New Jits hits: Rapper’s 3rd album celebrates culture, hip hop and Afrikaans
|Published
IN CONTROL: Hip hop artist Quintin Goliath aka Jitsvinger
Afrikaaps hip hop artist Jitsvinger’s new album, Jitsonova Vol.1: Compos Mentis, is set to launch next week, just in time for the summer holidays.
With his third studio offering, Compos Mentis (meaning to have full control of one’s mind), Jitsvinger, real name Quintin Goliath, says he explores a range of subjects such as “knowledge of self, taking back ownership of the Afrikaans language, a celebration of culture, honouring those who came before us and an unapologetic immersion into the lyricism and boom bap that is hip hop music”.
Speaking about the influence behind his latest album, the Mitchells Plain-born star says the Covid-19 pandemic impacted on his creative processes.
“The hard lockdown and the inability to move and perform, forced me to sit still and do some introspection,” he says.
“Being in lockdown, I was compelled to let my thoughts come out.
“I feel like I have been out there, inwardly, and I have found some planet.
“Those planets have come out in the form of songs.”
The “planets” he speaks of include the album’s title track Compos Mentis, featuring popular comedy duo Joe Barber’s most famous skit Ek Wietie Wattie.
In the song Super Afrikaaner, featuring vocalist Natalie Nova, who is now based in France, the duo take on the characters of “formidable Kaapse agents on a mission to reclaim the Afrikaans language”.
Jits describes the song as similar to the soundtrack of a bar fight scene in the movie Desperado.
“The retro feel of the banjo makes this the perfect soundtrack for a saloon bar fight somewhere in the Klein Karoo desert, where we wrestle Afrikaans back from those who nationalised it, to its rightful owners,” he quips.
Over the years, Jits has worked with numerous musicians and beatmakers, some of whom have contributed to his new album.
They include Dutch producer Jeeja (Stiekyt), Lowmacks (Die Profeet), musical maestros Mervyn Africa, Winston Siljeur and Grant van Rooyen as well as young producers Kirsten Skippers and Chadley BASSFACE Beukes.
The album also features the vocals of Sweden-based Belhar native, Robert Black.
The album will be available to the public from 19 November.