Lesego Rampolokeng Discusses Past Collaborations and His Thoughts on Performing

Ts’eliso Monaheng caught up with Lesego Rampolokeng for an interview on Mahala. Rampolokeng discussed his work with the Kalahari Surfers and his appearance in Aryan Kaganof’s Giant Steps, a 2005 documentary that featured him and other revolutionary poets. He also spoke about South African musician Zim Ngqawana and the impact that his death had on him:

Papa Ramps speaks in trailing sentences, interjecting himself as though his other self were in a parallel universe, feeding him endless stream-of-consciousness ideas. He says ‘whatever’ a couple of times, oftentimes neglecting to pass the fully-formed meaning of his words to the listener, opting rather to let that listener make up their own mind. He is the hip king whom Abdullah Ibrahim wrote about; the orator in a diviner’s ceremony orchestrated by Zim Ngqawana; the vibration oozing out of Johnny Dyani’s rapturous bass. He was in town to partake in a part-sermon, part-toyi toyi, part-national intervention organised by the good folk at Chimurenga. His sharp tongue, coupled with an uneasiness on-stage (perhaps a meditation on this country’s state of uncertainty) surpassed only by his rancid critique of the shitstem, made for a great night of listening.

• Complete article: Mahala

Book details

• Head on Fire: Rants / Notes / Poems 2001-2011 by Lesego Rampolokeng
  EAN: 9780987028204
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