The movie promises to be epic and the newly released title song for "Noem My Skollie" was not just simply picked out of a catalogue of already existing songs that would possibly make the grade after it's been rehashed.
Yes, we know we didn't say much about the movie when news of it started doing the rounds but we've decide to rather wait until we have something to tell y'all that no-one else is covering...
The film celebrates the triumph of the human spirit and is based on the true story of a young man in the 1960’s who became a storyteller in jail.
The producers of the film asked Hip Hop artist Hemelbesem to create a song for the end of the film that would become an anthem for the movie connecting Kyle Shepherd’s score and the 1960’s period of the film to the present day, since times have changed but so much remains the same.
Our communities are in fact still plagued with many of the very same issues that the characters in the movie are faced with.
The song which we have been playing quite loud here at Bruinou.com HQ is loaded with imagery and word-play that revolves around the central theme of the movie. You actually have to listen to it a few times to first hear what he literally says, then to hear what he figuratively means with those same lines and then when you listen to it a third time you might realise that it is a song that could have existed independently from the movie and is also in fact a story on its own.
With lyrics written by HemelBesem and produced by beatmmaker Stuwi W, the song 'Noem My Skollie' also depicts a reality that would resonate with anyone who knows someone, a friend or a relative, who is imbued with creative talent and somehow ends up in the visious cycle of gangsterism and prison life.
They are usually of cause judged on their shady pasts, their tattoos and scars, but the song's hook envelops it all when it petitions you to "Listen to my story, before you somma call me... Skollie djy..."
What's in a Story?
There are in fact many former convicts in our communities who are now well-known and appreciated for their contributions to arts and entertainment and just like it was for the lead character in the film, it could not have been easy for them to turn their lives around.
Based on the life of scriptwriter John W. Fredericks, 'Noem My Skollie' tells the story of four teenagers, AB (Austin Rose) and his three best friends Gimba (Ethan Patton), Gif (Joshua Vraagom) and Shorty (Valentino de Klerk) who grow up on the impoverished ganglands of Cape Flats in the 1960s.
Despite their circumstances, they try to avoid the gangsters who infiltrate their daily lives but when AB goes through a traumatic experience they decide to form a gang to protect themselves.
The four friends do not commit serious crimes, but the now older AB (Dann-jacques Mouton) and Gimba (Gantane Kusch) are arrested whilst breaking into a shop and sentenced to two years in jail.
It is in prison, that AB decides to use his storytelling talent to entertain the hardened prisoners and raise his status.
When AB is released from prison he picks up on the relationship with his beautiful childhood sweetheart, Jenny (Tarryn Wyngaard) and so tries to focus on writing his stories to impress her, but his gang friends persuade him to join them one last time, a decision that leads to shocking consequences for all of them.
Not Just a Cameo Role
When we at bruinou.com found out that HemelBesem plays the role of “Ghost”, the leader of the 26’s inside prison, we immediately drew parallels with international Hip Hop artists like Ice-T, Ice Cube, Will Smith, 50cent, and others who contribute to the soundtracks of movies in which they act.
Is this possibly the new direction that HemelBesem's career is taking and could we be seeing him in more feature films in future and will he be contributing to those soundtracks? We went ahead and asked him.
"Ek kan seker net sê dat dit nie my plan is of was om soos daai international emcees dinge te doen nie..."
"I figure that this and any of the other career moves I am making are all a natural progression that flows out of my passion for what I do and playing in this movie or creating the title song are not part of a deliberate plan as such."
We were pretty sure that when he says "my passion for what I do", he probably has an an all-encompassing meaning to it.
"Dit is my passie om dinge te doen wat maak dat mense óns mense beter verstaan; vanaf taal tot by ons everyday life."
"Movies are also a medium which helps us tell our own stories. Dit is ook net nog 'n manier wat help om daai passie oor te dra."
We've come to know HemelBesem as not only a phenomenal Hip Hop artist but as someone who has a knack for breaking barriers and not limiting himself as an entertainer.
"Naturally music is first and foremost what I do and what I will continue doing but I am also working on a book or two as well as working on a few more television projects."
"Dit is seker maar net eenvoudig so dat as ek 'n geleentheid sien wat my kant kom om my passie ten toon te kan stel, dan gaan ek dit verken."
On the music front he has collaborated with several Afrikaans Hip Hop and Rock artists over the years along with experimenting with a diversity of other genres. With his theatre production "Die Afrikaansvatter" which we did an article about, he has set a whole new standard for himself and his fellow Hip Hop artists.
HemelBesem is also a TV presenter, a radio show host and an activist who prides himself on being an “edutainer” through his appearances and community drives at local schools and being closely involved in the FAS (Feotal Alcohol Syndrome) awareness projects.
He is also an ambassador for Kullid – an organization that promotes empowerment and upliftment of the Coloured people of South Africa.
He describes his involvement in the feature film and the writing of the song as one of the biggest highlights of his career so far and says: “The process to write the song was longer than normal, because it was difficult to at first connect that era with a Hip-hop song, but after the first draft it made perfect sense."
"The song is the story of the character AB, Mr. John W. Fredericks and myself, as well as the struggles of the demographic we represent" he continued. "I hope people can listen through the metaphors and similes and see the unique struggle of creatives where I come from. I believe the movie will share enough to touch the hearts and minds of many and I hope my song will follow suit.”
The song is set to hit radio airwaves soon and we are unfortunately not able to stream it for you as we usually would do but we do have a video for the trailer of the movie further below.
The motion picture 'Noem My Skollie' was produced by David Max Brown and Moshidi Motshegwa (Maxi-D Productions) in association with M-Net, kykNET the NFVF and the DTI and distributed by Ster Kinekor Entertainment. It has also been selected to première at the kykNET Silwerskermfees in Camps Bay on 24 August 2016 at 20h00.
The film is set for commercial theatre realease on 2 September 2016.
Join the 'Noem My Skollie' Facebook Page for future updates.
WATCH: Noem My Skollie Trailer on Youtube
Click on the Link Above if the video player is not already open in your browser
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