Showmax announces a music doccie, Brasse Vannie Kaap
Showmax has just released the first trailer for Brasse Vannie Kaap, a nostalgic feature documentary about the iconic, game-changing 90s group who helped make hip hop South African. The music documentary starts streaming on Showmax on Monday, 7 October 2024.
In the documentary, the who’s who of the Afrikaans entertainment industry line up to pay tribute to Brasse Vannie Kaap’s undeniable impact, from David Isaacs and Oscar Petersen of Joe Barber fame to Karen Zoid, Kurt Darren, Francois van Coke and Valiant Swart.
“I started rapping in Afrikaans because of Brasse, and eventually rapping on stages in Afrikaans thanks to Brasse,” says Jack Parow.
“I am a student of theirs; I am a product of what they made,” echoes YoungstaCPT, flagging how even his name echoes theirs. “I’m a Bra Vannie Kaap, you know. That kind of name, that kind of title, gives you hope and inspiration to not feel ashamed of where you come from, and not be ashamed to use your own language or your own slang. They give you the confidence to do it.”
For Early B, their legacy isn’t just their music, but also how much they gave back to their community. “They make guys like us look in the mirror and say, ‘You can do better,’” says Early B.
In the documentary, Brasse Vannie Kaap’s rappers, scratchers and breakdancers reflect on the group’s remarkable journey from the Cape Flats to Pukkelpop in Belgium – a rise that was cut short by the untimely death of their frontman, Mr Fat, aka Ashley Titus, who passed away in 2007 aged just 36.
Brasse Vannie Kaap ends with Ready D and DJ Azuhl getting the group back together for an intimate tribute show at Youngblood Africa in honour of Mr Fat.
“In all honesty, I wasn’t ready for this,“ said Ready D. “There were certain things I did not want to bring from the past to where I am right now, but the documentary has been part of a healing process on so many different levels.”
Brasse Vannie Kaap is written, directed and produced by Lauren Scholtz, founder of Dala Films. After graduating with a BA Honours in Film Studies from the University of Cape Town, Lauren spent 15 years producing television commercials. A few years ago, she swapped production work for screenwriting, starting out as a storyliner on the kykNET telenovelas Arendsvlei, Diepe Waters and Skemergrond.
Lauren’s older sister Nadine Matthews is married to former Brasse Vannie Kaap member DJ Azuhl [real name Ricardo Nunes], so the band’s story is close to home for her. Lauren first pitched the idea for Brasse Vannie Kaap at Silwerskerm 2023, returning a year later to premiere her debut feature documentary at the festival to a sold-out audience and a standing ovation.
“This story was something that was just burning inside of me,” says Lauren. “Azuhl kept sharing these videos of Brasse Vannie Kaap on social media and I kept seeing the visceral response from people, who so clearly remembered that era and what Brasse Vannie Kaap did and meant to them. I knew I had to tell this story.”
Azuhl is thrilled with the result. “This documentary is an emotional, visual rollercoaster ride that captures the essence of hip hop culture, brotherhood and healing.”
For Ready D, the documentary is a reminder of how much progress has been made. “It’s been a long hard battle for people to actually grasp what we were trying to do as the first generation of hip hop artists on the Cape Flats,” says Ready D. “It’s also been a fight getting people to accept the way we speak on the Cape Flats. To hear people going ‘Aweh, my bru. Hoss’ – there was always this negative stereotype attached to it. People assume you doff, you stupid, and they connect that with poverty as well, but this documentary breaks all of those stereotypes and shows how far we’ve come.”
Early reviews are glowing, with News24’s Joel Ontong giving the documentary 4.5/5 stars and hailing it as a “heartfelt tribute to SA hip-hop legends… Captivating and emotionally compelling… A must-watch.”
Watch the trailer for Brasse Vannie Kaap
