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Muzi speaks on making straight fire
Muzi, the young producer/DJ from South Africa, is taking the world by storm with his hard and heavy sound – a mix of hip-hop, bass, electronica and traditional Zulu music that is difficult to define and impossible to ignore. We caught up with the man himself to talk about moving from S.A. to Berlin, showing Stormzy the streets and making straight fire beats.
Hi Muzi, how are you doing? What have you been up to recently?
Thanks for taking the time to do this interview :). I'm good, sippin’ on some bubblegum milkshake. I've been looking for thrift shops here in Berlin. Need more jackets or this cold is going to kill me!
You grew up in the Empangeni township in South Africa, what influence did that environment have on your music?
When you grow up hearing nothing but hard hitting, loud music and your dad has huge ass Technics speakers and a huge ass vinyl collection, you think everything's gotta have bass in it. No one I know plays Mozart/Beethoven or soft art. It's all loud, bright and colourful.
You’ve now relocated to Berlin, a capital of electronic music. How has living in the city shaped your productions?
It's made me want to be more honest and express my true self more. Ain't too many black people here so I somewhat feel like I gotta represent.
Your sound is completely unique – heavy and hard but also very musical – meaning it doesn’t fit neatly into one genre. How do you describe it?
To be honest with you, I don't know how to describe it. It just is. I think that's a good place to be in. Everyone just sounds the same lately. People can go on YouTube and find out how to make a trap song in 10 seconds. I think that is ultra lame. My music isn't formulaic and I love that. The day I'm able to put it in a genre box is the day my music will lose its essence I think.
Fire FX, your latest EP, is sick. What was the inspiration behind the record?
Moving from S.A. to Berlin. People like me don't get to see the world much so yeah the move definitely got me inspired.
Your videos, like the one for ‘Nizogcwala’ are big and bold, clashing different styles and motifs. Do you enjoy working on the visual side of the music?
Yes I do. I'm no director or anything but I think I have an eye for good shit. I always have a picture in my head of how I want something to be so I'm always trying to execute that. Big shout out to King Adz for helping me bring that video to life.
In your recent documentary for Noisey you showed Stormzy around Durban, how was that experience?
Was really cool. Felt like a dream cause we had just seen the dude on TV. Some of his reactions were fuckin’ funny though. Like when the taxi drivers were blasting music, I could tell he'd had enough hahaha, he couldn't take it no more. Thought that was hilarious.
Any plans for him to take you round the streets of South London? Or work on music together?
I don't know. Hopefully.
Are you a fan of grime?
I am. I can relate to it. Taking your influences, twisting them and making your own unique shit outta that. I think that's fucking cool. Sometimes it's too fast for me to catch some of the words and the accent makes it hard but I love the energy.
How has the underground scene in Durban, and South Africa as a whole, evolved since you started making music?
People are opening up to more unique ideas. It ain't as closed off as it used to be. There's more room for people like me to come through and fuck some bass speakers up!
Is it easier for artists to get their music heard internationally?
No, because they might not know how to do that - might not even know what international is. For the longest time I thought international meant American! Hahahaha true story. I discovered the Internet when I was 18 ...imagine. So no, getting your music heard is not easy.
You run your own imprint WE.THE.BUNDU – any projects going on that we should know about?
It's just me for now. Going to drop a few EPs over there and see how that goes.
What’s been the highlight of 2015?
Sending my mother some Christmas money.
And what are you most looking forward to for 2016?
This new music I'm working on sounds like straight fire, but I can't call the next EP that because FIRE FX is already FIRE so I need another title!
Who or what are you most in love with right now?
One Punch Man.
Do you think aliens exist?
Yep I do. I think it's ridiculous that we think we're the only beings in the universe. I just don't think they look like those big-headed green/grey guys we see in movies.
Name one song that changed your life.
Bob Marley – ‘Buffalo Soldiers’. First piece of music I remember hearing.
If you could fill a swimming pool with anything in the world, what would it be and why?
Bubblegum milkshake. I fuckin’ love it!!
What would you do to change the world?
My ego ain't that big that I think I can change the world. I'ma stick to being the best version of me and if that inspires a few people to do the same, to be the best version of themselves, then I'm happy.
Follow Muzi on Twitter.
