South African Sounds: ”Professor 3″ By Professor Rhythm
Article by: Jacob Colker
Hello all, and welcome to South African Sounds! During our time here in South Africa I will be posting about my favorite South African tunes, artists and genres under this column. Today take a listen to Professor Rhythm’s “Professor 3”, a proto-house gem from the rainbow nation. Professor Rhythm released this track in 1991 and draws from bubblegum and kwaito, two genres native to South Africa that were popular toward the end of apartheid.
Photo From: https://www.discogs.com/Professor-Rhythm-Professor-3/master/1372640
Bubblegum is a genre of South African music that is primarily influenced by American disco and funk from the 70s and 80s. South African artists such as Professor Rhythm took this sound and slightly changed its characteristics by using synthesizers and drum machines over live instrumentation.
Although you can hear the influence of Bubblegum on “Professor 3″, the song also draws from another genre native to South Africa: Kwaito. Kwaito, often referred to as South African hip hop, became popular in the late 90s in South Africa, and was heavily influenced by American and European house records. Producers at the time slowed down the house tracks they were able to get a hold of and artists would rap over the beats. We can see the shift towards Kwaito in “Professor 3″ as the beat shares many of the characteristics common to Kwaito. For instance, the kick drum follows a 4/4 beat and a high hat is heard after each beat. The booming, bouncy bassline is also a focal point of many Kwaito songs, as it is in “Professor 3″.
If you like what you hear, check out our playlist here for more South African music.
