Counting Headz: South Afrika's Sistaz in Hip Hop
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Counting Headz: South Afrika's Sistaz in Hip Hop is a 49-minute documentary film that explores South African hip hop culture through the stories of women in hip hop. It was shot in 2006 and completed post-production in 2007. The film was directed and produced by South African filmmaker, Vusi Magubane, and Canadian filmmaker, Erin Chen-ying Offer.
Synopsis
[edit]Counting Headz is a platform for stories that are often drowned out among the male voices in hip hop. This ground-breaking documentary reveals the position of South Africa's women today; their stories are mediated through the experiences of three major artists in South Africa's hip hop scene.
MC Chi introduces the alleged contradiction of values between African and hip hop cultures. Is it possible to reconcile the two? Is it worth it to reconcile the two? Her questions thread together the obstacles encountered by fellow sistaz.
DJ Sistamatic challenges a distorted portrayal of her image in the media. Candidly, she recounts her resistance to conform to female stereotypes as she continues to make a name for herself.
Family relationships are tested when daughters step outside traditional roles; Graffiti artist Smirk works beyond her family's initial misgivings about her art and prepares to merge living hip hop and being a mother.
Alternately, they are supported and contradicted by an all-female community of hip hop artists and activists from the locally respected MC, Cuba, to the internationally acclaimed crew, Godessa.
Counting Headz is a collaboration, a labour of love, a celebration. But most importantly, it is a voice for these women's stories that are often left unheard.
Production Notes
[edit]Counting Headz was shot primarily in and around Johannesburg, the cultural and commercial capital of South Africa. The film would have been incomplete had the crew not also shot in Cape Town: the birthplace of South African hip hop. One busy week was spent in Cape Town, in which the crew interviewed Cape Town based artists and significant contributors to South African hip hop such as Godessa, Endz, Kato, Smirk, and Faith47.
Much of the original performance footage was shot at weekend hip hop shows such as Black Sunday, Slaghuis, and Splashjam, which all take place at various locations in Soweto.
Featured Artists & Activists
[edit]The Counting Headz sistaz are:
- Chi (mc)
- Sistamatic (dj)
- Smirk (graffiti artist)
- Cuba (mc)
- Lee Kasumba (radio dj, activist)
- D-Unik (dj)
- Tia Anam (mc)
- Kato (dj)
- Crystal Orderson (journalist, gender activist)
- MsSupa (mc)Supa's Website Archived 2015-10-25 at the Wayback Machine
- Godessa (mcs)Official Godessa website
- Endz The Otherness (mc)Endz' Myspace
- Nthabi (mc)Nthabi's Myspace
- Cuba (mc)
- Sisanda (mc)
- Nicky (beatboxer)
- Faith47 (graffiti artist)Official Faith47 website
Counting Headz features original performance footage from Chi, Tia Anam, Godessa, Endz the Otherness, Nthabi, Cuba, Sisanda, and Nicky.
Production credits
[edit]Research Consultants: Bonolo Ratshidi, Zanele Guqaza, Zenaida Martin, Natalie van Rooy, Yoliswa Mogale, Tifen, Mbali Vilakazi
The Counting Headz Sistaz: Chi, Smirk, Sistamatic, Lee Kasumba, Cuba, Godessa, Tia Anam, Endzi, D-Unik, Kato, Faith47, Nthabi, Sisanda, Supa, Nicky, Crystal Orderson
Produced and Directed by: Erin Offer & Vusi Magubane
Assistant Director: Thabiso Mohapeloa
Associate Producers: Jenny Hu & Matt Offer
Edited by: Thabiso Mohapeloa & Vusi Magubane (Chop Shop Multimedia)
Financial Advisor: Jenny Hu
Director of Photography: Vusi Magubane
Translation by: Lulama Masimini
Translation Edited by Taryn Mackay
Rhymes Written by: Nthabi
Rhymes Edited by: Erin Offer
First Camera: Vusi Magubane
Second Camera: Ignatius Mokone
Camera Operators: Thabiso Mohapeloa, Kurt Orderson, Alistair Andersen
Final Mix: Arno Keyser (Blind Productions)
Camera Supplied by: Alex Musoke
Photographs by: Lerato Maduna, Hugh Mdlalose, Nhlanhla Mngadi, Faith 47, Smirk, Godessa, Beef, Chigo Gondwe, Dominique Soma
Additional footage provided by: Chigo Gondwe, Godessa, Nhlanlha Hlongwane, Smirk, Clinton Cerf, Lee Kasumba
Music provided by: Hugh Mdlalose, Mangaliso Ngonyoza, Chigo Gondwe, Grenville Williams
Cape Town Unit
Key Production Assistant: Kato
Flights provided by: Sharmin Mackay
Accommodation: Zamo Mji & Sizwe Mji
Transport: Sharmin Mackay