Kwaicore

So in the end Kwaicore isn't just a genre but a lifestyle, a representation of our Culture. The lyrics speak of past struggles and hope for the future accompanied by a soulful beat and a unique rhythm. Embrace it, make it your own. Kwaicore is the upbeat language of our nation, let it speak to you.

Hardcore punk for dummies

Okay, to be brutally honest hardcore punk kind of scares the crap out of me, I’d rather stick pins in my eyes or shit in my hands and clap than have to go through an entire three or so minutes of ear bleeding screaming. I remember my first encounter of hardcore punk was in a friends car, the music was loud, his driving was reckless, and there may have been pee in my panties. So I decide to listen to it again, but I mean really listen, and behind all the screeching and toe curling screams, there is some depth to hardcore punk and here are some steps on how to embrace hardcore punk.

Step 1: Slowly work your way into hardcore punk.

Okay so if you’re a Taylor Swift, Bruno mars or Justin Bieber kind of individual, I recommend you start off with some hardcore punk that’s a little easier on the ears, such as Greenday or Blink 182 (even though true hardcore punk fans are probably going to shun me for saying such things) then work your way towards something a little heavier such as Rise Against or The misfits.

Step 2: Understand what Hardcore is not.

Many people (including myself) have false assumptions of hardcore punk fans. We see them as reckless, troublemaking, drug and alcohol using shitheads who constantly look like they’ve been starved of happiness, however this is false, in fact most hardcore punk fans and band members are actually against alcohol, drugs and immoral sex there are even some vegan/vegetarian straight edge punks who are all about green peace and spreading the love, and the more you listen to the lyrics the more you’ll realize that what I am saying is true.

Step 3: Know the look

The hardcore punk scene has an anti-fashion emphasis, hardcore punk fans are all about the t-shirts and jeans and the DIY trend. Hardcore punk is not about flashy accessories or weird hairstyles, it’s about being yourself and if weird hairstyles and piercings are what make you happy then by all means pierce away!

Step 4: Be yourself

Don’t stop listening to what you love, just learn to accept the beauty of other genres, listen harder and embrace what hardcore punk has to offer, if you prefer more chilled music then that’s great, just stay open minded and be yourself and let the music consume you.

She is hardcore, she is punk, she is hardcore punk.

Hardcore isn’t just music, it is a movement. It’s a way of thinking, it’s doing what you know is right, its being who you want to be and never letting anyone stand in your way. Hardcore music involves shouted vocals with a fast aggressive tempo and a guitar sound featuring quick chord.

Punk is all about being different, its about being yourself, liking what you want, doing what you do and not having to live up to anyone else’s expectations. There is no dress code, hair colour or rules to be punk, punk is all about being who you are and being true to yourself. “Punk rock music is a kind of rock music anti-establishment which means against institutional authority and against the conventions of society”

Put the two together and you get hardcore punk. Duh. So what is hardcore punk exactly? Well picture it as the women who will give you a good ride. She is dark yet luring, she has her own way of thinking and believes what she wants to believe, she is not a blink 182 or sum 41 kinda girl. She goes against the world by being different, she has her own voice, her own opinion. She gives you the kind of confidence to say ‘fuck this’ I’m going to speak to her. She’s loud and passionate. She’s rebellious and wild and stops for no one. She makes you feel alive she makes you want to fuck shit up. She is the cheap sex, The unseen. She has No use for a name. She is promiscuous yet vulnerable, she will make you scream; she will give you the best night of your life. 

Loxion Kulca

Kwaito is a music genre that is known for being the voice of young African people, it indicates the struggles and joys that people living in townships have had to endure. Kwaito is not only verbal, but now visual too. Loxion Kulca is a clothing brand that reflects the streets and lifestyle of urban Africa through its range of incredible hand crafted clothing items; this is a brand that embraces its roots and expresses its heritage through its Loxion Kulca roots initiative. This initiative is a way of LK embracing where they came from and a way of making sure they stay grounded, by selling knitted products made by producers in townships. Loxion Kulca was created in 1997 by Mogale and his partner Wandi Nzimande, it all started when people started asking where they could buy crocheted skull caps like the ones they were wearing, the caps took off and the clothing range followed. “Loxion” is a slang derivative of “location”, apartheids label for areas designated for black people, now classified as “townships”. The business/brand is very much based on the principle of “Ubuntu” which means “respecting your fellow man and therefore, respecting yourself, and having pride in your country.” Loxion Kulca clothing can be bought across the country from 150 outlets and in Botswana, Swaziland and Namibia. The brand had also gone abroad selling merchandise in the US, Europe and Australia, with plans to export to China and Japan. Now Kwaito is not only a music genre but a lifestyle too, reflecting South African culture and history.

How Kwaito began.

It started off with western house music which the clubs in townships then slowed down, adding an African twist to the mix by throwing in some traditional African instruments as well as elements of African jazz, it was then that Kwaito was born. The style of Kwaito also incorporates other genres of music such as Hip Hop, R&B, dancehall and Disco. Kwaito was created in the townships of Soweto, near Johannesburg, where it became the voice of the younger generation growing up in these areas, it wasn’t just music, it represented times of struggle, it became a lyrical crutch that the younger generation could lean on to express how they felt, as well as the hardships their people had to endure. Kwaito was a success in townships, as this genre of music didn’t require tons of fancy/expensive equipment or special musical training, it could be made with the little that was available in townships- Kwaito is more about what the artist has to say through his or her lyrics not about what was used to make the music. This is a genre that was started from a struggle, from nothing at all really, but has grown to become the voice of the country; the heart beat of the nation.