ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RFA
As of a few weeks ago my TL (on Twitter) was bombarded by monochromatic pictures reading RFA announcing an all black event on 07/21/2017 (tomorrow). Despite the ambiguous name the event is in fact themed "all black", it is not exclusively for black people, I had thought that was obvious but nonetheless, the ever-curious SANKOFAS' interest was peaked enough to sit down with the RFA entertainment founder Sechaba Madisha and discuss the upcoming event.
Never trust a skinny chef, that's how the proverb reads- right? By that logic, if you're attending a trap party it only makes sense to trust sskrr skkrr boys to host the best kind. I have a feeling this event will be different- not only due to the lit local DJ line up but because of the fact that other young creatives are being set up for success - upcoming rappers, photographers and singers all given a platform to contribute and exhibit their craft. Making this a trap event with a vision slightly broader than the amount of instalikes it would achieve. Well marketed, and potentially well supported, it only made sense for me to get front row -seats or an iced coffee by DCM to discuss everything further.
Why is it called RFA? (The most obvious question)
" A cool sounding acronym" the founder had said nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders, "It's just catchy, I guess". It only made sense to fact check this against reports from my feds. As the rumor mill would have it, sometime last year, one scorned soul posted a list on the turnitin of gossip sites - Stellies Rage. The anonymous person allegedly put a list of names up of sskkr skkr boys to avoid in Stellenbosch (probably under the mistaken guise that it would be enough to save the first years). In an ever fitting response, the list of trap guys made a turn up out of it and pitched up on the rooiplein - drank and hub in hand. Earning them all the nickname of the Rooiplein Funboys ( that's a creative euphemism). So RFA can only be assumed to stand for Rooiplein Funboy Allies? Unfortunately, all of that detail couldn't be reteived from the archieves. SInce then the Sskkr skkr boys of Stellenbosch have moved onto bigger and better scale heartbreaks- namely hosting events that don't have sokkie music on loop. For someone like me, it was a heartbreak I could handle.
Where did this whole idea come from?
Anyone who lives in Stellenbosch knows that the sum total of places that play hip-hop and rap music include Cubana and Entourage. That's it, and while both places hold their own kind of allure- they don't necessarily properly satisfy the obvious gap in the market,- student owned enterprise. Student owned enterprise that seems to have caught the attention of stellies young creatives includes Brasse, The Tailored Market and as of earlier this year Trap Houses event's. With this in mind, I have a certain level of optimism regarding the propensity for growth that this business has. A sporadic trap event that's concerned with enterprise and aesthetics sounds like a plan to me.
"Yeah my friends and I used to trap together in apartments and invite people over and play the music that we like and want to hear. Eventually it became pretty full, and also pretty popular so we thought - why not make a real go of things?"
Having attended one of these trap nights myself- little to no room is left to argue with this logic. The music was lit, and the people even more so - both aesthetically and otherwise.
Why Springboks?
"Space." Fair enough- having never actually entered the pub ( for obvious reasons) I can imagine that this would be a valid reason in selecting a location.
What to look forward to ?
Besides being put on to new music, a great space to network and people actually dressing up in close-toed shoes? A decent entry fee of R50 and R150 for the all white (dress code) VIP. As well as Hennessy for the best dressed female flame of the night. Moreover, sometime in September we stand a good chance of having appeased the trap gods and enjoying another RFA event.
POC, pull through, actually everyone pull through. The founders endearing optimism regaurding a cosmopolitain target market couldn't be missed as he verbally sketched out the furture look and feel of the RFA entertainment events. Inclusive, art- orientated and empowering, All of which sounds worthwhile to me, and while I suffer the misfortune of not being able to attend tomorrow I do back the vision enough to have written a whole article about it.
Take my word for it (literally), this one ought to be one for the books.