Pioneer Unit Records
Encyclopedia
Pioneer Unit Records is a Cape Town
-based independent record label
. Pioneer Unit's sound is characterised by the fusion of classic East Coast Hip Hop
, Detroit Techno
, Dancehall, Dub
, Grime
, Electro
and the sounds of Africa.
Pioneer Unit is also part of the Spaza movement. Spaza is a genre of Hip Hop where lyrics are performed in a variety of the many languages indigenous to South Africa (such as isiXhosa, isiZulu, seSotho and Afrikaans
). The genre is named after the informal 'Spaza' shops that are found in South Africa's townships where bits and pieces of everything are sold.
Unofficially founded by Damian Stephens
AKA Dplanet in 2005 for the release of Nomadsland by Trusenz
, Pioneer Unit became a registered company in 2007. The first official release, Planetary Assault, came out on 7 July 2007. Planetary Assault was co-published by Cape Town independent record label, African Dope, who are well-known for their work with The Real Estate Agents, The Constructus Corporation
, DJ Sibot, Felix Laband
and Krushed and Sorted. Planetary Assault was notable for the fact that it featured 19 different artists rapping in 6 different languages.
In early 2007, Pioneer Unit artists Ben Sharpa
and KONFAB caught the attention of BBC Radio 1
's Mary Anne Hobbs
who described the them as "two of the most inspired and agile lyricists in the world today." Ben Sharpa
was invited to perform at the BBC Introduces stage at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (Glastonbury
) in June 2007.
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
-based independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
. Pioneer Unit's sound is characterised by the fusion of classic East Coast Hip Hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, Detroit Techno
Detroit techno
Detroit techno is an early style of electronic music beginning in the 1980s. Detroit, Michigan has been cited as the birthplace of techno music. Prominent Detroit Techno artists include Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson...
, Dancehall, Dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, Grime
Grime (music)
Grime is a style of music that emerged from Bow, East London, England in the early 2000s, primarily as a development of UK garage, dancehall, and hip hop...
, Electro
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
and the sounds of Africa.
Pioneer Unit is also part of the Spaza movement. Spaza is a genre of Hip Hop where lyrics are performed in a variety of the many languages indigenous to South Africa (such as isiXhosa, isiZulu, seSotho and Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
). The genre is named after the informal 'Spaza' shops that are found in South Africa's townships where bits and pieces of everything are sold.
Unofficially founded by Damian Stephens
Damian Stephens
Damian Stephens is a record producer and user experience designer. Stephens has produced techno and hip hop since 1991...
AKA Dplanet in 2005 for the release of Nomadsland by Trusenz
Trusenz
Lungelo Nzama born 1980, is a Hip Hop artist from Durban, South Africa. In 1990 Nzama was one of only 4 Black students to join the Drakensberg Boys Choir with whom he travelled extensively, even performing for Prince Edward at his private residence in London...
, Pioneer Unit became a registered company in 2007. The first official release, Planetary Assault, came out on 7 July 2007. Planetary Assault was co-published by Cape Town independent record label, African Dope, who are well-known for their work with The Real Estate Agents, The Constructus Corporation
The Constructus Corporation
The Constructus Corporation was an electronic / hip hop act from Cape Town, South Africa, that started in early 2002 and had disbanded by mid-2003, leaving the one-of-a-kind concept album / book The Ziggurat as legacy.-Formation of the band:...
, DJ Sibot, Felix Laband
Felix Laband
Felix Laband is an electronic music artist born in 1977 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.He creates light, emotional, minimalist soundscapes by combining several styles, and samples from classical, jazz and old television recordings overlaid with instrumental performances by himself and other...
and Krushed and Sorted. Planetary Assault was notable for the fact that it featured 19 different artists rapping in 6 different languages.
In early 2007, Pioneer Unit artists Ben Sharpa
Ben Sharpa
Kgotso Semela aka Ben Sharpa aka Oh Kaptin My Kaptin is a veteran underground rapper and music producer...
and KONFAB caught the attention of BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Mary Anne Hobbs
Mary Anne Hobbs
Mary Anne Hobbs is an English DJ and music journalist from Garstang, Lancashire. She launched a new Primetime show on Xfm on 9 July 2011-Early career:...
who described the them as "two of the most inspired and agile lyricists in the world today." Ben Sharpa
Ben Sharpa
Kgotso Semela aka Ben Sharpa aka Oh Kaptin My Kaptin is a veteran underground rapper and music producer...
was invited to perform at the BBC Introduces stage at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (Glastonbury
Glastonbury
Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,784 in the 2001 census...
) in June 2007.
Discography
- Beats & Rhymes Mixtape (album). Ma-B (Driemanskap). 2011. PIONEERDIG006
- The Winner (EP). Manqoba. 2011. Cat: PIONEERDIG005
- The Lost Tapes (album). KONFAB. 2011. Cat: PIONEERDIG004
- Ghetto Dubs (double EP). Pure Solid. 2010. Cat: PIONEERDIG003
- Streets, Raps & Us (EP) – Rattex. 2010. Cat: PIONEERDIG002
- Flêtse Maniere (album) – JaakJaakJaak is a version of the name Jacob in Estonian language.People named Jaak include:*Jaak Aab , Estonian politician*Jaak Aaviksoo , Estonian politician and physicists...
. 2009. Cat: PIONEERDIG001 - Igqabhukil' Inyongo (album) - Driemanskap. 2009. Cat: PIONEERCD004
- Bread and Butter (album) - Rattex. 2008. Cat: PIONEERCD003
- B Sharpa (album) - Ben SharpaBen SharpaKgotso Semela aka Ben Sharpa aka Oh Kaptin My Kaptin is a veteran underground rapper and music producer...
. 2008. Cat: PIONEERCD002 - 7784 (EP) - Rattex. 2008.
- Planetary Assault (album) - Various Artists. 2007. Cat: PIONEERCD001
- Drudge Dialect (album) - Various Artists. 2006. Cat: PUBMPDIG001
- Nomadsland (album) - TrusenzTrusenzLungelo Nzama born 1980, is a Hip Hop artist from Durban, South Africa. In 1990 Nzama was one of only 4 Black students to join the Drakensberg Boys Choir with whom he travelled extensively, even performing for Prince Edward at his private residence in London...
. 2005.