Garlic Brown emcee has a new a EP Forward The Sword – that was inspired by a book detailing the principals of Rastafari.
Whatever your viewpoints on religion and belief, the offering looks set to follow what we’ve come to know him for – a lyricist of the upmost calibre, frightfully creative and fiercely unique.
His enduring skill has been around since the post-millennial cultural knee-jerk that was 2001, when he was welcomed by mother city rap outfit Brasse Vannie Kaap, and has granted him featured spots on stages and on album $0$ by rapping ravers Die Antwoord.
I called him up ahead of the Garlic Brown Forward The Sword EP launch on this Friday at Ragazzi Live Bar.
“Underground hip hop exists as a platform for everybody with an interest in rap to create and experience unique, sincere lyricism unconfined by margins and blue lines.”
Having adopted multiple aliases, such as Vulgar Tongue and Abadon Horseman, at various points of your career, what does your prevailing moniker, Garlic Brown, mean to you?
GARLIC BROWN EMCEE: Garlic is the root chakra for me, a spiritual guide of sorts, leading me to otherworldly realms where I tap into new styles of writing and alternate personas. In terms of my approach, I pen each rhyme as if it were a script. The lyricist is essentially a writer. A writer goes in depth, depicting a story through various characters, scenes and themes. Those same principals apply to rap, whereby a message is expressed through a syncopated combination of lyrical content and music.
You’re considered an underground rapper by and large. How would you define underground rap?
GARLIC BROWN EMCEE: The underground serves to inspire rap showcasing integrity and valuable insight, without adhering to popular trends in the hopes of achieving recognition or monetary reward. It exists as a platform for everybody with an interest in rap to create and experience unique, sincere lyricism unconfined by margins and blue lines and [ultimately] to express personal truths. As an underground rapper, I am constantly seeking out innovative methods to expand my perspective and push the boundaries of my craft.
What are your thoughts on the current state of rap music in the Western Cape?
GARLIC BROWN EMCEE: It can’t be denied that definite progress had been made in the last ten years, in terms of airplay opportunities and exposure for artists. But right now, the industry is flooded by too many people who only want to be on the mic, mostly for superficial reasons. For the culture to truly further itself over here, people will need to specialise their roles and choices. Being a rapper has never been your only option – the culture is also dependent on DJs, promoters, bloggers, artist representation, journalists, music video directors etc. Once those possibilities are grasped, I believe Cape Town could be a Hip-Hop metropolis.
Your new Forward the Sword EP was inspired by a book detailing the principals of Rastafari and guidelines concerning the awakening of consciousness. What can we expect?
GARLIC BROWN EMCEE: I have strived to be as honest as possible with this EP, each and every song title and lyric has a specific purpose. I’ve tried to isolate distinct moments with all the songs, because each moment is a different page in life’s many chapters. In this way, I believe I am forwarding the sword, opening the door to my inner world and using rap music to convey a genuine message. At the same time, I am forwarding the sword symbolically to you, the listener, for you to hopefully tackle the challenges in your own life, to cut and clear the way for yourself.
You’re set to perform the EP in its entirety for the upcoming launch. What can both Garlic Brown fans and the uninitiated expect on the night?
GARLIC BROWN EMCEE: They can expect fire. Fire in the sense of the resounding warmth I’ll be sharing with all those who show up on the night. Not the kind of fire that burns you out, no. This is a fire of upliftment [sic], a fire of purification! In terms of the actual performance, I’ve got one or two surprises up my sleeve, but I for now will reveal is that there’ll be a high quality organic sound on the night. Other than myself, I’ll be joined by DJ talents of Ruthy Pearl, Ruff Tec and Terrasoul – who produced two songs on the EP. The emphasis on this launch, for me, is chiefly to provide a natural vibe for natural people.
What else have you got planned for the rest of the year?
GARLIC BROWN EMCEE: The EP is a taster of what’s to come. I’m also always looking to challenge myself with the unexpected. I might focus more on my creative writing after this, dig even deeper and locate the trails of thought that will lead to more truthfulness in my creative output. My most pressing desire is to achieve the purest possible interpretation of my culture, and that remains an on-going search. With regard to something tangible after the EP, I’m looking into the possibility of producing booklets containing visual interpretations of my music, taking the viewer even further into my aesthetic.
GARLIC BROWN
