Imagine a space where four of the biggest genres in South African music go head to head to be the ultimate sound winner.
Well, that is what the Red Bull Culture Clash is all about.
Described as an epic music experience, the event will take place at Soweto’s Orlando Stadium where some of the country’s biggest stars will try to prove their respective sounds are the best.
Hip hop star AKA, Nigerian hitmaker Patoranking, reggae kings Admiral & Jah Seed and house master DJ Tira will compete for the loudest response from their crowds on four stages, in a sound system battle.
Each artist has chosen a specific crew to work with to make sure they come out on top.
The Culture Clash concept was started by the Red Bull Music Academy and involves the four crews going head to head, over a series of rounds, in a music battle to determine the overall winner.
On the night, it’ll be the support of the fans that will help decide the winner.
The crew of The World is Yours hitmaker AKA is the Top Boyz Sound System and they plan to make sure Hip Hop stands way out above all other sounds.
The team also consists of fellow hip hop and beat heads Yanga and Anatii.
“I’m not worried about the other teams because at the end of the day, we’ve got knowledge of dance music, reggae, soul, EDM and we got the crowd. What I do know is no one is going to have better music and you have to know how to work a crowd.
“We gonna come with that energy, that hunger and we are really going to lay it down. We’re gonna take people on a journey, man. We are approaching it like this is the last show you will ever see,” hypes AKA in a promotional clip for the event.
The influential rapper said the sound his crew will be bringing on that day will represent not only where they come from, but also what has moulded their sound and culture.
AFRICAN STORM: The formidable duo Admiral &Jahseed have been reggae kings since 1996. Picture: Tyrone Bradley
For reggae kings Admiral & Jah Seed, their African Storm sound system crew dates back to 1996.
“I was doing a radio show and one day an artist walked into the studio, we had a mini-clash live on the radio show.
“We both realised we had the same taste in music - dancehall reggae music and a sound was born,” said Admiral.
It’s been 21 years since then and the sound keeps growing. Their team, Speedy, Tol Ass Mo and the Dancehall Queens, is authentic reggae people.
“What we have here is an unpredictable entertainment weapon,” added Admiral.
Jah Seed, known for his Bongo Maffin hits, said they would be schooling the other teams in their own genres.
DURBAN MASSACRE: DJ Tira is bringing it all to the table for the Culture Clash. Picture: Tyrone Bradley
The house team - the Durban Massacre sound system - headed by DJ Tira will see Gqom queen Babes Wodumo, Big Nuz, Naaq Musik, L’vovo Derrango and DJ Bongz take on the other crews.
“We are coming to destroy everything. We’ve got the best performers in the game, the best dance crew, don’t even try to dance because you will embarrass yourselves.
“Our strategy is to perform at our best, so our people go crazy and make that noise,” said Tira.
Patoranking will be showing off his afrobeats with his RedHot sound system crew on the night.
Red Bull’s longest-standing music programme, now in its 19th year, introduced the Culture Clash concept in the UK in 2010, and it has since made its way around the world, including events in New York, Lisbon and Paris.
Red Bull Culture Clash is based on the classic Jamaican sound system culture, but with a twist.
The Culture Clash will take place on September 23.