Friday night in Grahamstown is hip hop heaven. For three hours, Azlan Makalima and co-host Lonwabo Teki indulge fans with the best of (mostly local) hip hop, guests and live Facebook chat on their Radio G talk show, "Art Effects The Hip Hop Show".
Friday night in Grahamstown is hip hop heaven. For three hours, Azlan Makalima and co-host Lonwabo Teki indulge fans with the best of (mostly local) hip hop, guests and live Facebook chat on their Radio G talk show, "Art Effects The Hip Hop Show".
Last weekend they took the show to the streets – well actually, to the Fingo Library Hall just off Albert Street – where a lively house full of devotees welcomed hip hop artists Hlalani crew Rhanga Fam, Fingo's Flowza, Port Elizabeth's Qalazive, Tasko and Gqala – and of course Radio G's (and Grocott's Mail's!) own Azlan Makalima.
"We wanted to take the hip hop back to the people," Makalima said afterwards, pleased at the event's success.
"We haven't had a hip hop event for a long time."
They chose Fingo because it's a good central venue – plus "there's good support in Fingo" Makalima says.
He adds that it wasn't only about the fan community either.
"Everyone was helping organise the event, including the artists."
The next session, Makalima says, will be in August – "after the Festival".
Meanwhile, to get your hip hop fix, listen to Radio G on 102.1FM on Friday nights from 6pm to 9pm while you follow the show and other listeners on their Facebook page – 'Art Effects The Hip Hop Show on Radio Grahamstown 102.1FM'.
Grocott's Mail captured this taste of the Rhanga Fam crew at the Fingo event on Saturday afternoon.
And in case you wondered who they are – they met in 2013 when Makalima was behind the Food for Thought street cipher movement.
They met up on Sunday afternoons for street hip hop sessions around town.
Now based in Hlalani, they rehearse together and form a formidable crew.
Check it out.
