Written By: Oratile Ndimande
“This or That” is one of the recent releases by rappers Young Goofy and K.B The Rapper, who are collectively called Dream Team (not to be confused with, DreamTeam DBN, the KZN based hip-hop group). The song is available to stream on SoundCloud and SlikourOnLife, and its music video dropped on the 31st of July 2020. The video is directed and produced by Jermio’s & M.Chada Smartbeats – of SMART PRODUCTIONS – who have also mastered and mixed the song.
This upbeat, ‘Getting My Grind on’ anthem is fast paced (at roughly 145 beats per minute) and energetic. The trap beat paired with what sounds like a deep kick and added bass compels one to, at the very least, nod one’s head along to the music. The plucked strings and a synthesizer that could sound like a whistle/woodwind instrument/distorted singing are harmonised well; the 4 bar loop changes slightly at different parts of the song to create variety without pulling focus from the lyrics. The rappers’ voices are clean and pleasant to listen to. They are layered with at least two voices, either rapping the lines in sync or echoing with slight variations, adding liveliness of the track. If one listens with earphones, one would appreciate how the voices are panned so you feel surrounded by the music.
“It’s either this or that. I got no time to relax.
I just got to get the money, boy. Get it, get it, get it fast.
I think I should buy me another house. ‘Cause I got a couple’ stacks.
I heard they talking sh*t about me. I just hope they talk facts”
The refrain (above) is catchy and easy to rap along to. Both rappers keep good rhythm throughout the entire song. In general, the lyrics are not hateful or inflammatory, aligning with their intentions to spread positivity and upliftment in their music.
The music video is simple and colourful, with its montage-like style. The video opens with an establishing shot of from ‘El-Rome Authentic Pizza and Grill’ (who sponsored the music video), its sign, delivery vehicles, fire oven and Young Goofy pretending to order something on their menu before K.B The Rapper enters and they greet each other. The video then becomes a non-linear sequence of shots of them rapping in various venues: including El Rome’s kitchen, the front of the store, and outside next to a historical monument; people preparing and eating food from El Rome; and Tyrell the Gqom King dancing against a vibrant blue sky, next to the monument.
The colours are vivid and saturated. There is a juxtaposing of the warm, orange and brown shots in El Rome’s kitchen and the deep, cool blue of the sky outside. Blue is a prominent colour in the video, as outfits on Young Goofy, K.B and Tyrell all have incorporated the colour into their outfits. The camera is almost constantly moving and zooming, keeping the video dynamic. The video ends with a black and white shot of rappers, Tyrell and a few other people jumping to make an action still shot with their name “Dream Team” at the bottom of the screen. The screen then fades to black. The music video and song are simple and yet pleasing to consume. I would rate this project, an eight out of ten. All the best to Dream Team and their future endeavours and projects.
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