Antwoord get their zef on in America

You may fink they’re freeky but the hip hop crew have enthralled US

HEY might not be everybody’s cup of tea. You can love them or hate them, but never ignore them and local rap-rave-hip hop group Die Antwoord are causing quite a stir in the US.

The Joburg trio, who are currently on tour in Chicago to promote their latest album Ten$ion, have been overjoyed by the support they have received from their US fan base.

Besides the band’s Us/canadian Ten$ion tour being sold out instantly, they also appeared on popular US talk show Late Show With David Letterman, and have even been chosen as the new faces of American fashion designer Alexander Wang.

However, the success has come as no surprise to the band, who believe they are the very best in

Tthe business.

“Every show has been mental,” said lead singer Ninja, whose real name is Watkin Tudor Jones. “The kids know all the words to all our songs and they dress up like us and cut their hair like us and mosh to our techno tracks.”

It’s hard work and dedication that has earned them the popularity in the US, according to the band’s lead singer.

“We are making fresh futuristic music and videos all on our own, getting the best live show in the world together all on our own, and touring hard, all on our own,” said Ninja.

“Lady Gaga recently asked us to tour with her, but we said ‘Uh... no thanks’, because that would obviously f*** up our cool, one time.”

Asked whether the band, comprising of Yo-landi, DJ Hi Tek and himself, had enjoyed appearing on Late Show With David Letterman, Ninja said it was a “fun” experience.

“The show is heavy fancy, so everyone who works there is very professional. There were tons of paparazzi outside with cameras flashing like crazy when we walked in, so I grabbed my b***s for them.”

Die Antwoord performed the track I Fink U Freeky and also shared the stage with Hollywood actress Sarah Michelle Gellar on the late night show.

“She said hi to us, but we didn’t know who she was,” said Ninja.

The band will also for the first time venture into the fashion world, having been chosen as a face for Wang’s guerrilla-style spring campaign.

“Alex is cool, he took us partying with him again after our shows in NYC. His fashion show and our show were on the same night,” he said.

“We drank this stuff called 4LOCO which tastes like yummy cough mixture and is illegal in some states, and we smoked a volcano and danced and danced. I nearly made four girls pregnant on the dance floor. It was wild.”

Having been on tour for several months, Ninja admits that the band had been missing South Africa.

“The coffee in the USA is k*k. I miss our South African coffee. We should have brought our f****n Nespresso machine with us. I knew we had forgotten something,” said Ninja.

Once the band have completed their tour of the US, they will head to Australia and New Zealand to promote their Ten$ion album, after which they will perform in Las Vegas.