Don Dada – Voice of the People, Heart of the Movement - Reggae-Hour

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tonight on Reggae Hour, we present a long awaited return.
A voice whose rhythm rides with purpose and prophecy, a
storyteller of struggle and strength, a son of Africa and
a beacon to the world. Don Data, voice of the people,
heart of the movement.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
To see your lyrics come to life, it's like sort
of like prophecy and I get my words from God
and I write down the message.

Speaker 1 (00:25):
From the streets of Yovil to global award stages. Don
Dada has become a symbol of cultural resistance and renaissance.
He is the first South African artist signed to Bob
Marley's legendary Tough Gong International and the mastermind behind the
dual genre masterpiece The Heart and the Mind. He's empowered
the youth through rough cut studios, guided artists from the

(00:47):
mic to the business boardroom, and spoken boldly on land, theft,
exploitation and the rebirth of Africa. We should be focused
on strengthening home because once we do that, our voice
becomes powerful on the global star age. This is not
just another episode. This is a message, a mission, a
musical revolution.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
So turn it up. Let the wisdom rise.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
Welcome to the global conversation.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
Welcome back, don data part.

Speaker 4 (01:25):
Of a lion.

Speaker 5 (01:26):
Consweremen in jungle on an affiance one that's plaies.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Mama would say, son always be humble, oh my son,
And I always remember to give Jo his praise.

Speaker 6 (01:46):
So sing praises out to job from Valley's details, the
stars far bring it's no bit of time into me.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
And bear away from I'm to top ron swoofly w
ech song out, send you.

Speaker 6 (02:09):
Beauty birds them I'll sing every morning and all right,
I'm going be good stilly nine time to our ladies,
till the birds singing song and all right screaming.

Speaker 5 (02:21):
No doubt make say cannot bring.

Speaker 4 (02:35):
He's not just a voice on the beat. He's a
revolution in motion. Today we welcome a musical giant whose
work echoes from the streets of Yeovil to the shores
of the Caribbean, from Joe Birds sound systems to global
award stages. He is the embodiment of rhythms, reasons, and resistance.
He is done Do. Also known as Minnelik, Nestor gettons

(02:59):
A and hip hop trailblazer. Dundata is the first South
African artist ever signed to Bob Marley's iconic tough Gong International,
solidifying his place in the global reggae pantheon. In twenty
twenty four, Loan He was honored with the Influential Men
and Artas Award and received the Mama winning Mendela Humanitarian

(03:19):
Award on International Reggae Day. Paying Hama is not just
to his artistry, but to his activistess. His breakout single
Rise Up, sought to number one on the Caribbeing Reggae
VIP playlist, an anthem of hope across boards. His latest
body of work, the dual album The Heart and the Mind,
is a genre bending masterpiece that fridges the revolutionary fire

(03:42):
of reggae with the rich soul of hippoon, a sonic
call to awaken both the people and the plant. Off
the mic. He's just as impactful, mentoring you through music education,
empowering communities, and amplifying social justice issues from land displacement
to you unemployment. In Johannesburg. Today, we don't just speak

(04:06):
with a musician. We speak with a visionary, an activist,
a cultural warrior. Ladies and gentlemen, kings and queens. This
is done, Dona. How are you doing today, sir?

Speaker 2 (04:19):
I'm good I'm good, my brother. Thank you so much.
While it's a beautiful intro, I really love your intro.
I just want to say one thing. Though I was
not the recipient of the Mama Winni Mandela Award on
International Reggae Day, I presented the award to Mamaurita Mani
on behalf of International Reggae Day, but yes, little still

(04:41):
a huge honor.

Speaker 5 (04:42):
To be a part of it.

Speaker 2 (04:42):
And thank you so much for having me back on
your show. Always a good vibe being with you, my land, Yes, sir.

Speaker 4 (04:49):
And I apologize about that, but you always seem to
be in the midst of the greatest right there. Man,
that's even for you to be the presenter is even
is just as prestigious. So definitely glad to be able
to say that I've talked to somebody who has achieved
such great work.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
Man.

Speaker 5 (05:07):
That's such a blessing, bro. And you're right, You're right.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
It is an honor, especially to be amongst giants, not
just on a music scale, but on a global scale.
I mean, the works of Mamarita Mali echoed throughout the
history books of of reggae music and throughout Jamaica. Her
works giving back to the children. She's done so much.
And then you talk about my Winnie Mandela and what

(05:32):
she's done in South Africa as well. I mean, she's
such a revolutionary of a woman. Her tale is also
such a long one. So for me to be in
the midst of all of that amazing, amazing. Yes.

Speaker 4 (05:44):
Yes, And you recently received the influential manden Artie as
a war like, how do these honors reflect your journey
and do they redefine your mission moving forward?

Speaker 2 (05:58):
You know, I don't think it defines my mission because
the mission that I'm on is what is getting this recognition,
and so to continue on this journey would be to
therefore get more attention and bring more eyes to my
message and ears to the message that I'm telling. So

(06:18):
I don't think it really changes my mission. And I
think to be recognized it's such an honor. I mean,
I've been in the record industry for over twenty five
years now creating music, and to be recognized for your
works and to be called an influential artist, it really
speaks a lot because it says that what you're doing

(06:40):
is giving a lot of other people inspiration. You're giving
life to others, You're giving creativity to others, whereas when
you talk about best song or you talk about best album,
it's something that has a lifespan. So I'm really proud
of being an influential artist, and I hope that I'm
being influential in a positive way and giving the community
something that they can build on it and the Youngster

(07:02):
is something that they can make that'll be even better.

Speaker 4 (07:06):
Man, looking at what's going on over there in Africa, man,
I gotta say, you gotta have that you had a
hand in that. It's just so much legendary and iconic
history being made over there. And when you listen to
your song Rise Up, it embodies all of this before
it even actually like took took the world by storm,

(07:27):
because we already knew it was in the making. Y'all
was on the ground, on the behind the scenes, building
a blueprint for freedom. How do you feel seeing your
lyrics actually be an active on the world stage such
as what's been going.

Speaker 2 (07:41):
On, Well, you know, it's it's a good question, and
it's it's a crazy one because to see your lyrics
come to life is like sort of like prophecy, and
to say your lyrics is also a bit bold because
I don't get the lyrics from myself. I pray before

(08:01):
I write my songs. I get my words from God
and I write down the message. So it's quite a
crazy thing to see in it come alive. And I
always say this to young artists, careful of what you recorder,
you commit on to record, because you're giving more life
to it than it seems. And I guess that's why
they always say a rap about or make music about

(08:23):
what you know rather than what you don't, because you
don't know what you could be calling upon you.

Speaker 5 (08:27):
So it's crazy to see those things come into life.

Speaker 2 (08:30):
And it's beautiful to see Africa also waking up and
seeing their potential. In the history of the world, Africa
has always been looked at as a sleeping will and
the history that I've been taught, Africa has been looked
at as a sleeping a sleeping entity that has yet
to be awakened.

Speaker 5 (08:46):
And so to see them awakening.

Speaker 2 (08:47):
Now, realizing their power, realizing the value that they have
within themselves, creativity and minerals.

Speaker 5 (08:54):
It's a beautiful thing.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
So I'm loving it, and I'm hoping to see more
and more change going on around us.

Speaker 4 (09:04):
Yeah, exactly, man and your song rise up top in
the Caribbean reggae VIP playlist. I mean, how does it
feel to be validated, not just at home, but across
the global reggae diaspro.

Speaker 5 (09:17):
It feels beautiful. It feels beautiful.

Speaker 2 (09:19):
As they say, every song that's made is made with
the intention of getting a listener. Someone needs to listen
to it. You don't just make songs for yourself. So
when people recognize it and they listen to it, it
feels amazing. It's a beautiful thing, and it motivates you
to create more songs. So I'm very excited by it
and my new album as well, The Heart and the
Mind as will pushing it and doing its own thing,

(09:41):
which is a beautiful vibe as well. So I'm just
feeling grateful for the moment in time. Not a lot
of artists get to have as long a career within
music as I have had, and to experience so much
in music as I have had.

Speaker 5 (09:54):
So it's a beautiful thing.

Speaker 2 (09:56):
And I hope that my music continues to grow and
reflect the ever change in times that we see around us,
and that'll keep it valid as we go through the years.

Speaker 4 (10:08):
Exactly exactly and and a touch on the heart and mind.
We was there when you dropped it. We interviewed you,
We got your intentions for what you wanted this album
to do. I could say that at looking at the
success of it, that I feel like it has at
least started to do what you wanted to do, if
it hasn't actually accomplished it. But what do you say,

(10:30):
do you think that it actually has accomplished it or
you think it just another step is stone towards what
the mission is supposed to accomplish.

Speaker 5 (10:39):
Well, I think it's playing its part.

Speaker 2 (10:42):
I wouldn't say accomplished because it's it's still in its cycle.
It's still in the cycle. I would say it's still
in the early phases of its cycle. So I wouldn't
say yet played its part. It's playing its parts. It's
opening quite a few doors that were not opened before.
It's putting me on stage that I've never been on before.
So it's doing what I had envisioned it to do.

(11:04):
I think music is always a tool. It's a vehicle
that you use to drive forward your message and your vision,
and so it's doing what I envisioned it to do.
And I hope that it continues to do so because
the next album is always in the works, and then
the next album comes and then that becomes the new vehicle.
But I hope that this vehicle can continue pushing at

(11:26):
the same time when I'm working on the new one right.

Speaker 4 (11:29):
Now, Yes, I hear that.

Speaker 3 (11:32):
Man.

Speaker 4 (11:33):
You know we're gonna have to talk about that new
album before we get off of this track. Right Well,
I want to go into a little bit more about
with the social justice is what going on, especially with
the youth. You made his history being signed to Tough
Going International. You are making history with the becoming the
multi platinum artist, bringing that notoriety to South Africa, to

(11:56):
Africa in its entirety. But we have to look to
the future and our future and it lies with the youth.

Speaker 5 (12:03):
Now.

Speaker 4 (12:04):
You have been working with young creators and empowered them
through Rough Cut Studio. What does this development through the
arts really look like on the ground.

Speaker 2 (12:14):
Well, you know, development in the arts takes on many
forms because you meet artists in many different stages of
their development. So it can go through the stages of help,
assystem with songwriters and a system with creativity.

Speaker 5 (12:28):
Just being there.

Speaker 2 (12:29):
That's that's I think that's the first thing being there
and giving them an opportunity to express themselves.

Speaker 5 (12:34):
What do you want to do? What's your vision? What?

Speaker 3 (12:37):
What?

Speaker 2 (12:37):
What are you trying to achieve? Do you see yourself
creating a future in the arts? Do you see yourself
using the arts as a steppingstone? What is your vision
with the arts? Once you have a vision, then you
can attain what do we need to work on? If
you're looking at you want to you want to make
an album, or you want to make some singles?

Speaker 5 (12:55):
Or what is the plan right now? What are you
envision with yourself?

Speaker 2 (12:58):
Because I think also the question is not always to
impose your vision on the younger generations, to find out
what they see as working and building for them and
making them comfortable and then developing them forward. In that
if an artist is saying that, look, I want to
create a single, Okay, cool production? Have you ever produced?

(13:19):
Do you know about production? What do you know about music?
The beats, the counting of beats? Can you play an instrument?
From there, you start to involve them in the process
of creating a song, so that you're not just giving
them a single to walk out with. You're giving them
something that they can start building by themselves when they
are alone. Once you start working on the production, you

(13:40):
start looking at what is the concept of the song,
What are we trying to achieve with this, What is
the message that we want to put out, and the
longevity of that message, Because you could put out a
message right now of party, drinking or whatever it is
that you want to put out, but is that something
that you want to be associated with in twenty years time,
fifteen years, ten years. So you've got to look at

(14:02):
all of these things. Once you've created your concept, we
begin with the writing. With the writing, it's always a
very free, a very free atmosphere.

Speaker 5 (14:12):
Do you create?

Speaker 2 (14:13):
I think you create the skeleton is the easiest way
I can put it. I let them have as much
freedom as they want to create the skeleton. And then
we sit and we start to flesh it out and say, Okay,
I like the pieces over here, I like this over here.
Don't you think this would work better as a bridge.
Don't you think this could work better as a chorus.
Let's see if we can make the verses more stronger.

(14:35):
Do you think that it would sound better if the
verses connect on a similar type of flow instead of
using different type of flows. So it's also using your
experience to guide them and teaching them really how songs
are created. Once you get from the writing process, it's
the recording process, which for some people, the natural putting
out your voice is the easy thing. For some people,

(14:57):
you've got to coach them. You've got to tell them
look put out the put out the emotion that you
want to feel. What is this line saying. If you're
talking about poverty and you're talking about wanting to develop
the community, do you want to use a serious tone?
Do you want to use a tone that sounds more sad?
Are we appealing to the sad side of the listener?

Speaker 5 (15:19):
What are we aiming for with the song?

Speaker 2 (15:21):
Because sometimes if you want to shout in, perhaps voicing
your frustration and anger was shouting the message.

Speaker 5 (15:27):
Perhaps that's a better idea.

Speaker 2 (15:29):
So there's so many avenues that you can take, and
it's all about the guiding throughout the reporting process. Once
you've got guided and you've got the correct vocals, you're
onto mixing. Mixing is more about using the ears, So
you're teaching them how to use the ear. What are
you listening for? Are you listening to the snare? What's
happening to the snare, the reverb on the snare drum.

(15:51):
Is there space around the snare drum? Is it clashing
with other instruments? What are you trying to achieve with
the mix. So, once you've done with that process, now
you start getting into okay, cool, we.

Speaker 5 (16:02):
Have a project. We have a song. Now that's beautiful.
What do we do with this song?

Speaker 2 (16:07):
Well, the first thing you do with the song is
you go when you register your song, so you start
teaching them about business. Now, it's about going and securing
your rights before you're putting your songs out there. Because
a lot of young artists they rush, they make the music,
they put it out there, it becomes a hit or
whatever happens with the song, but they miss out on
creating revenue that they could have been using either to

(16:28):
develop their career, to help their family, to do whatever
they could be doing. So it's now about teaching the business.
Once you've got the business on lock with them, then
you start teaching them how to market this song, how
we're going to put this out, how we're going to
release this And once you've gone through that whole process,
then you start saying, okay, cool, we've done all of that.
Now it's time to perform it. You need to go

(16:49):
and get this song pushing. People need to know this song.
Performances start happening, and then we repeat the process. So
it's a multilayered thing when you look at artists development,
and I'm most simplifying it quite a bit because we're
on an interview.

Speaker 5 (17:02):
I don't want to draw it out longer than they
need be.

Speaker 2 (17:06):
But there's a whole lot of things that go into
developing young artists. And once you do it the first time,
it's like school. If I tell you something once, you
don't grasp it entirely. It's about repetition and then practice.
And so we take them through that whole process, and
then we've had the lack of developing quite beautiful talent

(17:27):
within our stable.

Speaker 4 (17:30):
And it's a beautiful it's a beautiful process, this process.
I'm listening to it and I can I can tell
that it has more tones to it than just a
musical tone, as in, they don't let's say they do
they decide in five years they don't want to go
into the music industry or they don't want to follow
the music dream anymore. They got a whole brand new dream.

(17:51):
Could they take these skills and apply them to anything
that they want to applat it to.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
Of course, because for example, when you look within the
marketing and marketing strategies that we developed, you'd also be
developing your skills and interviewing and being interviewed used to
being on camera, so you could go in the direction
of podcasting. Also, you could go in the direction of
going behind and doing engineering, because as I said, i'm

(18:17):
teaching you production, I'm teaching you engineering, mixing, mastering, So
you could go behind the scenes and start developing and
doing for other artists and making your own little studio
and selling beats or selling studio time. Or you could
take it and go and start doing your own little
podcasts and trying to you know, pop off on on
that on the YouTube and those type of platforms. So
there's many different ways you could go. There's also if

(18:40):
you really want to get into the paperwork and into
the business side of things that we're doing, then you
could now go into administration and go into PR, marketing, art,
just development, A and R. So there's so many different
aspects that fall in just coming from that one little process.
But it just depends on what part of the process
really appeals to you. I guess for some people the

(19:04):
whole creation thing can be boring, but when it gets
to the paperwork and working on that, that's something that
they really enjoy because the intricacies and just the law
that just reading the law and then understanding for them
is something that they really enjoy. So it depends what
it appeals to you, and then we help you develop
that aspect.

Speaker 4 (19:23):
Man, there's so much needed in this world right now,
especially with the We have generations from twenty thirty fifty
years ago that are still trying to make policies that
govern these young people lives that these older people are
not even going to be able to live through the sea. Like,
how do you promote to the youth to actually get involved,

(19:47):
to actually stand up for what they believe in. I mean,
I'm feeling that they grasp in it, but how do
you get them to actually get motivated.

Speaker 2 (19:56):
Well, you know, the beautiful thing about music is that
music touches the kids and motivates them before you even
meet them. So by the time you meet them and
they've heard your music and they can see what's going
on around you, they're already excited.

Speaker 5 (20:12):
They're motivated and they.

Speaker 2 (20:13):
Want to know how can I be involved, what can
I do to get onto this path and this journey.
I think the main thing is not really the motivation,
but it's about then creating an atmosphere whether as many
people would love to walk on this path and on
this journey, but when it becomes tough, or when there's difficulties,

(20:34):
or when there's things that are not enjoyable, then many
people do fall away. I guess it's even if you
look at universities, for example, when you start out in
the first year of a class, in the first semester,
you probably have two three hundred students. But when you
get to the fifth year of a law practice of
for law studies or whatever, you're probably looking at maybe

(20:57):
I don't know fifty students that are left that have
really continued and pushed through and have graduated. So it's
it's really about perseverance and discipline. And motivation is something
that will get you started and get you involved, but
the discipline is will carry you through and get it finished.
So it's about trying to get that installed in them.
And it's not something that anybody can install in anyone

(21:19):
else unless you're the military. It's something that you you'd
either dedicate yourself to or not. So it's about just
trying to continue giving them positivity and if they if
they choose to be on this path with you, you
give them as much open doors and as much support
and help as possible and guidance as possible. And that's

(21:41):
the most that you can do as a mentor. Nobody
can force anyone to do anything else.

Speaker 4 (21:45):
You know, you got point there a lot of people
just they don't have it and they never have it.
But then you have those that have it that just
needs that that to be found and brought out of them.
And I may have this wrong, but bootu boomtu means
I am because you are, and that comes through in

(22:07):
your song one for another. How do you live? How
do you teach them to live with that philosophy outside
of the music?

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Well, you know, I think when you come into rough
Can Studio, the first thing it's it's music is lifestyle,
and so when you come into rough Cut Studio, it's
about adopting the lifestyle that we have at the studio,
whether it's going with us to our church services on
Sunday or being involved in the cooking and maintenance of
the studio or or whatever it may be. We have

(22:39):
our own practices aside from music, that we use to
install oneness and togetherness. And so when you look at
each other within the family, when you're when you're working,
you're not looking at each other as I'm the engineer,
so I'm higher than you, or you're the artists, so
I'm higher than the person who's bringing in the food
or whatever it is. We're all on equal foot because

(23:00):
at all times each other's roles will change each other.
We're there to build each other, to help each other excel,
to build each other up, and to help others beyond.

Speaker 5 (23:10):
Us, not just who is with us in the immediate vicinity.

Speaker 2 (23:13):
So, as I said, it's a lifestyle that we installed
from the start, and as we work and go forward
with each other, it just becomes natural and second nature.

Speaker 4 (23:24):
Yeah, and that's a beautiful thing.

Speaker 5 (23:27):
We need that.

Speaker 4 (23:27):
We definitely need to be able to keep that, especially
with everything that's going on, and with great success comes
great trials and tribulations and people that want to throw
you off your rocker. We have to be able to
show the youth how to handle those things. So what
are some things that you do that actually helps you
stay spiritually grounded while you fight off battles on so

(23:49):
many fronts, whether it's the industry exploitation, cultural erasure, or
economic injustice.

Speaker 2 (23:56):
Well, like I was saying, we do do church service
on Sunday, so that's something that's very important. Spiritual balance
is something that we find very important reading the Bible.
Community work, that's something that we also put a lot
of effort into developing others. Like I said, for me,
it's not really it doesn't feel like work. It's like

(24:21):
a break. When you sit and you're helping somebody else
to build and to work on their project.

Speaker 5 (24:26):
You're taking a.

Speaker 2 (24:27):
Breather from yours and putting your mind into another zone.
So for me, it's very relaxing working on somebody else's music,
or even watching somebody else work on their music and
giving opinions and directions. So being a mentoring is something
that I really enjoy doing. And then of course the
usual stuff that everybody else will do. You know what

(24:48):
I'm saying. You listen to your music, you relax, You
try and spend time with the family, with the daughter,
just be a father, be a normal person. For a
little bit of time, because this world, once you leave
the sanity and the sanctity of your home, it can
be a crazy place.

Speaker 4 (25:06):
Yeah, you can.

Speaker 5 (25:07):
Definitely.

Speaker 4 (25:08):
You've spoken like a true soldier right now. Now you've
spoken out about the displacement of thousands in Limpopo, dent
mining and things of that nature. What's your take on
land rights and corporate greed and cultural loss in South
Africa and how do we fight back?

Speaker 5 (25:27):
You know, it's it's a very touchy subject here in
South Africa.

Speaker 2 (25:32):
I mean you talk about land rights because when you
talk about land rights, you talk about people that have
been displaced, tribes that have been killed off. There's there's
so many things that have happened over time and throughout history,
some of the things that you would not find easily
put down into history books. For good reason. Sometimes they
don't record it because it's easier to say no one

(25:54):
was here when you're claiming a piece of land, you know,
So it's a it's a very difficult thing. And then
you have people such as the Africana people, the people
who came to South Africa originally as Dutch settlers with
Jan van Rubik settled at the Cape of Good Hope,
and then when the English arrived began moving into the

(26:16):
interior of South Africa during the Great Trek, finally all
the way up towards Pretoria, where till today you have
an ox wagon that's stationed there as a memorial for
their Great Trek. And throughout that migration from the southern
tip of South Africa, all the way up to johann
to to Pretoria region and all the way up there's

(26:37):
there's Africana people. They then developed their own culture and
became their own people. And then you have the Anglo
Bo War which then erupted where the British created concentration
camps first time in the world.

Speaker 5 (26:50):
Those were created in order.

Speaker 2 (26:52):
To control the Burs and then the concentration camps were
later adopted by Adolf Hitler to be used against the Jews.
And so the Buddhis do not see themselves as Europeans
throughout this whole migration and this whole process, they too
see themselves as Africans, and so that also becomes a
touchy subject. So when it comes to land rights there

(27:15):
there's chiefdoms that still exists today that deal with these issues.
And it's it's quite interesting also that these chiefdoms are
not consulted enough to see what is their true opinion
on these land rights policies and distribution and what's going on,
because I think that they would have a very powerful

(27:35):
say on what is the right thing to be done.
Because there's there's something that I do believe in it.
It doesn't help a nation to take away from one
to give to another. It just disenfranchised, disenfranchises another group
of people. So I believe that we're all here together.

(27:56):
Now we have to find a way to be here together. Uh,
there has to be fairness. There has to be compensation
for what people have lost, Yes, but there has to
be fairness for everybody that's here because there's.

Speaker 5 (28:09):
No way that we can get rid of each other.
We're all here together, right.

Speaker 4 (28:14):
And with the narrative that's going on with that the
certain people that that's leaving or leaving South Africa, the
narrative is being put that they're being forced out, that
they're being persecuted and being victims of genocide and things
of that nature. What we look over there in Palestine
and we can see a completely different contrast when it

(28:37):
comes to genocide. How do you rectify that the sayings
that people are trying to push out to the narrative
that people are trying to push out there.

Speaker 2 (28:46):
Well, I mean it's a very simple thing. I mean,
this world is so digital nowadays. I don't know why
people don't utilize it for better things than Netflix. You
could just you can very easily have a look online
and just find out that they're what you're reading is

(29:07):
is not true. It's it's it's not what's happening within
that region.

Speaker 5 (29:12):
You can google it.

Speaker 2 (29:13):
You can look at every news outlet, whether it be
The Star, which is one of the biggest newspapers within
South Africa. You could look at there's so many different outlets,
SABC News, And I mean, when you talk about the
people that migrated, I'm not sure how many people are
able to be seated on a flight. I think it's it,

(29:34):
but I'm sure it's over two hundred people. And if
it's over two hundred people, only forty people will welcome
that Washington, d C.

Speaker 5 (29:41):
Forty.

Speaker 2 (29:42):
So if forty people are the reflection of what six
million people think in this nation, then I think it's
it's it's it's it's a travesty that they're not they're
not doing their research you could have a look at
other white people pages, in fact South African white people
that are posting and then saying themselves.

Speaker 5 (30:04):
That, look, this is not true. This is not a
view that we share. This is this is propaganda.

Speaker 2 (30:11):
But as I said, this, this world is run by
by politics, is run by by who has the bigger
where's the bigger wallet, and who's the biggest stick. And
I guess in that instance, South Africa is losing the
battle were We're not fighting a propaganda war. We're trying
to develop our people. We're trying we have so many problems,

(30:31):
we have a high rate of unemployment, We have so
many other things to look at than a fake genocide.

Speaker 5 (30:39):
So that's my opinion on that.

Speaker 4 (30:42):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, that was exactly what I kind of felt.
There was a distraction from what was really going on
over there. Like you said, I have unemployment at is
our sky high rate. You have youth development that needs
to be taken as the forefront in order for your
country to even to propel forward, to succeed to progress. Now,

(31:05):
how would you say that the musicians that are in Africa,
what role should they play in since we have the
politicians and we have the leaders and the clergymen and
things that nature taking on the actual politics and making
sure that the country is ran well and that y'all
have taken care of internal conflicts. What should the musicians

(31:25):
do in order to you know, try to fight off
the propaganda since they have the world's ear.

Speaker 5 (31:32):
Well, you know, it's it's a catch twenty two.

Speaker 2 (31:35):
It's a catch twenty two because as easily as you
have the world here, it's also quite easy for them
to cut it off.

Speaker 5 (31:42):
So you know, you start making songs that are that
are speaking, that are speaking about political issues. It made
that in your career.

Speaker 2 (31:54):
For some artists, perhaps that's the perception that they have
and perhaps that's why they shy away. It may remove
all of the shows that they getting booked overseas and
all of these things that may be the fears that
they have. In so it's first to to to to
put those fears to bed, to say, look, we can
develop our own musical economy in Africa right now. We

(32:17):
have a lot of power in our hands when it
comes to our music. I think if you look at
what Ibraham Torre is doing in his country, it's it's
a perfect model to be followed. It's about developing your
own industry, and once your industry is strong enough, you
don't have to rely or look outside because you have
something that you've made yourself. So I think that the

(32:40):
fear from artists is because of all of their reliance
on the outside. They don't want to be cut off
from the outside. But my thinking is that we should
more be focused on building what's going on inside, because
the more we can strengthen the inside, the more powerful
of voice becomes towards the outside, number one, And the
more relaxed we can be in our situation because we're

(33:02):
not reliant on others, not putting our hands in other
people's destinies. So that would be the message to the
artists is strengthen home. I think let's make music that
will strengthen our home. Let's make events that will strengthen
our home. Let's do things that will strengthen the artistic economy,
that will generate income, that will generate jobs, because when
you're doing shows, when you're doing all of these things,

(33:23):
you've got to hire people. It's doing so much for
the communities that strengthen home. Once we've strengthened home, then
we can start looking outside.

Speaker 4 (33:31):
Again, that is beautiful and I like the fact that
you said we have to do you have to put
on events that's going to strengthen a home. Because I
was just reading an article where Berna Boy actually proposed
that he will put on a free concert for bur
kin of USO. Would you be party? Would you going
to be party to that concert? Do you know to
go over there and put on a free concert that

(33:53):
could bring jobs and entertainment and things to the kin
of Usso.

Speaker 5 (34:00):
Look, I would, I would definitely love to be involved
with it. Look, get me in there, Get me in there.

Speaker 2 (34:05):
That's the first it's the first time hearing of it
right now. But that that is a beautiful sentiment, especially
coming from Berna Boy Nigerian artists, is showing Africa coming together.

Speaker 5 (34:18):
You know.

Speaker 2 (34:19):
One of these One of the things that I'm really
enjoy seeing is Africans holding hands with each other, different
countries connecting with each other and really looking at what
Abraham Torre is doing and saying that this, this can
be something great for all of us and trying to
follow that lead. I think it's it's it's creating a
new atmosphere and it's it's given a feeling of hope

(34:41):
when you look at Africa where we're one of the
continents with the youngest, the youngest population, but with the
youngest population, we have one of the oldest leaderships. And
when you look now at what's happening with this generation,
that's beginning to change and we're getting young leadership, new
idea years.

Speaker 5 (35:00):
So it's creating a.

Speaker 2 (35:01):
More vibrant Africa and creating a more independent Africa, which
is something that I think people have prayed to see
four thousands of years since the name Africa was enforced
upon us. I think that was our dream. So it's
it's beautiful to see it coming true and taking these
steps to unity.

Speaker 4 (35:21):
Yes, you're definitely right now. I love how you touched
on how the name Africa was forced onto the continent.
Do you think returning to the tribal names that were
existing for since time and memorial before Africa even came
into on the world saying as a name for the continent,
do you think that that can help with the African
identity to fit the the problems that are going on

(35:44):
on the Africa continent.

Speaker 2 (35:47):
You know, I think that's an interesting question. I think
it could perhaps be one of the first steps. For example,
I heard that that India was wanting to to revert
back to the original name.

Speaker 5 (36:02):
I think it was.

Speaker 2 (36:04):
So it was a very interesting name, but apparently India
was also a name of a tribe that was taken
and imposed on the whole land. Now it's known as India,
but it's not the true name. So I think a
lot of places in the world are starting to take
a similar stance and saying, look, what is our origin.
We want to know our origin and we want to

(36:25):
reflect it and and be proud of who we were.
So I think yes, it could help in one aspect
to to to to help to unite Africa. Another step
would be the removal of borders. Africa and the borders.
It's so crazy that even when people would go and

(36:46):
do a logo or a picture of Africa, one of
the main features that you see on there is the
lines that people have drawn all over across it. But
if you come to Africa and you move across it,
you don't see those lines. You know, those lines don't exist.
Those lines are lines that were placed upon us by people.
So all of these things are little steps that we

(37:09):
need to take to achieve our oneness again, and I
think also even though there's still oneness, people are also
very proud of the individual identities. So for Exampleulu is
proud of being a Zulu. They don't want to be
somebody else. You know, of course, the same thing they
don't want to be somebody else. So even though we're

(37:32):
looking at unity, we must also always remember that we're
such a diverse people in this land, and people are
so proud of where they come from as well. We
have also find a way of embracing that at the
same time.

Speaker 4 (37:46):
Yes, exactly, and there's a lot of people that are
very culturally insensitive to how you know, people's people want
to be identified. And also just pretty much in any
kind of African struggle, like what do you want other
non African creatives to understand before they actually try to

(38:08):
speak for us, Like people who aren't from the continent
that want to portray like they are.

Speaker 2 (38:15):
Well, you know, the first thing that I want people
to understand about Africa is that Africa is very advanced,
especially if you're talking technologically. I was actually looking at
something the other day and they were talking about money.

Speaker 5 (38:28):
Transfer, you know this cash.

Speaker 2 (38:31):
I think in America, you guys use cash app. I
don't know if you know cash app, Yeah yeah, okay,
So like cash app, I don't know when it appeared
in America. It was when twenty fifteen, twenty twenty, let's
say twenty twelve, even let's go twenty twelve. Well, things
like cash app were already taking place in Africa in
nineteen ninety seven. I think Kenya had first Wow Wow cascha.

(38:55):
So when it comes to technologies and development of technologies,
Africa is not behind anybody. If anything, people are taking
out technologies, reskinning it and re releasing it in a
Western market and acting like they've created something new when it's.

Speaker 5 (39:11):
It's not new at all.

Speaker 2 (39:13):
So first, I understand that Africa is very advanced where
we're on a.

Speaker 5 (39:18):
Level when it comes to that.

Speaker 2 (39:19):
Secondly, understand, Africa is not the shanty towns or the
bushes that people see or natural geographic or the hungry
kids that they see where the fly comes and sits
on them and they say donate some money.

Speaker 5 (39:32):
That's that's not what Africa looks like at all.

Speaker 2 (39:35):
There is there is hungry people, and there is there
is villages, just like anywhere else.

Speaker 5 (39:40):
If you go to the UK. In fact, people living
villages in the UK. So you know, to say villages is.

Speaker 2 (39:48):
It's not to say that you're living in a mudhat
or something. The villages exist all over the world. There's
poor people all over the world. There's homeless people all
over the world. Johannesburg is one of the world class
cities of Africa. Lagos world class city of Africa, Harari
world class.

Speaker 5 (40:08):
City of Africa.

Speaker 2 (40:09):
You're talking internet speeds of what you're used to in America.
What rolls Royces one of I think last year South
Africa the top selling places for Porsches was South Africa.
So don't look at Africa and think that we're poor,
or don't look at Africa and think that we're uneducated,
or don't look at Africa and think that we're living

(40:31):
in Hutson. We're all slow, we don't have technology. Africa
is as good as anywhere else in the world. The
only thing is Africa has been exploited more than anywhere
else in the world. But now given an equal opportunity,
Africa will will rise to equal footing is anywhere else.

Speaker 4 (40:52):
You're right about that. There's so many misconceptions about that
beautiful land. I mean, if Abraham tra race. Something that's
going to stick with me for a long time. He
says that Africa's they say Africa's destitute. They say Africa
is this, they say Africa is that. But when we
ask them to lead, they refuse. It's like they know
where the riches are, they know where the resources are,

(41:13):
they know where the comfortability are, they know where life
is and that's what they want to be. And there's
just so many people that don't want to visit Africa
because of what these narratives that you had mentioned, that
hungry children, the mud hut villages and stuff like that.
That isn't even the perception of Africa. Like how would

(41:34):
you if you was talking to somebody in another country
and they stay spoke to you, they said something to
you like they would never visit Africa because of those things.
How could you prove to them or would you even
want to prove to them that Africa isn't that type.

Speaker 2 (41:51):
Well, you know, firstly, I don't know if I want
to if I'd like to prove it to anybody, because
Africa is so and space ships we are you know
what I mean.

Speaker 5 (42:04):
You can come, but we don't need too many extras.
We are the way we are.

Speaker 2 (42:09):
But to be honest with you, you know, I had
a friend who had come from the United Arab Emirates
and he was telling me about how in I think
it's in the Kingdom of Jordan or something where if
you're digging in your backyard and you hit oil, it
will irritate, you know, is there's so much oil and
there's you know, the price of fuel. They don't worry

(42:31):
about it because they got so much oil. So when
you find oil, it's a problem. But if you find water, wow,
that's a big thing. So when I thought about while
you were speaking, I was just thinking about that and
I thought, wow, oil is so plentiful in the UAE.

Speaker 5 (42:46):
Look how they developed that region of the world.

Speaker 2 (42:49):
Now, I'll tell you a similar story about Johannesburg, South Africa.
Do you know how Johannesburg was founded. There was two
brothers that were walking around. They were walking around their
farm which later became the city. And while they were
walking around it, the one brother kicked the rock. And
he kicked the rock. But let's say it was at

(43:11):
about a physticized or that he kicked over and kicked
it over and had a look at it. And it
was a gold oar and it was like, wow, there's
gold here. And not soon after that, the city of
Johannesburg or the city of Gold was then founded. Johannesburg
basically translates to Johannes's Mountain with the brothers Johannes and

(43:33):
Burg is mountain, so Johanna's mountain. That is how common
gold and minerals were here. So similar to the story
that I gave to you about the Arab Emirates with
the oil, is how we are with the minerals, you
know what I mean. Wow, So for us, it's about

(43:54):
hanness in our power. And I don't know if you
even read I think two or three days ago that
was it was it Maley, one of another African nation
just discovered a gold vein worth twelve twenty trillion US
dollars worth of a gold vein. So that's how how

(44:14):
mineral rich and how blessed Africa is and how blessed
people are here. And it's also quite interesting to note
that throughout the history of time before these when these
guys were walking around and kicking gold nuggets around on
the floor, African indigenous people that were running around here you.

Speaker 5 (44:32):
Weren't worried about it. You weren't picking it up and
seeing anything special about it. It was just a rock.
It was just the rocks.

Speaker 3 (44:43):
Name.

Speaker 2 (44:43):
There's so much unseen, untapped things that are always being discovered.
So I see the future as being bright for me.
I can't see myself going anywhere else. But again, I'll say,
if you don't want to come here, that's that's up
to you.

Speaker 4 (44:58):
Brother, that's up to you, right, Like you're gonna be
missing out on some of that gold Man that and
you're right about that. That's the reason why Africa has
been on the map for so long. It is because
when they found out it was it was resourced rich,

(45:19):
it was mineral rich, they just wouldn't leave it alone.
And that just goes to show you the concept that
we didn't We didn't really care too much about the
gold or the silver. Yeah, it was pretty and we
used it for money, for like to use this money,
but it was a tool. It wasn't really necessary the treasure.
The treasure was being able to take care of our

(45:41):
families and things of that nature. So when you look
back on when you growing up as a youth, what
would you say to your what would you say to
yourself then that you have learned coming this path.

Speaker 2 (46:00):
Well, I guess the biggest lesson will always be patients.
You know, for everyone will be patients. Take your time.
Everything takes time. Nothing happens overnight. Put the work in
and things will will come. But that was always something
that we would say when we were younger in the
studio anyway, it was that, look, we've got to put
the work in. Whatever whatever we want to see happen

(46:22):
from here will happen organically. But first things first is
put the work in. So patience is a great lesson.
And I think also, you know, the lesson of development.
I think if we were more focused on developing, not
just a lesson for myself, but for all those that

(46:42):
were around me. If we're more focused on developing our industry,
it would be even more developed than it is now.
People are living quite comfortably. South African music is resonnating
all over the world. But if perhaps we had put
more focus on developing South African music from the beginning,
and it would have done it even faster, if you

(47:02):
get what I'm saying, which can be a lesson to
next next nations, the next developing artists that are looking
at what to do next, is that look at your
surroundings and build your surroundings, because once you build your surroundings,
you've got a powerful base to launch from.

Speaker 4 (47:21):
Beautiful man, you're right about that. You definitely want to
focus on your surroundings, your foundation, and just make sure
you stick to your roots, because sticking to your roots
is where actually got you to where you go. And
it's like you don't see a tree get up and
move out out of his area and found some good soil.
It's stuck to it and it's there for hundreds of
years because it knows a good thing when it has it. Now,

(47:46):
now you're saying you're working on some new tracks and
a new project.

Speaker 5 (47:50):
What do you have for us?

Speaker 4 (47:52):
What can we be expecting?

Speaker 2 (47:55):
Oh, well, right now, I am in such a experimental zone.
Let me say the experimental zone. So there's I'm mixing
so many sounds together. We're still in the in the
experimental phase. And from the experimental phase then we'll start
puddling things down. But yeah, man, you know, always always

(48:16):
something exciting, always something different. Working with with such powerful
people such as Yo Levi, who's worked with people such as.

Speaker 5 (48:27):
Vibes, Cartel, Spice, Bust the Rhymes.

Speaker 2 (48:31):
Also getting production from from old people that we worked with,
because we can't always be going to the new. We
can't always remember our teams, you know what I'm saying.
So working with people like Alt Delroy Thompson, also working
with WOMD doing such amazing things. So it's it's all
very experimental. Having conversations with Kuli Dube as well to

(48:57):
see what we could do. In fact to three days ago,
I was speaking with the group from Lady Smith. I
don't know if you've heard of Lady Smith Black Mambazzo.

Speaker 4 (49:06):
Oh yeah, we're looking at that.

Speaker 2 (49:07):
How we can also do something that's that something different, so,
you know, just just just breaking boundaries. I always tell
people that when I make music, I approach it from
the zone of being a musician.

Speaker 5 (49:18):
It's for me, music is music. I don't see genres.

Speaker 2 (49:21):
I hate to box myself into genres, and so I
like working with people that people would never expect us
to work with because I think that's where the best
music is found. Best music is always found in places
that you seldom look.

Speaker 4 (49:38):
Facts, facts about that man, you're gonna you've been pioneering
music for a while, so just to hear that you
are you're working on experimenting outside the bus and you
I can't wait. Man, it's so intriguing to hear your
music drop and the beat and to watch your videos
from when people you're performing in the crowd is just

(49:59):
f and get they understand the message, they living the
message that right there is so refreshing because it lets
you know that right there that you know what you're
talking about, you know how to reach the people, and
if you could do that then you could definitely help
with making the world become a better place. With that
being said, how do you want the next generation of
African artists to remember don data, not just the artists,

(50:22):
but the actual man himself.

Speaker 2 (50:26):
Well, you know that's a that's a hard question, you know,
it's it's a very difficult question. I think if that's
a question that I would want them them to answer.
So I think it would be egotistical of me to
be saying that that I want them to look at
me in in such and such a light. All I
can say is that I want to do a lot
of things to help to develop the next generation so

(50:47):
that when the next generation gets in there they don't
forget done data.

Speaker 5 (50:51):
That's I think that's the key.

Speaker 2 (50:54):
If you're always trying to be above them or always
trying to always trying to eclipse them, when they come
in front of you, you'll quickly be forgotten. But if
you if you're right next to them and you're riding
on the road with them, even when your time is
done and their time is beginning, because you're next to
each other, there's there's no difference. You just continue moving forward.

(51:15):
So yeah, man, I just want them to to to
remember done that is with them. I think that's the That's.

Speaker 5 (51:22):
The one, you know what I mean.

Speaker 4 (51:27):
I hear that, boy, I hear that, man, And you
have been watching it for a while. Like I said before,
your career has blossomed. And I was boding the video
where you was performing that you sent me the other day,
and I kind of noticed that your career isn't the
only thing that has wrong.

Speaker 5 (51:42):
Man.

Speaker 4 (51:42):
Your locks are all the way down to your ankles.

Speaker 5 (51:44):
Boy, Yeah, they're growing.

Speaker 4 (51:48):
Bro.

Speaker 5 (51:49):
They go and then going.

Speaker 4 (51:52):
Tell us back because you know, I'm trying to get
there with you.

Speaker 2 (51:54):
Man.

Speaker 4 (51:54):
What I got to do, Man, What I got to do?

Speaker 5 (51:57):
Ah?

Speaker 2 (51:58):
You see, that's that's that's like the question and you
asked me just now. That's the patience, bro. That's that's
a long time dudging car doors and all types once
they get to a certain length and luckstet caught bro.
So you got to be quick with them, you know.

Speaker 7 (52:16):
Oh man, you just may me imagine out of my head. Man,
I believe I love you man, oh man.

Speaker 4 (52:29):
It was always a blessing having you on here.

Speaker 2 (52:32):
Man.

Speaker 4 (52:33):
Every conversation we have is so deep impactful.

Speaker 2 (52:36):
Man.

Speaker 4 (52:37):
The people love it.

Speaker 3 (52:38):
Man.

Speaker 4 (52:38):
That's why I gotta keep you on here. Got to
keep your mind open to the world because your music
is so inspiring. So I just want to tell you, man,
keep it up, keep doing what you're doing, and we're
gonna be here to back you up every step of
the way.

Speaker 5 (52:53):
Thank you, brother.

Speaker 2 (52:54):
And like I always say, you're also you're very inspiring man.
You know your persistence, your dedication, your support. You're one
of the very few people in this industry who lives
up to their word. In this industry, not a lot
of people are who they present themselves to be. But
you are exactly who you present yourself to be. You

(53:17):
continue to motivate people, educate people, support people within their
dreams and visions.

Speaker 5 (53:23):
So you're a corner stone within the world of music,
you know.

Speaker 2 (53:28):
So I thank you for what you've given to us
and all the time that you've given to us and
the knowledge you've given.

Speaker 5 (53:34):
Much love and respect, and thank you for your platform.

Speaker 4 (53:38):
No same here, man, same here. The feelings definitely mutual.
Is there anybody that you want to give a shout
out to before we.

Speaker 2 (53:45):
Go out of here? You know, as usual, always shout
out to tough Gard International, rough Card Studio Gallo with
the publishing Alder Delroy Thomas, Pinky and and her dance
crew began productions. Thank you to them. Also, thank you

(54:09):
to our Leroy Scarlet Man. Thank you to to Moms,
my manager and my memory. She she she is like
my memory as well, so thank her as well. And
thank you to the fans. As I always say, man,
we were nothing without you. You you build our careers,

(54:29):
you create us, and so thank you for supporting us,
and thank you for giving to us and being the
people there for us to share it too. And of
course a big shout out to the afric First team
working on something amazing with them.

Speaker 5 (54:43):
One love and respect.

Speaker 4 (54:46):
Always, man, always, and as the rhythm fades, but the
message echoes. One thing becomes clear. Don Data is more
than an artist. He's a vessel for truth, a bridge
between struggle and strength, sound and spirit. His journey is
a testament to what's possible when culture, conviction, and community meet.
From winning multiple international awards to pioneering new waves of

(55:10):
African reggae and hip hop, Dundata has proven that success
is it just measured in streams or charts, but impact
in lives touched and freedom shouted over a beat. As
he continues to rise through stages, schools, and struggles, his
mission remains unshaken. To be a voice for the voiceless,
a sound for the silence, and a legacy for generations

(55:33):
to come. Bless up to the dawn, stay rooted, stay rising.
This has been mister Eon Reggae Aluru and until next time,
Culture boos forward.

All Episodes

Don Dada – Voice of the People, Heart of the Movement

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

Crime Junkie

Stuff You Should Know

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Don Dada – Voice of the People, Heart of the Movement