Joburg based underground hip hop duo; Cold Chinese Food has announced its years in the making, debut album ‘Vital Ital’.
They say, you have to know the past to understand the present. That’s the case with longtime friends and music collaborators, Sam Turpin and Illa N, who grew up together in Johannesburg, with strong musical and political family ties. Sam is the son of famed anti-apartheid activist and photographer, Gisèle Wulfsohn with Illa N’s parents being of the Rastafarian culture and avid music collectors. This would influence their later years in life, music, culture and their views on the global community.
The 13-track, lyrically engaging and entertaining masterpiece is an ode to global culture and communities, with themes of food, sound, and people through travel experiences. It combines elements from multiple genres such as jazz, rock, afrobeat, fusion and experimental yet heavily influenced by hip hop.
‘Ital’ is a Rastafarian strict vegan diet focusing on consuming real and pure food with no animal flesh nor animal products included. Whereas ‘Vital’ is a symbol of vitality and healthy being, which explains the album title and themes.
The album is a collaboration between Cold Chinese Food and longtime family, The Charles Gene Suite, and features an array of talented muso such as Boskasie, who has worked with the likes of Cassper Nyovest and Da Capo, Sipho The Gift, ByLwansta, London based drummer, Joshua McNasty Muhammad Dawjee and Rāms to name a few.
“The album was created to accommodate every musical palate, whether you like hip hop, jazz, afrobeat. We’ve used music as our message to appeal to a broader audience and as a creative expression that shouldn’t be confined by constrictions” Sam Turpin.
The duo has put out 2 singles for a taste of what’s to come, with the release of ‘Ethiopian Coffee’ in April and ‘Airport Yaoundé’ this July. Ethiopian Coffee is rooted in experimental hip-hop, soaked in jazz, and laced with cultural introspection. Ethiopian Coffee, reflects the duo’s journey from Johannesburg’s melting pot to the world stage. While, ‘Airport Yaoundé’ transcends listeners on a stroll down a tropical road, evoking thoughts and feelings of happiness and joy. The song weaves in and out of genres, defying convention while paying homage to the funk and afrobeat great of the African continent. As the rhymes and chorus change into breaks and chants, it sends you into the future with true tropical style, funky jazz – hop and a tint of afrobeat.
The post The Charles Gene Suite and Sam Turpin: Cold Chinese Food appeared first on HYPE Magazine.
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