If you wanna talk about the OG’s of Cape Town music you can’t have the conversation without mentioning the iconic group Funny Carp.
They basically defined my childhood with their music and influenced me in many ways because it was one of the first times in my life that I heard real stories from where I was from being turned into music and it was being played all over the Cape Flats.
My favourite member in the group was always Sly, he was just the coolest and his verses on each song were the ones everyone sang.
He is definitely one of my icons who I look up to.
This is why it was such a pleasure to get to speak to the legend himself recently.
Who can forget Skaroemba and the verse “my naam is Sly, ek is ‘n helluva guy, sy wil my n***, skaroemba chochiyohyoh skaroemba.
Sly, who’s real name is Adiel Davids, says he started the band Funny Carp in 1994 with a producer from Port Elizabeth called Marvin Moses.
Marvin at that time produced all the hooks for the songs, but they were looking for one more member who could also write lyrics.
At that time he didn’t know much about programming music but he could contribute with lyrics and ended up as the lead writer for Funny Carp.
The group had a number of hit songs from My Moeder Het By My Gestaan to Boerman Lambada, Almal is vrek and the festive hit, Os Is Lekke Almal Vannie Kaap is Merry Christmas en ‘n Nuwe Jaar.
It was definitely the lyrics that resonated so well with Cape Town and South Africa.
One song said: “My moeder het by my gestaan, deur al die stront wat ek aanvang, nou sit ek innie tronk, en die nomme stoot my rond”.
They were humorous but they had a message they were bringing to the world and the youth on the Cape Flats.
The icon says: “Ons het ‘n good run gehad tot dat die radio stations net opgehou dit om onse songs te speel en daar was baie wat hulle kon gespeel het but OK, daai is maar sieke hoe hulle operate.”
The group then split up and Sly and the other members went solo.
Sly started his “real life” when he got married and had children, but says he never stopped making music and is still taking subtle jabs at gangsterism and other social ills.
He says he bonded with his family during the pandemic and recorded a few songs with them, including his son who he says has the itch for music.
To me, the difference between the USA and South Africa is the way that the Americans respect and protect their icons.
The radio stations play their music, awards are given to them and the young stars who come up always show love by covering their songs or booking them for special appearances at gigs.
I feel like in Cape Town we don’t have that same kind of love for our icons and we as the youth can do much more to keep these legends relevant.
They put their heart and soul into their music and legends like Sly deserve to be celebrated, because he and so many others opened up so many doors for us.
I was quite happy and excited to hear that Boeta Sly is in the studio recording an album which will be released soon.
So for all the Funny Carp fans, keep watching the socials by following Sly Helluva Guy on TikTok and Facebook.
Die ou het dit nog, hy is ‘n original, and one hundred percent authentic, so let us celebrate this icon of Cape Town music by downloading his new songs, creating TikToks with the old ones and sharing it on WhatsApp.