itai hakim

At the centre of the work is intent rather than genre.

[theitaihakim]

Vocalist: Song Writer

A mate of mine, Nicholaas Van Reenen who is the co founder of Field.Audio whichis a sound to picture agency based in Cape Town (https://www.field.audio/) asked me to assist with the vocals and song writing for this commercial they were working on for Old Mutual in 2020. 

It was interesting working remotely during the pandemic and seeing an idea exchanged over voice notes and emails come to life in about a month. 

It was interesting how the project came about at a time when I was using my music more as the soundscape in projects and a device that had a supporting role in theater productions and short films. 

[theitaihakim]

“From my side of the city to your side of the city”

In 2016, I curated a playlist of music that was being produced in South Africa at the time, as a part of an Online Music Exchange Project called Paris Soweto 

“ PARISSOWETO’s aim is to showcase independent artists and groups from both countries that one may not necessarily know due to lack of exposure and the fact that alternative acts are often confined to their local scenes. We are therefore determined to show the many different lives, voices, identities, sounds and creations that come from across South Africa and France, steering away from clichés and stereotypes and focusing purely on music. “ 

here is a link to the article that accompanied my mixtape: 

https://parissoweto.org/2016/07/21/en-four-four-masihlalisane_itai-hakim/

[theitaihakim]

The Four4Masihlalisane Mixtape is and imagined ‘radio story’ about a fictional character who is a DJ asking the taxi driver to play his mixtape in the taxi. The mixtape features South African musicians representative of a broadening pallet of cross pollinating genres, influences, styles but also of a generation of musicians in a socio-historical-political transit, not only sonically but in terms of deciding for themselves what music is. The shared experience of listening of the taxi mixtape seeks to remind us that music is a communal experience and something that connects people even though we often consider ourselves strangers.

Paris Soweto

[theitaihakim]

[nicrawhani]

SOAP with ITAI HAKIM by NixPix I’ve been wanting to shoot this concept for a while. I’m happy I finally got to do it.

[theitaihakim]

Although this was recorded in 2017 it resurfaced earlier this year with a release from a German based label called LOSSLESS

Album : From the Vaults EP

Artist:  Alexander Inggs, Itai Hakim

Track: Si · 

[theitaihakim]

As a collaborator I've had the fortune of travelling with and learning from more established artists. 

This is a performance from a 2016 tour with The Brother Moves On and Shabaka Hutchings for Sofar Sounds. 

I recited a poem called ‘A Vintage Trend’. 

[theitaihakim]

This album was the first vinyl I ever saw my name on. 

Album: Songs from the Bath 

Artist: Thor Rixon

Song : Puddles (ft. Itai Hakim)

described as 

“ Lush and extravagant arrays of sounds, textures and abstract thought fill Thor Rixon's latest 7-track album 'Songs From The Bath'.

 A futuristic ride into the vast sphere of neo – psychedlic electronica lies ahead. Laden with jazz influences and a multitude of sounds to accompany you on your voyage into unknown musical realms.”

[theitaihakim]

2015. 

8 Bars Short

Pelonomi and I share our work with UK based SBTV for their Road to South Africa Series.

Song Title: Kombela 

Which means “to ask” in Tsonga.

The song is about the inability to access the truth, knowledge or the memories of the past  because of the loss of our elders or our parents not being able to answer some of the questions we have about our past. As young people who may have grown up in townships or city's - there are times where one feels a disconnect with an earlier idea of home before migrations to urban centers, and displacements thereafter.  

[theitaihakim]

Over the years I’ve had the privilege of share time, space and experiences with many creatives locally and abroad. The next few post will showcase some of my collaboration past and present

[theitaihakim]

Ni Songo Xela  (venda) : Don’t Get Lost/Don’t Lose your way 

[theitaihakim]

“ Are you afraid to have someone believe in you? Can you commit to your ideals? Even if you think nothing of it, are you willing to allow others to think the world of it? And of you? Pedagogue of young gods ”

- Saul Williams :  Pedagogue of young gods

[theitaihakim]

Song Title: Kokwani 

Project: The Domino Effect of Conductive Feathers

I’ve been fortunate enough to have been raised by my grandparents, and this was a song I composed for my grandmothers to show my gratitude for their presence in my life. 

[theitaihakim]

Decolonization

“Decolonization … continues to be an act of confrontation with a hegemonic system of thought; it is hence a process of considerable historical and cultural liberation. As such, decolonization becomes the contestation of all dominant forms and structures, whether they be linguistic, discursive, or ideological. Moreover, decolonization comes to be understood as an act of exorcism for both the colonized and the colonizer. For both parties it must be a process of liberation: from dependency, in the case of the colonized, and from imperialist, racist perceptions, representations, and institutions which, unfortunately, remain with us to this very day, in the case of the colonizer … Decolonization can only be complete when it is understood as a complex process that involves both the colonizer and the colonized.”

- Samia Nehrez, as quoted in Black Looks: Race and Representation.

[theitaihakim]