Ryan Swano
Pioneering Hip Hop Artist Emile YX? of Back Noise fame nowadays call both South Africa and the USA home, regularly traveling between the two countries and other countries abroad as a recording and performing artist, an author of several books, an activist and as an academic.
Emile YX? has completed a New Album while currently working on other new music projects, is preparing to launch a new book, planning a festival, and he is also busy with various engagements as an activist and as an academic.
Farbeon & The Dreams That I Know
Emile YX? has just launched the First Single off the new Hip Hop As Healing Album which is a collaboration with Brooklyn artist Farbeon.
The Dreams That I Know by Farbeon feat. Emile YX? is produced by AQ Flow and now after having heard the lyrics a few times, it makes universal sense in terms of both artists exploring the idea that new realities are manifested from our dreams.
Though the production might not be mind-blowingly great or innovative, it’s still a really good track.
In this day and age where one has to try hard to decypher the ramblings that is peddled as rap music, I really like that The Dreams That I Know is easy to listen to and it gets its message across.
Farbeon, also known as Fabian Saucedo, is a Brooklyn-based hip-hop artist, educator, and agent of change. He’s known for his work in hip-hop both as a performer and as an educator, particularly through his Hip Hop Re:Education Project.
Emile YX? spoke about the ‘the power of dreaming as a tool of resistance’ when describing The Dreams That I Know in a recent newsletter.
“Though the world has changed, our dreams have remained the same… Brooklyn-based Hip Hop artist Farbeon & South African Hip-Hop Pioneer Emile YX? bring you a song about faith, familial legacy & the potential & power of dreaming as a tool for resistance”
Listen to The Dreams That I Know
Incremental releases of singles off the new album are planned for the next few months and of course we hope to see some music videos as well.
For now you can get The Dreams That I Know on Farbeon’s BandCamp & and you can get The Dreams That I Know on Emile YX?’s Reverbnation.
Over the next few months I will share songs that I created with others artists that’s on Hip Hop As Healing Album, the full album can be downloaded or listened to via Reverbnation.
Hip Hop As Healing Album, Book & Festival
The new album is aptly named and of course as the album name Hop Hop as Healing correlates with the name of The Heal The Hood Project, and resonates well with the goals of Emile Jansen’s activism.
Aside from Hip Hop As Healing being an album, it is also the title of the ready-for-launch book, by Emile YX?, and it is the name of a Festival coming to The Mother City as well Jozi in early October 2025.
Now traveling between Brooklyn i the USA and Cape Town South Africa multiple times a year, Emile has ongoing projects on both continents.
” I am currently completing articles about Activism for Atlantic Fellows new book, articles for Hip Hop As Healing Book that will be launched at Hip Hop As Healing Festival 2025 in Cape Town & Johannesburg, South Africa from the 4th – 12th October and lastly prepare a hard copy of Making A Black Noise Part 1. ”
“I am also working on a Shopify page while uploading products and information to the new Hip Hop Comm-University website that will be launched on the 11th August 2025.”
Hip Hop As Healing Festival in October 2025
Of course it is also great to run into Emile whenever he is home here in SA, and it has been unfortunate that I have due to clashing schedules with my own gigs or other previous engagements, been unable to attend any of his events, book launches and activist engagements these past few years.
It was however great to see him at the Cape Town Hip Hop Summit earlier this year and we will most certainly bring you all the event details closer to the Hip Hop As Healing Festival when Emile YX? returns to SA in October 2025.
And of course we hope to see you there!
Get News & New Music from Emile XY on Reverbnation
What To Know About EmileYX? SA Hip Hop Pioneer & Activist
Emile Jansen aka Emile YX?, B-Boy War-lock started as b-boy for Pop Glide Crew 1982 & founded Black Noise. He teaches through hip hop culture. Godfather of S.A. Hip Hop. B-boy, MC & Artist. Published Da Juice Mag. Created African Battle Cry, Heal the Hood Project, BOTY S.A, African Hip Hop Indaba, Shut Up Just Dance, etc. He manages Black Noise, released CDs with Black Noise, 2 solo CDs “Who AM I” & “Roar”, DVDs “Hip Hop How To Vol # 1 & 2. Books, “My Hip Hop is African and Proud” & Conscious Rhymes for Unconscious Times”
A few years ago in a People’s Post article of Oct 30, 2018, Earl Haupt succinctly encapsulated Emile’s work in one paragraph.
“Emile YX? Jansen is best known as a founding member of pioneering South Africa hip-hop group Black Noise, the founder of Heal the Hood Project, the winner of LeadSA 2016 and a multiple South African hip-hop award winner. He is also known for his hip-hop activism and community work. But few people know that he is a qualified school teacher and that much of his recent work in education, through Mixed Mense, Heal the Hood Project’s practical hip-hop school and the 11 schools and four community centres in which Heal the Hood Project currently works, is directly inspired by his own son, Kai-Jeevan and daughter, Meena.”
