At this stage the group was just messing around with names and were not to serious about rap performances. It essentially was a hobby and often people would come and go in their involvement. I remember Marley hooked us up with Warro, who was from his old b-boy crew Supreme Rock and had a Casio keyboard that could make basic beats. Dean Martin of Pop Glide Crew was also involved in the crew back then. We even had Ready D perform with us at the Mardi Gras at Cape District Football Field in Wynberg. A while later we saw a Roland 808 drum machine advertised in the newspaper and we purchased it. I was teaching at this stage and had ready cash available to purchase it for the crew, who would ay it back. I recall going to Clubs where we would just test the bass drum of the 808 and the crowd would go crazy. We did some small shows back then in the Base in Cape Town and Club Fame in Elsies River.

 

We spent many hours performing at schools and then made it through to

the regional finals if the Shell Road to Fame. Another addition to the crew

back then was Addinal, aka Baby Dee, one of the first graffiti artists in

Cape Town. Just before the split with Patty, we met with Michael Hattingh

aka Whiteboy, who had a small studio and did some early recordings. It was

at these gatherings that the name Black Noise was decided on. Ironically, it

was influence by this white guy who later convinced Patty to work with him

exclusively. A dispute broke out over the name and as I spent a great deal of

time marketing it through posters and stickers etc. We walked away with a

smaller crew and the right to call ourselves Black Noise.

 

In the end we held the name and were less "Whiteboy", Patty and his

Roland 909 drum machine. It was from this point that we would redefine what Black Noise would be and how we would attain our goals. Once Patty aka Caramel left the group, it was up to Marley and me to write the rhymes and for Warro to make the beats for those new tracks. It was also around then that Prophets of Da City were starting to record some songs and making waves in the record industry. Black Noise did many talent show competitions and often won. Marley, Warro and I did the Super Curl and won the most promising artist award at that competition. 
 
How Black Noise, the entire concept, was born  

A small room in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain, is where the concept of Black Noise took form. Present at the discussion and planning of the concept of Black Noise was Michael Jones, Marlon Miller, Timothy Bateman (Rest In Peace my brother), Edmund Jones, Warro Brooks and me, Emile Jansen. Here was the collective of breakdancers from crews like Pop Glide Crew, Supreme Rock Crew and Ballistic Rock.

We had just split from previous group members of Black Noise. Black Noise was a collective of b-boys, MCs, graffiti artists and beatboxers. We were then named Furious Floor Rockers , which we later changed to The Chill Convention. We were the first group to incorporate MCing into the b-boy shows and to perform and carnivals like the Madi Gras at William Herbert Sportsfield, Constantia Fare and the Maynardville Carnival. We even did demos at malls that included some rapping as part of the hip hop demo. Back then they played no rap on Goode Hope FM or anywhere else in the media. Very few people knew what hip hop was about and it was hard work getting equipment and recordings done. We entered the Shell Road to Fame and made it as far as the regional finals. Things were tough in the beginning as no one would hire something that they have never seen or knew about. Marley, Warro, Edmund, Tarro, Mikey and I started to formulate the concept that would grow into Black Noise.  

 

Ideas came flying across the table at Grandma Jones’ place. The future seemed limitless and everything was possible. We dreamed of performing on big stages around the world, with huge names and we would make a living from this and create jobs for our people, but most of all “We would be famous”. Then just as rapping started to get the attention of the people of Cape Town, Black Noise unveiled the concept of its powerful show at the Baxter Rap and Rock Concerts. It was the start of the signature energy packed show of Black Noise that included b-boys. I remember the crowd responses for Black Noise performance back then and how we enjoyed getting the crowd involved in the show. At that very same gig at the Baxter, Prophets of The City launched their career and were signed. Black Noise on the other hand had Edmund Jones studying BCOM at U.C.T, Marley studying Mechanical Engineering at Peninsula Technicon, Michael Jones working for SAFMARINE and I was studying to be a teacher at Wesley Training College. 

 

Doing things on our own

Our initial shows were done in our communities at school carnivals and

various other community events. Black Noise started touring on our own to

Johannesburg to create an interest in the group. These initial steps to do

things ourselves were essentially Michael, Desiree and my ideas. We left music

to Warro, song lyrics to Marley and me and dance moves were the job of

Michael and Tarro.

 

Our First management 

Mikey and I were sitting in my room and preparing to phone around for gigs

at various clubs in the city. Anyway, we rehearse what we are going to ask on

each other, until we feel confident enough to try, keeping in mind that we were the most silent members of our b-boy crew from back in the day. We start by  phoning a few clubs in the city centre and eventually reach this guy that has artist/ performers management agency and he asks if we can come and meet him before the show. It is then and their that we decide to be on time and as professional as we expect to be treated.

 

Their management was called Triple M. They book us for our first gig with them and we prepare to shock them. The night of the performance we are amazing and they immediately sign Black Noise and get us a huge number of paid gigs in places that we never knew existed in Cape Town. This included the Cape Town Festival and many carnivals and school appearances.

 

Triple M also had a connection with Krakatoa Studios in the city and would arrange for us to make our first recordings that could be used to sell the group to potential clubs and festivals. The studio was in the city and I still had more love for b-boying than actually rapping. They say that the best way to learn is to be throw in at the deep end and it truly was just that. Looking back now, the recordings were basic and served the purpose of getting the vocals down for the purpose of clubs getting a feel for what they were hiring. I remember how Black Noise saved every cent in the early years to buy equipment to be independent from the studios and their high costs. It paid-off as we were later able to empower one of our members, with the help of his fathers input and belief to be the producer. That fell into the hands of Warro Brooks. I think that these early realizations made us independent from producers and expensive studios.

 

We were constantly trying to better the show and making it entertaining for the people

attending performances. This obsession with a perfect show was what prepared us for the

second management from Christopher De Vries and Making Music Productions.

 

Black Noise second management company and mentors

I initially met Christopher at the Youth Arts Festival offices of the Baxter Theater. He then

invited Michael and I to their offices which were in Roodepoort Blvd, Woodstock. He

seemed huge and his partners were two white guys. I remember seeing many anti-

apartheid political posters in their offices, which immediately made me feel safe and in

good company.  

 

Chris, with the help of Making Music, started getting us many shows at various events.

What I liked and still am appreciative for , was their immediate honesty about the show,

music and performance delivery. I remember waiting for Christopher to arrive after each

show to give his comments about the performance. He introduced us to new people in the

music world and we were learning all the time. Shows were again plentiful, but we were

still getting other shows at schools and in the community on our own.

 

It was and is a learning experience being around the members of making Music Productions. They were and are always willing to share of their vast knowledge of the music world. Just being around then while they are hosting an event or planning an event is in itself a learning experience. It is because of all we have learnt from Making Music, that Black Noise has been able to host events and do so many things on their own. It was also around this period that we met a new addition to the Black Noise family.

 

Our African Goddess, Desiree Van Den Heever

Ironically we met with me telling a little white lie. We were asked to do a show for her in Mitchells Plain, but for some reason or other, the group did not want to do the show. I was in the area to go and apologize for Black Noise not coming to do the show … the white lie … I forget what I said. Well, as fate would have it, a few months later she invites me out and we get to talk about Black Noise and the projects that we have. We get to talk and realize that we can assist each other as she works for the “Come and Play” of the council, which works in the communities and we wish to do the same.

 

Over the next few months she gets to meet all the rest of Black Noise and we all become great friends. We introduce her to Christopher and everyone becomes this one big happy family. Desiree is the other member in Black Noise helping with setting up gigs, her sisters assist with Black Noise fan club The Noise and even assist with dancing in some shows.

 

Tour to JHB on our own 

We soon realized that all the groups that were serious were in JHB and thus we also had to make an impact in JHB for people to take note or simply take us serious enough to sign the group to a deal. We then arranged with Mikey and Desiree to stay with families in JHB and perform at the Thunderdome in the JHB city centre. We drove up to JHB in two cars and on the way their we almost had Warro drive the car off the road. It was a crazy tour as we decided to take our girlfriends along with us. That was a huge mistake to combine business and pleasure. But like they say, you learn from your mistakes. We tried to create an interest with Chris Chilakus Records and owner of the Thunder Dome. It was not to be, but worth the trip to learn.    

 

Make your decision to follow your dream and passion

The group asks members to have the dedication to put Black Noise first irrespective
of other obligations. I remember feeling extremely lucky that I had a teaching job

and was able to get away from work if the situation called for it. Many times it

was difficult, but I always put Black Noise first even if it meant coming to school

almost straight after gigs and preparation for huge performances the night before.

Edmund Jones and others would have to end their dream with us. I remember

Michael using the analogy of him feeling like the only one in the boat without a

life-jacket and we had other safety mechanism to hold onto. The next day I went

to school and asked for indefinite - unpaid leave from my post.

 

I remember knowing that this could mean losing my job, but a question I asked the

class made me more determined to follow my dream. I asked the pupils if they had

the chance to follow their dream, would they do that if it was uncertain how they

would get the next pay-check or would they rather choose to do a job they were

not completely happy with but knew they would get paid at the end of the day?

90% of the youth in the class decided to take the safe option of the definite pay-

check with the job they were not really happy with. That made me want to show

these youths that you can be happy and follow your dream and make a living

doing what you love. I left my teaching post a month after that.  Marley also decided to leave his studies and we were what became the tight crew. Michael Jones, Marlen Miller, Warro Brroks, Bizarro Brooks and Emile Jansen. 

 

Black Noise Tours organised by Making Music Productions

Christopher De Vries of Making Music Productions arranged tours for Black Noise to Port Elizabeth club, The Golden Fountain. It was the first time that I saw the way a tour is set up and how the group has to sound check for hours before the actual show, which was usually after many hours of preparation. Another learning curve was understanding the importance of reading the crowd and positioning in the stage. The people that we met after the shows and the relationships we create with people while on the road, is instrumental for the groups future in touring locally and internationally. 

 

A record label sees Black Noise perform at  UWC

Christopher gets Bengy Mudie or his assistant to see Black Noise perform at the UWC and Pen Tech SRC carnival in Bellville. They were interested in checking out Black Noise, because the group made the cover of Flipside magazine. They are also impressed by the word going around about the powerful show that Black Noise has. They invite Black Noise up to Johannesburg where we were to perform in front of various record labels interested in signing the group. We were so nervous about this show because Michael can’t dance due to injuries and we are tired from the long drive there. The performance is the best thing that people from the industry have seen in a long time and Chris has his hands full with labels interested in signing Black Noise. Another helping factor that night was having Jazzmo, Ready D and Shaheen of POC and Granville from INTRIBE in the audience. I remember doing this acapella rhyme about "The Word"

 

The first record Deal “Pumpin’ Loose Da Juice”

After checking through many deals , our management decides to go with One World Records, a sub-label of Tusk Records. Contracts are signed and we make the preparations for getting the songs ready for the album. Marley and Warro head for Johannesburg a week ahead of me to prepare the beats for the album. They were living at Vicky Sampsons flat, as she is Warro’s cousin. She lived in the heart of Hillbrow, where we would walk to clubs and around the city back then … Damn!, things change quickly.

 

I arrive in Hillbrow a week later and we dive into the recording of the songs. The

record label people are their usual happy selves and always optimistic. The

producer is an old rocker it seems and I am wondering what the hell are we

doing here. We have hours of discussions about the samples in the tracks we

prepared and why they have to reply it differently. The original sample of

Goodtimes, our first single and video, is changed from the guitar riff of These

are the breaks to something played in the studio and I sense many more

changes to come. The entire recording period is 2 weeks and that’s it. As if that

is not enough rushing to complete the album, we wait almost a year before the

album is ready for release.

 

We come up with the name Pumpin’ Loose Da Juice, which to us meant releasing

the energy or information. It was also one of our songs that we performed

forever as an opening track to push energy at the show. This is around the same

time that the world of hip hop goes from Public Enemy to the gangster era of

NWA and shooting niggas and middle class rappers fronting like they are hard for

ghetto credibility, like "Ice T". It is also around this time that I get a few copied notes from AUZAR about Knowledge of Self or Black Consciousness. I started reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X and "Blacked Out through Whitewash".

 

I remember getting that information and AUZAR telling to only share it with brothers who are really ready for the information and they should not pass it on without someone their to explain. Well, I start with giving Rozanno X a copy, who gives the whole hip hop underground a copy of it ... I am a bit disappointed as I think that it will be misinterpreted by the masses and not have someone to explain the content. It happens as I thought, very little of the information is internalized and many youth spread snippets of the information around the underground without research or using it in their daily lives. Ironically, it is still the same when it comes to the hip hop community making the connection between the information and themselves.    … (from Emile’s new book “Making a Black Noise”) …Out on 2009