Koldproduk

Last week I met with Moki Sage, emcee of Koldproduk. Simbarashe-Garikai Bako also knowns as Moki Sage or Scarlet Green.134625 is the cute guy behind the mic of Koldproduk.
I have only recently started listening to Koldproduk, but I must admit, I secretly like their sound. If you havent heard them I suggest you visit their myspace site. You can also buy their CD, ALL UNDER HEAVEN. Koldproduk have been together since 2005, and have already produced the best music video out of africa, named by MTV BASE.
Moki Sage is not only the voice within Koldproduk, he is also a young architech at one of the country's leading firms. He is a cool down to earth guy, who has a lot to say... and its worth the listen...

Mika: Who is Koldproduk?
Moki Sage: Koldproduk is the little candle that burnt down the big house; the unknown; the underdog.

Mika: Who makes up the members of Koldproduk?
Moki Sage: Myself, Moki Sage, DJ Soosh, Whispa, T*Spark. The members behind the scenes are Wayne Berger and Mic Mann.

Mika: Why Koldproduk? (the name?)
Moki Sage: the koldproduk is the underdog and by giving ourselves the name we acknowledge the humble way in which we entered this entertainment industry and remind ourselves who we were even after we grow beyond this.

Mika: How would you describe your sound?
Moki Sage: We describe our sound as an ecclectic blend of Hip hop, R&B, soul, alternative rock, reggae, roots reggae, and it incorporates various types of rap. Our album All Under Heaven oscillates between various moods during its 18 track journey to keep it interesting, and on all levels we try to scratch below the surface and reach for depth, especially lyrically.

Mika: You have won many awards, please would you list them?
Moki Sage: Apart from receiving the honour of MTV Base naming our debut video for Hush “the best out Africa for 2007” and two 2007 Channel O nominations in the Best video and Best special effects categories, plus a 2008 SAMA nomination for Best video we received two Go Urban awards for Best Hip hop group and Best video in March 2008. These awards help spur us on because they make us aware that others outside of the project recognize that our work is worthy of praise and honourable mention.


Mika: I feel the video helped sell the group, can you comment on how you maintain your image? And how you use visuals to sell Koldproduk?
Moki Sage: The image we present is always of a polished, high quality end product and we maintain this by paying attention to detail and working hard at what we do. The visuals are the vehicle of the koldproduk symbol and koldproduk as a brand, and they reinforce the image and everything it represents.

Mika: Koldproduk has a fashion range, why?
Moki Sage: The fashion range and the merchandise are another element of the brand and are an extension of our empire as an everyday brand that reaches deeper into the lives of our consumers.
Take a look at our websites to get a deeper look into the other elemnts besides the music. www.koldproduk.com or www.uprootrecords.com.

Mika: Who inspires you?
Moki Sage: > Locally
All the locally established brands be they personalities or companies. The likes of Sun Goddess, which we have watched grow over the past few years, and visionaries like Patrice Motsepe, who have long term visions for growth.
> Internationally
The American spirit of persistence in driving a message through and selling an idea, as well as the determination and the necessary elements in the industry that drive pop culture.
It's out there for the taking, we just need to step up and take it!

Mika: Who would you say is your biggest threat, in the South African music industry, and why?
Moki Sage: As far as i'm concerned, anyone hungry enough to do whatever it takes to be the best at everything in this industry, because we all know that anyone with that kind of drive is a formidable threat to all of us.

Mika: What is your opinion of Hip Hop in South Africa?
Moki Sage: Still at its infancy but thanksfully it's growing to a good enough level for talented individuals to explore it as a viable career option. But all those that claim to love Hip hop need to feed it financially; i.e. less boot-legging of music and shorter guest lists at Hip hop events and more paying customers.

Mika: Can you comment on the politics within Jozi (the group)?
Moki Sage: Nope: we're on the outside of all of that just like everyone else.

Mika: What messages du try bring accross in your music?
Moki Sage: Apart from the sheer pleasure of listening to koldproduk's music, we find ways to say things that you might have had on your mind but didn't have the words for. We try to touch various apects of life and give a different look at things: our perspective. We tell you that everthing happens under Heaven; to listen for a second; to rise up; to nevermind who around you says what; to play our music loud; to party until you pass out; to take a peak into our crazy imagination; and find a piece of yourself in what we are; and we show you that Hip hop and music are infinite.

Mika: Who du think listens to Koldproduk?
Moki Sage: People that listen to Hip hop as well as open-minded listeners of music in general, because our styles vary so much that people are drawn to various aspects of our music, our image and our identity.
Many people that stumble upon our music tell us on www.myspace.com/koldproduk

project that they don't normally listen to Hip Hop but they like what we've done with All Under Heaven.

Mika: What do you do in your spare time?
Moki Sage: We try to live life a little. Lately we get less and less time to spare and creative writing, drawing, thanking God for all of this success, listening to music, watching movies, blogging and keeping diaries, hanging out with friends and girlfriends has to all get squeezed into whatever time we have outside of work.

Mika: How do you manage to handle a 9-5 job and then still entertain...?
Moki Sage: It's not at all easy and the demands of one overlap onto the other, leaving even less of that spare time we were just speaking about. Physically it's draining and professionally both are unforgiving in the expectations of delivery.

Mika: Where do you see Koldproduk in 5 years time?
Moki Sage: High on drugs in a hotel full of groupies. (laughing) Just kidding; 5 years from now koldproduk will be searching for the next level in the evolution of Hip hop and music and new frontiers in which to spread our music and as an international group.

Mika: Are there any possibilities of solo projects?
Moki Sage: Yes, 2008 is the year of growth for koldproduk and solo projects are on the horizon.

Mika: What would you like to say to your fans, or people who are reading this?
Moki Sage: Honestly, thank you for taking an interset and you really should buy the album All Under Heaven and listen to it, then srcamble it in your reguolar playlist and listen to it some more. And get the hoodie and the screensavers for you phone and computor, then the ringtone and above all find a part of your spirit resonating with our as well.
The words in this interview only bridge the gaps of our other words, lyrics and music whose impact will last much longer. Rise up and let's continue this conversation on www.myspace.com/koldprodukproject .

Mika: What advice can you give to young emcee's who are trying to get into the game?
Moki Sage: You're a koldproduk because you're the underdog right now. Apart from my incredible God-given talent and detarmination and resources plus the team surrounding me, look at the difficult but glorious path i'm travelling along and see how similar you and i are. Nothing is out of your reach and only you can limit yourself.
Also, i'm frigging dying to hear some hot Hip hop, not this garbage that we're all getting tired of, so hurry up and lay something down so we know that there's another great mind out there on the same grind that we're on.

Mika: What is your favorite song/artist?
Moki Sage: Right now my favourite artiste is Timbaland's music because he's blurred the lines between the different sounds and genres i'm normally used to listening to and he's opened me up to other types that i wouldn't have otherwise listened to. He's doing what many of us unknowingly want to do/ want to hear.

Mika: Who would you love to work with?
Moki Sage: Timbaland, The Roots, Damian Marley, Proverb, Battle cat, Ootz...right now that's that.

Mika: What does your AKA name mean?
Moki Sage: Moki is derived from the Norse night god of mischief Loki, and reflects the playful side of my creativity. The Sage part is the the slightly wiser side of it. Thus Moki Sage embodies the dynamic of what i do creatively.
And i just think that Scarlet Green.134625 is a cool a.k.a.