Rap artist puts PE on map
A NORTHERN areas artist who won a major Afrikaans music award hopes his win will encourage youngsters to raise awards, not guns.
Fresh from his win at the Ghoema Afrikaans music awards, rapper and hip hop artist Earl Swartz wants his award to inspire youngsters to make positive changes in their own lives.
Affectionately known as Early B, Swartz, 28, from Bloemendal, scooped the award for his hit song, Bene Lam in the Hip Hop Song of the Year category in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Another of his songs, Cerebellum, was nominated in the same category.
Swartz said he was proud to be the first winner of the category, which was introduced this year.
He believed Port Elizabeth was now truly on the map when it came to Afrikaans hip hop music.
“I’m still in shock, I can’t believe I won the award,” Swartz said.
“I went up against some big hitters in the Afrikaans hip hop game, guys whose music I listened to. Now my songs are going up against theirs.”
Swartz said he had been interested in rap music from an early age.
He said the idea behind the Bene Lam was to have some fun.
“I wanted to create a funny dance move so I teamed up with PE’s Finest dance crew and we shot a music video for it as well,” Swartz said.
Despite focusing a lot of his music on rap, Swartz said: “I don’t want to put a barrier around my music, but I wouldn’t classify it as just hip hop.
“I am predominantly a rapper, but my music can be categorised in other genres as well,” the Leka Djy hitmaker said.
He takes much of his inspiration for his songs from his surroundings.
His tag line, which features in all of his music, is Vannie Dal af Meisie, which he said “aims to give recognition to the place that has given me so much”.
Swartz said he did not believe in releasing albums, as he felt albums were not appreciated any more.
“When an album is released, only two or three songs are appreciated and the other songs just fall by the wayside,” he said.
Swartz said he owed a lot of his success to the Port Elizabeth public and, even more so, to his family.
He was working on another song, Bring die Bump Terug, which is set for release sometime next month.
Swartz wanted his music to resonate with young people in the northern areas to encourage them to stay away from a life of crime and violence.
“I want them to do positive things with their lives and get them away from the negative elements in the northern areas,” he said.
“Go for something that is going to make people look at you and be like, ‘I want to be like that guy’. I want them to raise awards, not guns.”
There were other projects he would like to get involved in when his musical career ended.
“I’d like to rap some more, but I would also like to break into the television scene, perhaps my own show or something, ” he said.
The ultimate goal was to set up a hub where creative talent could come together, share ideas and collaborate.
Swartz is managed by his sister, Rochelle, and Hyron Booysen.
Rochelle said: “I’m so proud of him, he has worked so hard for everything he has today.”
Rochelle said they were planning a tour later this year centred around young women and how they valued themselves.