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Kgaogelo Kanyane and Lebogang Masiane make up Deep Level, a hip-hop group from South Africa.
“Appears alongside Ternielle Nelson, Jason Hartman, UJU, Louise Carver and Aya on ‘Shosholoza 2010’ for the official 2010 FIFA world cup album: Listen Up!”
“SAMA Award recipients for Best remix of the year”
‘K’zogo K’zogozo (Summer Anthem)’ has been on the Mediaguide’s RAM Charts Top 20 for over 20 weeks.
Amidst an industry that is fast becoming content with sub-par hip-hop songs - complete with finger snaps and nursery rhymes - dominating the airwaves comes a duo that is ready to take it to another level. Deep Level members, Kgaogelo Kanyane and Lebogang Masiane are no strangers to the game and they are about to elevate it with their self-titled debut album. Popularly known as Gaoza and Lebza respectively, this pair is possibly most well known for being integral parts of the critically acclaimed hip-hop group, Hidden Force.
Having met in primary school, and immediately striking a friendship, Gaoza and Lebza started to rap together at school. They then took part in many a street battle before moving up to radio shows like the legendary Rap Activity Jam on YFM. Deep Level became highly popular with the listeners and was one of the voters’ favourite acts.
To capitalize on their Rap Activity popularity they decided it was time to record an album. So work on a debut began and the popular tune, ‘Ready’ was one of the hits spawned from that work. Shortly after that East Rand hip-hop luminary, DJ Dolla, suggested that Gaoza and Lebza team up with Hoodlum, Bon Bhuttiza and Supremo to form a solid group and that’s how Hidden Force was born. “We did about two songs as Hidden Force and it was crazy,” recounts Gaoza, “so we decided to do an album. The main objective of Hidden Force was that in order for all of us to blow up in this industry then we would first have to do it together.”
And blow up they did. However, the group members decided to part ways to pursue other interests. Gaoza explains: “Things were not so good between all of the Hidden Force members so Lebo and I came back together again and started to record some music in early 2008.” The duo’s first point of call was Omen, the Hip Hop super producer responsible for Pro Kid, Mandoza, Zuluboy, Flabba, GP Gangsters and many more. Other producers enlisted of the album are Beatmaker, a highly sort after producer who has worked with many of the country’s top musical acts like KB, Kabelo, Pro Kid and many others. The duo’s own Lebza also lends his production talents to the album.
The self-titled debut is an introspective and interesting album that reveals a more mature side to Gaoza and Lebza. Simply put, “We’re taking it back to the basics,” beams Lebza, “…using hip hop as a tool to reach out to the community and saying things that speak out to people who can relate.”
Understanding the South African music and entertainment landscape, Deep Level created an album with songs for everyone. ‘K'zogo K'zogozo (Summer Anthem)’ the album’s official single is a definite summer smash and will surely get any party, picnic or braai started. The song borrows some elements of the club classic ‘You and Me’ by Keys and Tronics Ensemble. ‘Thula Mama’, which was produced by Lebza is a tribute to their mothers and mothers in general that bear testament to the Sotho idiom of ‘Mmabana o tshoara thipa bohaleng’. ‘Change Is Gonna Come’ features Rufus Julian otherwise known as RJ Benjamin, speaks a word of encouragement and offers a healing hand to anyone who may be experiencing a tough time especially through these trying times. And of course, there is something for the ladies. ‘Ma Baby’ is a certified radio smasher, but the remix featuring Howza, Zuluboy and Bongo Riot and Mandla N (of Gang of Instrumentals) is going to smash the radio and the clubs up! The rap ode to the fairer sex is sure to land at pole position week after week on your favourite radio station. But those are not the only gems on the album.
Radio listeners proved just how well they can relate and as a result the duo’s set up / street single ‘K’shubile’ was played 363 times in a 4 week period on leading youth radio station, YFM and reached the pole position on the Ukhozi FM charts (the country’s biggest radio station). The duo’s official first single ‘K’zogo K’zogozo (Summer Anthem)’ is one of the most played songs on South African radio and has had remix treatments by music luminaries like DJ Cleo and Nutty Nys.
Boasting proudly South African samples (Joe Nina among others), the Deep Level album is a musical feast that is sure to whet the appetite of any music lover. Deep Level say they - with the help of producers Omen, Beatmaker and more, as well as South Africa’s top notch artists as collaborators – “tried to accommodate everyone in an album that they were creating for ourselves.”
Update:
* Deep Level’s lead and current single ‘K’zogo K’zogozo (Summer Anthem)’ ended the year at #10 on Mediaguide’s RAM Charts.
* K’zogo K’zogozo (Summer Anthem) is in the Top 10 most listened to South African song on radio as per Mediaguide.
* Deep Level has just finished the ‘K’zogo K’zogozo (Summer Anthem)’ Remix with DJ Cleo and will be serviced to radio shortly.
* Deep Level is nominated in the SAMA 16 and the duo is one of the 19 music acts featured on the SAMA Nominees album.
Deep Level Online:
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=81155600963&ref=mf
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/DeepLevelTV
Twitter Profile: www.twitter.com/DeepLevel
Blog: www.deeplevel.info
ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/DeepLevel
For enquiries or more information media should contact:
Thabiso Khati on 082 886 2259 (thabisokhati@streetmusic.co.za) or
Louise Pillay on 011 274 5000 (louise.pillay@sonymusic.com)