Worldwide mixtapes: From Texas to Tokyo, four producers share the records most personal to them

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esa williams

Esa

One half of Auntie Flo, South African Esa Williams selects ten “cool tracks from the Cape Flats”, a controversial era of Cape Town that became know as “apartheid’s dumping ground” ion the ’50s but has since come to house much of the population of Greater Cape Town.


Badu

Erykah Badu
Didn’t Cha Know
(Motown, 2000)

Listen / Buy

Probably my favourite Dilla tracks and sample. I just discovered that Dez Andrés Detroit played the percussion on it which makes it even more special.

 

 

 


portishead

Portishead
Numb
(Go! Beat, 1994)

Listen / Buy

Found the Dummy album amongst a pile of CD’s which my uncle use to leave my mom when ever he visited Cape Town from Europe and ‘Numb’ was the track I always remember playing out loud until the neighbours complained.

 


TST Fever Posse

TST Fever Posse
Drive In One
(Cleveland City, 1993)

Listen / Buy

Very popular on the Cape Flats between 1995 – 1999. If I’m not mistaken it still gets played regularly at the institution “Club Galaxy” which celebrates 33 years bringing the vibes.

 

 


revoilution

Revolution
Diphala
(Universal, 2002)

Listen / Buy

South African Kwaito and SA House at its finest. Their album The Journey, was probably the one that got me hooked to the sounds of my homeland followed by Oskido Hulle.

 

 


juaguar

The Aztec Mystic
Jaguar
(Underground Reistance, 1999)

Listen / Buy

The first time I head this was back in 2001 but pitched down to 120 or so BPM and it wasn’t until I moved away to the UK that I realised that Oskido was actually playing it slower than the original BPM and there was me thinking it was a track by some local brother.

 


josh one

Josh One
Contemplation (King Britt Mix)
(Electromatrix, 2002)

Listen / Buy

I don’t know whatever happen to the brother Troydon originally from SA but he moved to LA and was involved with the house movement there. Anyway salute bru for introducing this killer of a track to me back then, still a weapon!

 

 


brenda fassie

Brenda Fassie & The Big Dudes
Weekend Special
(1983)

Listen / Buy

The Queen of SA Pop. Big fan of all the Afro Synth Pop from South Africa. It was 80’s, it was Oldskool. If you keen to discover some gems check out the AfroSynthPop Blog for some cool music from the motherland.

 

 


never again

Prophets of da City
Never Again
(Nation records, 1994)

Listen / Buy

South Africa’s foremost Hip Hop group who exploded onto the Hip Hop scene in Cape Town during the 90’s with their album Our World for the first SA Hip Hop release. Played a massive role in my musical upbringing as it related to the community I was brought up in and also Cape Slang dialect connection. “Prophets of the South” is AliOOFT and I: our tribute to the legends.


funny carp

Funny Carp
Pille en Dagga

Listen

Dahla Flet thats all!

 

 

 


dube

Lucky Dube
Remember Me
(Celluloid, 1990)

Listen / Buy

The King of Reggae of SA tragically killed back in 2007, well known across Africa for spreading the Truth. A recent trip to Malawi, I realised how massive he was as every Rasta Brother I spoke to mentioned him and told me how great he was.