Oh wow. This turns a troubling childhood memory into an even more troubling one.

Don't you ever try and fuck me, Tony. Read the rest

Ninja and Yo-Landi of Die Antwoord take you behind the scenes of the making of "Fatty Boom Boom."

L-R: Yo-Landi Vi$$er, Xeni, Ninja (iPhone 5 snap: Ninja)

I'll be hosting an event with our friends at Meltdown Comics tonight, Tuesday November 13, 2012: a video marathon and poster-signing with Ninja and Yo-Landi of the South African band Die Antwoord.

On sale will be a beautiful limited-edition Die Antwoord/Meltdown poster by artist Dave Kloc (artist signing is 9-10pm), and after that we'll be screening a bunch of their videos and short films (10-1130pm, this part is sold out).

More details here.

WATCH THE WEBCAST: A reminder that the music video marathon, which will include a conversation with Die Antwoord and Q&A from the in-person and online audience(s), will be live-streamed here. Please do join us, wherever you are.

Chris Hardwick of Nerdist tapes his podcast there often, and he'll be in the house tonight, along with Boing Boing founder Mark Frauenfelder, and many other special guests. Do tune in.

EVENT DETAILS

Meltdown Comics: 7522 Sunset Blvd., LA, CA 90046 Phone: (323) 851-7223 Web: meltcomics.com When: Tue November 13, Die Antwoord signing action 9-10PM open to the public and for as long as the line lasts during that one hour only. Arrive early. No outside items will be allowed. Video marathon 10-1130pm, sold out, live webcast.

Click for large. iPhone5 panorama of Ninja and Yo-Landi of Die Antwoord at Meltdown Comics (photo: Xeni)

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Art by Dave Kloc for Meltdown Comics

I'll be hosting an event with our friends at Meltdown Comics tomorrow night, Tuesday November 13, 2012: an evening with Ninja and Yo-Landi of the South African band Die Antwoord.

The zef ones will be present, signing a beautiful limited-edition Die Antwoord/Meltdown poster by artist Dave Kloc (9-10pm), and screening a bunch of their videos and short films (10-1130pm, this part is sold out).

More details here. Read the rest

Contains explict content. A vivid, psychedelic, comedy-horror-parody short film from South Africa's finest freaks. Hey, is that Lady Gaga making a cameo?

Video Link. "Baby's On Fire," from the Die Antwoord album TEN$ION. Video directed by NINJA and Terence Neale. DP: Alexis Zabe. (thanks, Yo-Landi and Ninja!). Read the rest

Well look what just spilled onto the internet. An unreleased Die Antwoord track, performed live on the current tour, but not included on TEN$ION. The leaked track, "Money and Da Power," features a sample that will be familiar to fans of the movie The Godfather.

Download MP3, or listen on Soundcloud. Uploaded by a user named Lemmiwinks.

Photo: An iPhone snap I took in LA this January of Die Antwoord's Ninja and Yo-Landi goofing around on the trampoline of David Choe, whose life recently changed. Read the rest

[Video Link]

A video for "I Fink U Freeky," from Die Antwoord's new release "TEN$ION." Co-directed by the band and Johannesburg, South Africa-based photographer Roger Ballen (the first of what I hope may be many more collaborations between them). Read the rest

[Video Link] This just hit the internet today. TEN$ION, the South African band's new album scheduled out February 7, will be their first release since breaking up with Interscope.

 

Die Antwoord leave Interscope, will release "TEN$ION" on their own ... Die Antwoord: "Fok Julle Naaiers" (music video) - Boing Boing A farewell to Leon Botha from Die Antwoord's Ninja and Yo-Landi ... In memoriam: Leon Botha, South African artist, DJ, and wonderful ... Die Antwoord: "Rich Bitch" (video) - Boing Boing Die Antwoord's US debut at Coachella: interview, photo gallery ... Read the rest

Due out February, 2012. This will be the first independent release for the much-Boinged band since they split from Interscope. The business story behind this one is fascinating... Read the rest

Above, a snapshot I took of Ninja and Yo-Landi of Die Antwoord during a recent visit to Los Angeles. In this photo, they are hanging out in the studio of LA-based artist David Choe. Die Antwoord will release their second album Ten$ion soon, and tour dates will kick off in early 2012. They've said goodbye to Interscope, and will soon announce details of an interesting new independent plan for music release and distribution—and a number of other projects.

* Shot with an iPhone 4s, btw. I'm always stunned at how well it performs in poor lighting conditions, and how well it performs compared to earlier editions.

 

Die Antwoord leave Interscope, will release "TEN$ION" on their own ... Die Antwoord: "Fok Julle Naaiers" (music video) - Boing Boing A farewell to Leon Botha from Die Antwoord's Ninja and Yo-Landi ... Die Antwoord, S. African zef-rap, and Progeria survivor Leon Botha ... Afrikaans rap-rave: Die Antwoord, "Zef Side [Beat Boy]" - Boing Boing Die Antwoord's newfound Internet fame: your love don't pay my ... Die Antwoord to sign with Interscope, Neill Blomkamp to direct next ... Read the rest

[Video Link]

The song, and the video, which apparently led to Die Antwoord's divorce from Interscope to go independent. This will be the first single to be released off their soon-to-be-self-released album TEN$ION.

Warning: If you are afraid of spiders or scorpions, you should not watch this video. Read the rest

[UPDATE: Here's the video that led to the "divorce."—XJ]

Anyone can not sign with a major label (see there? you just did it yourself!), but to sign with one and then sign off abruptly when the label tells you your work needs to be reworked for more mainstream appeal? That's news.

And that, according to those close to the matter, is what just happened between South Africa's Die Antwoord and Interscope/Universal Music Group.

The zef-rockers have a new album in the can, TEN$ION. It was to be their second release on Interscope, and due out within the next few months. The band chose a track to lead with as a single, titled Fok Julle Naaiers ("Fuck you all," loosely). The label heard it, perceived it as too hard for a single, and according to our sources, wanted the entire record to be reworked for more pop appeal (think Gaga or Black-Eyed-Peas). Ninja and Yo-Landi would have none of it, and asked their attorneys (one of whom was Michael Jackson's former rep) to sever all ties with Interscope, forgoing a million dollar guarantee on the new record and choosing complete creative independence.

From the band's online diary:

So anyway... Interscope offered us a bunch of money again to release our new album TEN$ION.

But this time, they also tried to get involved with our music, to try and make us sound like everyone else out there at the moment.

So we said: 'U know what, rather hang on to your money, buy yourself something nice...we

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