground

West Coast Hip-Hop raised the banner high this week as Saint Helena Bay rapper, Tha Real U reps his town and region well. The conscious rapper released his follow up to 'That I'm Dreaming' which reached a record breaking 100 downloads in 2 weeks, but that was nothing compared to this week’s happenings. The song 'Underground Kings' was produced by Shaloma Muzik following a similar production procedure of 'November 28 Girl' and a hard-core message echoing that of 'Long Nights' - the West Coast Conscious Hip-Hop banger which left many speechless after its release about 2 months ago.

Johannesburg rapper, TiTan Kai from the Eldorado Park Christian Hip-Hop group, UNIQUE, joined Real U on this groundbreaking new single. As another heat-seeker following Real U's two successful releases, 'Underground Kings' rapidly gained downloads and plays within just an hour of release. According to Shaloma Muzik's posts on Tha Real U's Facebook page, the song gathered 12 plays within 45 minutes and 10 downloads within 50, a number which normally takes some artists roundabout a day, sometimes a week or even a month to achieve.

The song then went on to beat its sister, 'Long Nights' by accumulating 60 downloads in just 19 hours, compared to the 56 — 'Long Nights' has after 2 months. Followed by an abundance of thanks from Tha Real U, the song initially reached 98 downloads at 18h00 (GMT+2) on Wednesday, December 19th; 24 hours from when it was subject to release. However, due to its actual release at 18h06 the previous day this result did not reflect the full 24 hours which at just a few minutes later saw the song officially reach the 100 downloads mark at 18h10.

In respect to the songs release, mobile music-site Swagcity (swagcity.wen.ru), introduced a new feature, entitled 'Featured Song' which places a selected track located on the site, on its home page for a week. Granted that 'Underground Kings' was a brand new addition, the song became the first to be featured in this promotion.

Reflecting some of Real U's work on his mixtape, the song is recorded on a Drake instrumental of the same title. Real U stated that he found the instrumental a few months back online and felt the urge to record on it instantly. He found the title appropriate to the message he (at that time) wanted to present. This occurred after he felt a little discouraged due to the fact that some suggested that they disliked Real U's rapping in comparison to other local rappers. A few others stated that his message is different causing him not be as good as the rest. Real U however did not record this song as a response to his haters, but rather an indirect message to other rappers and their fans, which vividly compare his work to theirs.

The center aim of the song is bringing consciousness to artists, particularly rappers in the West Coast region. Real U states that he is an Underground King, not because of status but because of his position. His message of faith through Conscious Rap is a way of repping his superhero, Jesus as stated. As Galatians 4:7 in the Bible states that they are heirs in the Kingdom of God and co-heirs in Christ, Real U suggests that they should be considered kings on Earth as the Bible identities them as princes in Heaven.

This Christian perspective is evident throughout the song and stretches till the end, where Real U concludes that those who exalt themselves, considering themselves to be better than the rest, will be humbled.

As initially intended Shaloma Muzik will soon release a lyrical video for the song on YouTube. Other than this, it has not yet been confirmed as to whether or not the song will be uploaded on KasiMp3, as it will follow the release procedure of its two predecessors, appearing on Zamob and other connected sites of the Wapload network.

Real U Now 100%! Vandalism Gets Full Distrubution

The once ambitious House DJ, DJ Real U, has set various flames in the underground industry with leaks from his much anticipated mixtape Vandalism. A mixtape which took about half the year to complete, has now officially met its peak, when Real U Productions & the West Coast Finest team decided to distribute it one last time in 2012.

Today, 24 June marks a memorious day as Real U becomes the first Touch Radio artist (amongst the like of Ndwaz10 & DJ D33psoul) to submit a full mixtape online. His mixtape is now available at the official DJ Real U website (realudj.tk) as well as on 4shared.

Following various local feedback, the mixtape has gotten nothing but positive vibes since Real U's previous Greenroom Mixtape was distributed. Following 4 previous mixtapes, Vandalism has become the first to receive full support as rumours suggest Real U will no longer be involved in the House Music industry.