Bringing us mix number 145 in our series is the talented, Cape Town resident, blaqkongo. He was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions for us too about his party Casa Kongo, and his experience in the South African Dance scene.
Can you tell us about how you first got into music and your journey so far?
I got into music at a young age – my dad collects all kinds of music and there is so much breadth and depth to his collection that it makes hard not to find a sound that you grow to love. Through his collection is how I actually discovered and fell in love with House Music.
I started getting into DJing when I was around 13 – I didn’t have any gear at that age but had a pretty dope collection of House Music and an ear for what I wanted to hear. Me and a few friends started messing around with making House mashups of RnB tracks and that’s how I came across Traktor and Virtual DJ.
Around 19/20, I managed to save up some cash to buy a controller and that’s when things started getting interesting. I used to love going out to just jam and enjoy music that I would never otherwise come across but after getting my controller, I would literally go out to study DJs: when/how they would cue tracks, their transitions, track selection, use of FX, scratching and then go home to practice – that’s basically how I learned to play.
I have so many influences, so when I started producing it was like a water gun spraying everywhere at the same time: I used to make Footwork, House, UK Funky, Trap, I think I made an RnB track too. I picked up producing around the same age and through the help of some really dope people, I managed to not only get the hang of it but really understand the intricacies of production. I’m still learning and refining everyday but I’m super grateful to everyone who contributed in any way, shape or form to where I’m at right now.
Who has influenced you most and why?
This is a tough one. I don’t think it boils down to one individual person but more to my close circle of friends and family. I only realized this recently, but 99.9% of the time we are attracted to people who mirror parts of us, both good and bad.
I call people who mirror and amplify the good parts of you “inspirational” because they show you what you want more of in your life. Between my “knowing” that music has always been my thing and the people in my close circle, I’ve realized that life is to be lived so my state is always one of chasing fulfillment, adventure, truth, happiness and knowledge.
Can you tell us a bit about Casa Kongo?
Casa Kongo is basically my brain fart at:
A) Having a steady place for me, my friends, and friends of friends to play for people who care about and appreciate the music,
B) How I believe a party should be,
C) Creating an organic experience and a non-judgmental space for people to let loose, and,
D) A great way for me to grow my skills and brand in a way that feels true to me.
It’s not about big numbers, big DJs on lineups, dark underground spaces or fancy venues. It’s about creating a frenzy of energy, it’s about people who love music and about places that allow for that love to be expressed, and most importantly, it’s about sunshine because day parties are the best.
In your opinion, what makes south africa such a great place for throwing parties?
The love of music in SA is in a different league. The cool thing about the people here is that when they’re into what you’re playing, they will show you they’re enjoying! Haha, the energy they put out is so contagious and to some degree intimidating if you’ve never experienced it. A lot international House DJs like Jimpster, Simbad, Black Loops, Atjazz, Till Von Sein love playing here for that exact reason – people LOVE music.
What has been your most memorable moment djing?
There’s so many but one that I’ll always remember was about 10 years ago.
I was living in Geneva, Switzerland at the time and made friends with a group of Producers/DJs based in Lille in the Northern part of France, through Soundcloud (because at the time SC was the PLUG). After working on music for a couple of months, they invited me to come and play some gigs with them over a period where there is a festival called Fete de la Musique that happens once a year.
One of the nights the guys say to me, “we’re driving to Belgium to play a gig”. I had no idea how far that was so I’m thinking to myself, “Shit, we’re driving all the way to Belgium just for a gig? These guys are mad, but i’m here so why not!”. I passed out on the drive but when I woke up, we were on a farm and there was a full on rave happening. But i’m talking like a full on farm, cows on the other side of the fence, some horses in the stables – It was insane. The DJ booth was on this platform on top of some really strong bales of hay and it was by far the craziest thing I’ve experienced. We played until about 3.30 and then drove back to Lille for an after party.
I’ve never played on a farm since then but I really hope the next time will be that much fun.
You’ve got a recording from one if your events for us! Can you tell us about this particular party and what was going throughout your curation?
This recording was done at my last Casa Kongo of 2019.
That was a special party and a special set – I decided to throw the party quite last minute but wow the energy on the day was explosive! During this set I re-learned that I love a lot of music and all of it can exist together!
When prepping my tracks for the party, I was also prepping for a festival at the end of the year called The Search and I wanted to test out all the bangers I had found and/or been dying to play. There’s also couple of older tracks I’ve had for years but never played until that day (like Fake Jake by Bambounou).
It was mega-fun and during the last 30 minutes of my set, DJ Simbad hopped on and we did a B2B before he jumped on B2B with my bro Mr. Blasé, it was fire!
For those of us that are not too familiar with the music scene in South Africa, what are the best things about it? And where do you think there is space to grow?
I think SA has been through a tremendous amount of struggle over the last 30 years and somehow, I think that has contributed to some of the amazing music that has come out of this country. SA has been single handedly responsible for genres like Kwaito, Gqom and Amapiano – I also think SA took House Music to a new level but that’s a story for another day lol
What’s that saying – rocks under pressure make diamonds? I think the social and economic pressure of this country spearheaded the music scene in a major way.
The downside of having created a bunch of genres that are all loved by almost everyone in the country is that it becomes somewhat difficult to be open to new vibes – I think this is what makes growth a tricky topic. Majority of music lovers in SA love what they know and are not always open to new experiences. I personally would like to see more parties and events focused around indie acts/bands, cross-border collabs and educating people on other vibes from around the globe. There’s a way to strike a balance between the vibes, we just need to find it.
What are your future plans for both yourself and Casa Kongo?
I want Casa Kongo to become a traveling event that moves with me, something I can do when I’m anywhere in Africa, Europe, Asia or South America playing gigs. I want for the Casa Kongo experience to go global.
I also want to find more female DJs within our networks to get on our line ups! Two of our best Casa’s ever were headlined by two incredible femme DJs – Cajoux and Roz.
Who are some artists you’re really into at the moment and why?
This could go on forever!
But if I had to narrow it down to three artists, I’d say:
A) Crackazat. This guy has been blowing my mind for the last 6 years STRAIGHT. His ability to create really heart-felt music that bangs on the dancefloor is beyond me. Also I love Jazz and this guy’s chords leave me weak everytime,
B) Atjazz. It’s crazy because this guy is considered a god in South Africa but doesn’t get the same level of respect elsewhere. In my opinion, no one does better at the intersection of groove/percussion, chords and consistency than Atjazz. (I should probably mention at this point that I’m a sucker for chords)
C) Solange. I really really enjoy Solange’s unconventional and “middle-fingers-up” approach to RnB – if I can call it that. It’s off the beaten track, it’s quite quirky, but it’s a massive vibe! A part of me wants have a go and taking that and applying it to my production and seeing where I end up.
D) I know I said three but Erykah Badu deserves an honorary mention because nobody is better than her. Period.
