Saturday 28 September 2013

Jay Stash - We Keep Marching (track for track breakdown)


Veteran Joburg MC, Jay Stash recently took to facebook to breakdown the tracks on his new album, We Keep Marching. Below is a compilation of his posts (copied and pasted and not edited).

I spent 4 years putting together the album independently .From having a J.O.B.I put in a bit of cash to work on the album, put out a few mixtapes. Met Turkish Nabz and he joined in on the journey & contributed immensely, we hustled, had sleepless nights putting work in. It was a whole lot of sweat and tears putting together this album....At some point I wanted to give up the music as a whole at times I would get frustrated, you take songs to radio and they get rejected then u feel like "But the song ya'll are playing now is too WEAK" It still happens today where radio gives u bullshit excuses why they can't playlist your music and then u hear tracks like "(Feel in)" here but see, that rejection made me tougher and smarter. I just upped my game....I thought "Aight so radio fcks with a lot of weak rappers" And at times that rejection from radio can BREAK u...if u let it. A lot of artists quit the music game because of frustrations of lack of airplay In this game you gotta be your OWN master......I did that. I took all that pain & rejection. Put it in a bottle, filled it up with water....So it didn't die out or rot. Just so I could look at it and find drive each day and push to get to where I wanted to head. Saw friends I had in the game turn into strangers...Saw love die amongst peeps I considered friends....I let that shit inspire me. Then I joined Twitter....Felt lost a bit. Like wtf is going on here....And I felt it really wasn't for me. Too many people tryna be stars here. I've always said to cats....If u tryna do u, spend less time on twitter or u hustle will be broken all because of other peoples tweets on your TL. See I tried not to let social media make me because that very same social media can break u.The fans here are heartless. Today they like u, tomorrow its another story. ...But enough with that shit...Let me take u into the album....I start with the 1st song....

Track 1.Just Like You (intro) Feat Thembeka Khumalo produced by Cristyle Peter ....We sampled 'For a reason' by Zhane...then Cristyle added beat boxing.I tell a bit of my upbringing and challenges I faced.Being bullied as a kid,always being the odd one out.Thembeka sings beautifully on the hook,the intro is broken down into speech in 3 verses,then 3 hooks.

Track 2. We Keep Marching Feat Kabomo Produced by Dome.The song is also the album title,I spit 2 verses that touch on life & its challenges,Kabomo sings on the hook,laces vocals on a verse and switches to a flow. Remarkably done,With Kage(Ex 985 member) doing backing vocals

Track 3.Auzwe Feat Skhokho Obviass Produced by Dome...The beat is kwaito/Hip Hop...I had to jump on this,we worked on concept of the song and painted a pic of what the video would be like....Now we had to find the right voice for the hook....On an odd day I went to studio & Skhokho happened to be there(I thought to myself "Hey that's that nigga from the lunch bar ad")...I asked Dome to play him the song and he killed it there and then

Track 4. 10 000 Skit.....I bet on my life there has never been a skit like this in SA music history...Its a story done by Lesiba Marokana & crew(The Generatorz crew)....Its almost 4min long.Well produced,even the acting(u can really picture what happens hear)

Track 5. 10 000 Produced by Dome...The beat of this song is heavenly sent,so atomic too.I heard the beat & I started writing a 16.....Dome caught me off guard and suggested that we flip the song and let rock people...Then he got in the booth,recorded himself on some "100...No...200...No.......1000 Yes...2000...Yes...10 000"...I was like "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat"

 Track 6.I did it again Feat KayGizm(Morafe) Produced by Dome..I was in a bad space when writing this song but I tried by all means to make it fun.A little bit of word play and mockery then KayGee did what he does best,with Gomolemo Mokhine as backing vocals

 Track 7.Oh Yeah...This was one of the 1st songs I recorded for the project.Produced by Dome.The song is a good feel,I'm about my day song

Track 8.Bricklayer Feat Teepee produced by Dome....I had actually canned the song from being on the album but due to #PopularDemand I decided against my decision not to include it on the album .I felt the song showed a naughty side of me that I cudnt say hardly exists no more.But in the world of entertainment and showing versatility I decided its best I listen to the fans and share the song....I open my verse with Biggies lines "I don't chase 'em,I replace 'em and if I'm caressing 'em I'm undressing 'em'(CLASSIC)....Song produced by Cristyle Peter

Track 9.Dance with my Lady Feat Nana Coyote Produced by Ruff.I was approached by the late Nana Coyotes son & he told me how he loves my work and my way of writing music.We have known each other for years so he has seen me grown musically and he proposed that I try something his his late father...He gave me the vocals and rights to use them and magic was created in the studio,I handed the producer the vocals and he created the beat...When I got into studio I was there to record a different song and I just felt the urge there and then to write and spit some sweet shit for the ladies...I had my lady in mind when I wrote this so it was all effortless.

Track 10. Game of Love Feat Brickz Mabrigado & Qhawekazi Produced by Dome....Now this is a classic,both Brickz & Qhawe killed it,the song speaks about the good and the bad in relationships,Qhawe sings about her tiredness of dealing with love and how she no longer what's a part of it...Myself and Brickz paint a picture of words.The chemistry amongst all 3 artists is amazing,great synergy

Track 11.Perfect Produced by Dome...With Gimboss on the chorus .This song is a special dedication to the special lady in my life.Sometimes the older u get,the more you start appreciating the most IMPORTANT of things,the beat is on steroids,something waaaaaaaAay different.Gimboss sings so rough but in a sweet captivating way.....The song was kept in studio and it was just for me

Track 12. 4 The Sistaz Feat Teepee & Ntsiki Mazwai Produced by Cristyle Peter I have to say,Cristyle style of production is so UNIQUE.I have never heard Teepee come out this strong,smooth and powerful on a song .Ntsiki delivers a sweet but realistic poem that paints a sad picture of the reality of what young women go through today and the challenges some of our mothers go through....I lace a verse speaking about the woman who used to be driven and inspired to achieve but now she drowns in her own sorrows of self hatred,hating the woman she's become,how she has compromised and lost herself all in the name of love...Hating her life,she dies a silent death of self hatred

Track 13.Love You Better Feat Shaun Soulo Produced by Shaun Soulo This is by far one of the most powerful SA Hip Hop songs of all time,if not the MOST.This song tackles issues dealing with poverty,child abuse,appreciating life,it also questions the act of rape,speaks on H.I.V Aids.....It opens with a line that says "We all need someone to love us,someone to love you better,to make it better"....Victims of Aids need love too,our sistas and mothers that have suffered from rape need to be loved too...But it all starts with us,we need to raise out kids right,teach them right from wrong but MOST importantly LOVE them better,love them enough so they can love the world better.

Track 14. Don't Mind 'Em Feat JoLondy and Kid Nemo Produced by Ruff. The beat and hook of this song are so WOW.The song speaks about how people will judge you and always have the first say about your life when they don't even know the half....I flipped it a bit by using the 1st verse to make it a bit personal of the things that drive and break a relationship,jealousy and envy being at play too....The second verse Bigs up the galz that give it up at the clubs,strippers,prostitutes,bo makhwapheni,independent women and all.....This verse is a big up on as fcked up as it may be some of this people do play efficient roles in keeping things in tact and regardless of that they have their own reasons what whatever they do so no matter how we can judge or talk them down....They shud walk proud and keep their heads up and never mind what people say.If a woman is selling her body just to feed her kids then why shud we judge her hustle? New boy,Kid Nemo closes it off with a nice mean verse

Track 15.Mama Le Papa Feat Anele & Prophet Month Produced by Ruff and SK (Originally produced by Side Effex...then Dome) Originally this song was a Stimela 'Take the child away' sample.I later found out that the same producer had given Jub Jub the same song,it put us in an awkward space as we been boyz but we hadn't seen each other in. A while next minute we caught in between whose gonna get to use song.I wasn't willing to budge and so wasn't he. On the song I talk to my Mom and Dad and thank them for the love they have given me,the wisdom they have shared.My dad shed tears when I played him the original(Stimela sample version).....The song did what I had planned for it to do..To make a grown man cry.I wrote a letter of motivation and a request to Ray Phiri asking for permission to use the sample....It was declined.It broke me,u can imagine after the Jub Jub thing.

Track 16.My Story Produced by Ruff I cud say this is one of the realest songs I have ever written in my life.On this song I talk about how I went from being this chubby kid with a low self esteem,the friends I've made and those that past on.The song is an ode to my childhood friends and family,it pays respect to the Le Club era,taking us back to the whole Rap Activity era but then gets more personal where I even holla back at Skwatta Kamp on that long squashed beef and I salute the SK homies......This song is some sad,deep shit all together.You will love it,its an honest song that most brothers and sisters out there tryna live with relate to.It epitomizes the spirit of not giving up,marching on....I share my story,in my eyes and experience.My man JoLondy comes through powerful on the hook.The song also thanks the fans and reflects on the love I've had,the life I've lived.

Track 17.Saba Le Summer Skit This is a funny skit done by the Generatorz crew...Another storyline which ends up making fun at Brickz.I played it to Brickz and he laughed at how they mock him on the skit.....Good work from Lesiba Marokana and his team

Track 18. Saba Le Summer Feat Brickz Produced by Dome Now this song has enjoyed airplay for just over a year where I put out 2 versions of the song.....This version is the one that made the cut for the album.Yall never heard it before except for the snippet on the album sampler mixed by Dj Papercutt.The climax and feel of this song puts one in a vibrant state.Again the amazing chemistry between myself and Brigado on a song.I got the legendary Bruce Sebitlo to mix the song...Yep the grootman engineered the song......This is the last song on the album.CHESA!

Breaking down the album sleeve: If u have been following my music career from the mixtapes u will notice a huge difference on the sleeve approach...This time I wanted simplicity and to paint a picture where I'm from.I didn't want none of that professional studio ish,fancy clothes and slick poses...I wanted to give yall that rawness,an artist who is also a music lover(Check my profile pic for album artwork). I refrained from having pics inside as I wanted to have shout out like I have always dreamed of.Growing up(All those that grew up buying cds) we all liked reading the artists shout out and reading the song credits....I did that,I credited everybody,even the backing vocalist.The shout outs were 7 pages long(A4 page)...We had to minimize the font just to fit in everything.For me I felt I need to use this plaform to thank as many people that have been involved in not just my journey in music but my life too. A lot of you are gonna enjoy reading the shout outs coz they real and honest...I point fingers here and there but it is what it is......We Keep Marching.CHESA!

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