Michelle Jones
LOCAL zef rap group Die Antwoord has turned down a chance to work with Lady Gaga, one of the most successful artists in the international music business.
In an interview with MTV Canada, the group’s frontman Ninja said their former record company had approached them to work with Lady Gaga.
“They wanted us to open for her and we were like ‘No f**k that, whatever’. Because we are just in another zone, we operate in another kind of dimension to everything.
“We liking making pop and hardcore music at the same time, mixing the two. But it’s got soul in it. It’s not weak superficial s**t.”
Ninja spoke about the group’s sudden increase in popularity.
“Weird s**t’s been happening, like f***ing Lady Gaga asked us to tour with her and we were like, ‘um, no don’t worry about it, no thanks’.”
The group are described on the video posted online by MTV as a “zef hip hop collective”.
The video features footage of the band from their recent album Tension.
Ninja, with bandmate Yo-Landi Vi$$er seated alongside him, described how the group had parted ways with former record company Interscope.
He said they had worked together happily for their first album but things had changed when it came time for their next record.
“I think they we like ‘Oh here’s a weird kind of strange act, let’s let them do their thing for a while, have your fun’, and then when it comes to the second time around, ‘Ok guys can you stop playing games’.
“They were looking at Lady Gaga or The Black Eyed Peas and that type of s****y pop music, and were thinking we could like twist into that. And we were just thinking that’s not really our thing.”
One collaboration they would be keen to pursue is somewhat unexpected.
“There’s people like Celine Dion, we love Celine Dion. That would be the ultimate collaboration.
“Apparently she doesn’t, like, curse and we found that out and we were like, ‘f**k’.”
The group hit international headlines recently after performing on US talkshow David Letterman.
They also appear in a video and print advert for fashion house Alexander Wang’s new line “T” for spring 2012 and attracted attention when they sat in front row seats at Wang’s recent New York Fashion Week runway show.
The Cape Times approached Die Antwoord for comment but by deadline the band hadn’t responded.
They performed in Australia on Monday.