10 YEARS! Proverb celebrates 10 years in the music industry

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of multi-talented rapper, SA Idols presenter, and producer Proverb’s debut album “The Book of Proverb” which was released in 2005. As a part of this decade celebration, Proverb will perform live at The Lyric at Gold Reef City on Wednesday, 4 March 2015 to coincide with the launch of his fifth studio album “The Read Tape”.

For his concert at The Lyric, Proverb will perform hits from his debut album including select singles from his catalogue, and showcase his latest offering “The Read Tape”. The celebration will also include guest appearances by hit makers The Soil, Ziyon, RJ Benjamin, Reason, Tumi and Kabomo to name a few. Tickets are available from Computicket as well as The Lyric and range from R150 to R200.

“It’s time to bring my music to my fam – live and in concert with a 10 piece band. I’m excited by the prospect of performing some of my familiar favourites as well as the new additions,” says Proverb.

The title of his latest album springs from the idiom “red tape” - referring to restriction, limitation or rigid conformity – while this album aims to break all boundaries and defy the limitations. Proverb’s previous albums have had book themes, and within the same vein this tape is being read - a deliberate wordplay referring to his skill as a wordsmith and author. A tape is also synonymous with old school, so he’s taking it back to the old school.

The main sponsors to the event include Domino’s Pizza South Africa; and Gauteng-based Afropolitan radio station, Kaya FM will be a media partner.

Greg Maloka, MD of Kaya FM says: “The partnership between Kaya FM and Proverb’s launch of The Read Tape is just one facet about this journey. I have personally witnessed Proverb’s evolution into one who is rooted; global and socially conscious. Proverb epitomizes what the Afropolitan man is about and his values are exactly in line with our brand philosophy. We are proud and honoured to be celebrating his 10 year milestone with Proverb and fam”.

Maloka further went on to say that the radio station cater for a diverse audience, with an eclectic mix of the old and new. Proverb is no stranger to the South African music industry. In fact, Kaya FM’s core urban listeners have grown and evolved with him as an artist but also as an individual. A decade in the music industry is no small feat. He has a better understanding of the country’s music scene at large and he brings the Afropolitan sophistication to Hip Hop.

Fam, as Proverb prefers to call his legion of supporters, can look forward to an album richer in content, and more diverse in delivery that ventures bravely into unchartered terrains. Punchlines, metaphors, similes, lyrical wizardry, poetry, thought provoking content, different flows, interesting collaborations and refreshing production are at the order of the day.

“Purists like me will be more than satisfied while the new school crowd must prepare for exactly that, to be newly schooled. The market I was speaking to 10 years ago has grown and we therefore have new things to talk about as we relate on different levels. Our perspective on everything has changed. Hip Hop heads, especially those from my generation, are starved of the kind of content we enjoyed back in the day and I almost feel like it’s my duty to be the hybrid between the then and the now,” he says.

The impressive guest appearance list on the album include: slam poet Tumelo, veteran Nigerian Emcee ModeNine, Jayso and M.anifest from Ghana, Ruyonga from Uganda and American rap legend Punchline, as well as South African heavyweights RJ Benjamin, Ziyon, 37mph, Melina and Tebogo Moloto.

The album will be available on CD at all major outlets and digitally on platforms like iTunes. Proverb also intends to make it available on South African mobile networks.