#bottomrightcorner — the Manyoba BOY$!

For this week’s #bottomrightcorner, we handed it over to none other than the Manyoba BOY$! Made up of Lesotho-born Big Space and British expat Jumping Back Slash, Manyoba BOY$ are the most swanking South African underground house and techno producers around; they got white meat and dark meat like a chicken and together they bring the Manyobane$$! We asked them to choose five of their favourite tracks, and so without further ado… Presenting the Manyoba BOY$’ #bottomrightcorner!

Bob James – ‘Nautilus‘

Bob James is a jazz keyboardist and producer who is recognised as one of the pioneers of smooth jazz. His silky tunes have awarded him two Grammy trophies and a lifelong legacy among jazz’s elite. He was also member of Fourplay – a jazz supergroup that spent numerous weeks at the top of Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart when their debut self-titled album released in 1991.

James’ tracks have had a profound resonance in hip-hop circles, with numerous rappers sampling his work. For example ‘Nautilus’, taken from the album One, can be heard echoing through the heavy beats of Eric B. & Rakim’s ‘Follow the Leader’, Run-D.M.C.’s ‘Beats to the Rhyme’, and Ghostface Killah’s ‘Daytona 500’.

Alaska – ‘Alaska‘

Alaska embody South African music culture in the kwaito rhymes they’ve spilled through local airways over the last ten years. The five-piece group is made up of Lucky Mlakana, Thabo Tsotetsi, Les Ma-ada, Andrew Moloisane, and Sphiwe Pica. Their music brims with socially conscious lyricism which resonates in a variety of African languages – isiXhosa, Sesotho, isiZulu and Sepedi to name a few. The group originated in Soweto, and the track ‘Alaska’ is taken from their first album, Cool As Hell.

Kenny Larkin – ‘Northern Lights‘

Kenny Larkin is a ’90s techno banger. The Detroit producer has been described as ‘massively influential’ on the rise of techno in both Europe and America. To many who run in techno circles, Larkin is a household name. In the early 2000s he embarked on a career in comedy – fitting as he sometimes goes by the moniker, Dark Comedy – but 2012 saw him return to the dance floor sounds.

‘Northern Lights’ is a track that was produced in 1995. The song is a cool, laid-back, house-like showcase of techno in the ’90s. For all the youngsters who missed the ’90s age, take a listen.

Virgo Four – ‘Let the Music Play‘

Merwyn Sanders and Eric Lewis are Virgo Four. The duo, also known as Ace & the Sandman, salute their hometown, Chicago, in their Chicago house sounds. Chicago house is much like the smooth dance beats of electro house, except that it’s based and created in The Windy City. Their career was short-lived with only three records released, but Virgo Four’s music helped reverberate the beat of house through the streets of Chi-Town. ‘Let The Music Play’ is a silky, jazzy sample of Virgo Four’s electric old-school flavour.

Wu-Tang Clan – ‘It’s Yourz‘

‘Machine gun rap for all my niggas in the back’ – the first words of It’s Yourz’ say it all. Wu-Tang Clan are street rap invigorators who powered through American hip-hop airways throughout the ’90s. The crew is made up of a dizzying group of talent in RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late ‘Ol Dirty Bastard. They are widely acknowledged to be one of the most influential acts to hit the hip-hop scene and have garnered both critical and mainstream success.

The New York-bred group became famous for their story-telling rhymes which challenged social injustice, promoted Black Conscious, and defended the hustle of those running on the periphery. Their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), placed them at the zenith of hip-hop triumph, with tracks like ‘C.R.E.A.M’ championing their arrival to the rap world.

‘It’s Yourz’ reflects the group’s focus on the harshness of the world by highlighting that regardless how insignificant man may feel; the world still belongs to us.

LINKS:

Manyoba BOY$ – Facebook, SoundCloud, Twitter
Big Space – Facebook, SoundCloud, Twitter
Jumping Back Slash – Facebook, SoundCloud, Twitter