Thursday, 12 May 2016

A chit chat with Wessel! - How racially segregated are we in Vaal music and arts?



Wessel and Holdfast!


The team and I were strolling around when I came across a duo of white, tattoo’d guys. Now, usually we don’t see this in the Vaal events. Sadly, Our events are not really linked to one another and we have become so used to that.. We are basically so apart from each other racially. So, as frightened as I was by their tattoos and beards, I took a brave chance and my short self, went to these guys to find out what their view on Vaal music is and how diverse can it get ,was!

Pru: “so how is the event for you guys, are you enjoying it so far?”

Wessel: "I just came to skate today and found that there was an event just around the area. The event is actually quite dope. The environment is amazing. It is nice to see the youth busy doing their own thing. It’s very cool. No complaints.

Pru: “Personally, from your view, do you think the Vaal youth, in terms of music and art get enough recognition out there?”

Wessel: “In certain genres, yes, but in general they don’t get the credit. Nobody takes what happens in the Vaal seriously. 

Holdfast: What I feel is that the people around are only focused on one genre. There is no other attempt to another type of genre. Everybody knows what the genre is already but where is it going?”

Pru:  “From your side, its not a racist question or anything, but do you think it would work out well and we’d at least give Vaal a different name if Afrikaans artists collaborated with black Vaal rappers? Like start something different. Would we get more recognition?”

Wessel: “What I’m thinking at the end of the day, my partner and I have studio in Sebokeng for 2 years already. I don’t know if I agree with your question .I just think we need to boost one another and benefit from each other. Not just skin or race. Just culturally English, Afrikaans Sotho, Tswana or whatever. Let’s just work together and help one another, not necessarily black or white. We can gain a lot from one another“


Holdfast: “It might be a big thing starting thing like that but there will be more you get out of it. It’s a starting block and from that there will be new thing, especially if you mix race”

Wessel:  “We need to make it more appropriate in the Vaal to mix race. Whites be with blacks and blacks with whites or whites with Indians. Just mix it up. In Johannesburg and Pretoria, Durban it’s more acceptable than in the Vaal. That’s what’s keeping the artists and musicians from their own hustle. That’s what’s bringing them down. It’s that the Vaal isn’t open to mixing race in music. It’s my own opinion.”

In conlcuison to my chat with Wessel and HoldFast, don't you think it's actually sad that we,as the Vaal, havent really become comfortable with race mixing? Yes,it happens here and there but lets face it,it isn't as wide or as broad as we think it is or as the way it should be. Can we change this,AmbitionZAR? Can we change this, 016? Well,you are free to drop a comment after reading this.

Prudy Blue
xx

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