Die Antwoord

Biography, Profile, Albums & Songs

Real Name:
AKA:
Date of Birth / Age:	,
Country:	South Africa
Hometown:
Net Worth:	Unknown

Biography

Die Antwoord which means "The Answer" in Afrikaans, is a South African rap-rave band formed in Cape Town in 2008. Fronted by vocalists Ninja and Yolandi Visser, their music is produced by DJ Hi-Tek. Their image draws from the zef counterculture movement and the works of Roger Ballen.
Die Antwoord released their first album, $O$, online for free, and attracted international attention for their music video to "Enter the Ninja". After briefly signing with Interscope Records, they founded their own label in 2011, Zef Recordz, through which they released their second album, Ten$Ion.
Die Antwoord lead vocalist, Ninja, was part of the South African hip-hop scene for many years, fronting acts such as The Original Evergreen, MaxNormal.TV and The Constructus Corporation. Ninja told Rolling Stone, "Everything I did before Die Antwoord was me experimenting, messing around and trying to find Die Antwoord... Everything before it was disposable. It was all throwaway."
Die Antwoord observed that journalists and critics, particularly in the United States, frequently ask if their creative output is a joke or a hoax. When asked if he was playing a character, Ninja said, "Ninja is, how can I say, like Superman is to Clark Kent. The only difference is I don't take off this fokken Superman suit." They have described their work as "documentary fiction" and "exaggerated experience" designed for shock value. Ninja told Spin:
People are unconscious, and you have to use your art as a shock machine to wake them up. Some people are too far gone. They'll just keep asking, "Is it real? Is it real?" That's dwanky. That's a word we have in South Africa, "dwanky." It's like lame. "Is it real?" You have to be futuristic and carry on. You gotta be a good guide to help people get away from dull experience.
Die Antwoord is known for their cult following, in particular the unusually prolific creation of fan art by their followers. Some of their music videos have incorporated artwork by the noted photographer Roger Ballen.