Hola! I'm back like die wit wolwe. Back with some of that gooood shit. The shit that makes you feel proud of SA Hip-Hop because you can see that it's got hope after all. Although I must say that I am disappointed - only one crew got in touch with me after the last column to let me know what they are up to. What are the rest of you doing? Sitting and vegetating? Anyway. First up, we have an 8 MC crew, Basemental Platform (BMP). These dudes released a 12 track album, "Urban Knoize" (Silvah Kneedle) earlier this year. They apparently have a track called "dikgang" where they dis yours truly, Amu and Mizchif.

Check it out... from way down in Grahamstown an MC named Raymun has put together a compilation for our enjoyment. After winning the Battle of the Bands in Grahamstown, Raymun invited locals TNG, Nyaz and Def Boys to contribute tracks. They then invested money for manufacturing the CD, which came out on during the Grahamstown festival. These soldiers are pushing it themselves at clubs, pubs and malls. They are presently negotiating with Mega Vox to sell the CD. Hope that goes well so us Gautengers can buy it too. But in the meantime, you can order from MC TNG tng81@hotmail.com.While we are down South, y'all know Cape Town based Black Noise right? You know that they represent all the elements of hip-hop right? You know that they've got an album out called "Hip-hop won't stop" right? You've got it right? Then why am I wasting my time...

Look here, Iko is getting tired of sitting around waiting for labels to give deals to MCs so he can produce tracks for them. So Outy is busy working on an album of his own. He's got everybody from Gauteng on it - from myself to Snaz to Omen to Skwad-da-Kamp to Audio-Visual to Amu to Mizchif, and he's doing all the beats himself. If you don't know that homeboy Ublind, then check out Dark Seed's track on the Muthaload. If you're not convinced, check out Amu's "Phezulu" and Spex's "Hizo" remix and "M.O.T.H.". The album is going to be called "B.A.R.E. 2000". Look out for it next year sometime...

Max Normal, beep beep beep, dresses kinda formal. I don't know much about this project but I heard that it is coming. Max aka Yang Weapon has been around the industry for a while, first coming out as the lead of the now-defunct Original Evergreen. Keep checking this page and I'll let you know if you are going to be able to get this piece or if it's going to STASH-VALLEY... Mizchif is up to mischief again with his Mizchevious Productions. They have just finished recording his protégé, Wanda - a township-jive-talking MC, and plan to drop the product as soon as they find a deal for it. Good luck brothas...

Mizchif, on the other hand, is taking his time to finish the follow-up to "Life from All Angles", entitled "Life goes on". It seems like he's got a lot on his hands lately. Be on the look out though, hopefully the album will be in stores by Easter 2001... Another new MC from JHB is HILTONTEBZANGWANA (yep, that's his name, all of it). He is a RAU student, SRC member, Radio jock and Rapper, and has just finished recording his debut underground album for new Indie, Ground Level Records. The album features a track that has been getting him love from zol smokers called "Buddah Monks". To get a copy of HILTONTEBZANGWANA just mail me at the address below.

That's it for this edition of under pressure. Don't forget to write and/or send music to the Diamond District. Sharp!

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