Jovislash Dives Into Black People’s Struggles In New Album ‘Kaffir’

Jovislash, in his new album ‘Kaffirs’, goes in-depth into the struggles of black people in South Africa, highlighting the harsh reality of the Apartheid regime and dealing with the issues plaguing the country today, which are direct results of apartheid just like the album title.

The tape opens with ‘Intro (Divided)’ which touches on the influx of African foreigners into South Africa. In the song that follows, titled ‘’Amakwerekwere’, Jovi Slash raps from the perspective of a foreigner. “They call us names, basingibiza ngamagama, bathi singamakwerekwere,” he sings in the hook.  

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The last verse is rapped from the perspective of a South African. “I don’t mind you crossing these borders, but when you pull through, make sure you don’t bother us, When we suffer, the media is not for us/ Once we fight for the precious land of ours, these cowards scream ‘xenophobia!’” he raps. 

‘Clever Blacks’ is a song that speaks of how a black man assimilated into the world of white people is still, at the end of the day, a black man. 

‘Landless’, a song about black people not owning much land in South Africa, is where we get our first feature on the tape with Froz who critiques the R350 government grant “cause our leaders are gold diggers in training.” 

Features dominate the second half of the project; Jovi Slash shares a beat with Siya Shezi, Ferguson and London X on ‘Bayavuma’, a break from the heavy content. “Igame isoft kakhulu si-nurse-a ama feelings abo mrapper ba act-a kakhulu, sibukela amafilimu,” Siya Shezi raps. 

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The hard-hitting kasi rap slapper ‘Fede’, the tape’s lead single, has late SA Hip-Hop legend PRO going hard on the chorus. 

N’Veighand Nyeleti join Jovi Slash for that money talk on the mellow ‘Le Ko Kae’ “She happy and she ain’t caught in the feels/ Short gun in a new German automobile/ I already told you imma sort out the bill and you already know what's the deal,” N’Veigh raps in his laidback delivery. Jovislash handles the sung hook with Nyeleti doing the backing vocals.

Jovislash wraps up the project with ‘Vote’, encouraging young people to be involved in the voting process. “I know that change is good cause everyone's tryna make it out the hood”, he raps. “I’ve never felt so confused/ The last time I voted, I felt so used.”