I got hip to this sista Yugen Blakrok the other day and was told she is on a ‘next level‘ vibe. The assertion is true. Yugen who hails from a small farm in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, comes to the Hip Hop table seriously pushing the envelope.
Yugen began listening to Hip Hop during the late 90s. It was the last dying days of the ‘Golden Era‘ when substance far outweighed swag and the youth of America were still being conscious-ised by artists like; Public Enemy, Organized Konfusion, the Zulu Nation as well as the more spiritually infused sounds of Wu-Tang Clan, De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest. Words of Black Consciousness and Self-Emancipation made up Yugen Blakrok’s journey into Hip Hop.
Listening to her music over a decade later one often catches strong glimpses of these foundations, her lyrics are mosaics of social commentary infused with layers of mysticism and consciousness, layered over beautifully dark and lush boom bap backdrops.
In 2009, while trying to get get her ‘Recess Poetry‘ ep stocked in Grayscale Stores, Yugen met Gradmaster Shorty Skillz of Iapetus Records who suggested she hook up with Splif-Obliterating Super producer and Sampletologist Kanif the Jhatmaster. They strike a chord and she signs to the label.
Since then she has been touring with fellow stablemates hymphatic thabs, Gin Grimes, Witchcraft, Fifi, Zetina Mosia. As Well as with the late Robo the technician. As a solo artist she has shared the stage with some of the dopest artists in the country as well as international acts like; Public Enemy, Copywrite, Soweto Kinch and Jonzi D to name a few.
Her debut album ‘Return of the Astro-Goth‘, independently released through Iapetus in October 2013 has already been hailed a classic in several international reviews and is available now on all major online stores.
source: Iapetus Records
Yugen Blakrok – Chatterboxin’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVCShsFW3Hw
Yugen Blakrok – Darkstar Animatron
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raLuKP8UE5c
Yugen Blakrok – House of Ravens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHkBxjbXEAY
Much respect to Mr Davey D and Iapetus Records for recognising the illest.. Blakrok is truly the most gifted lyricist and one of the illest writers in South African hiphop. Still manages to spit about real issues, articulated through well-crafted beats in a world where creativity is something not so important.
Bigups to Blakrok!!