Ayema Problem and Jakinda are Stiff Pap, a South African rap duo blending the sounds and styles of stateside rap music with their home country's, and today they're sharing their debut project TUFF TIME$. A great way to introduce yourself to their world is with their short film TUFF TIME$ NEVER LAST, premiering on The FADER. Filmed across Johannesburg by director Meghan Daniels, TUFF TIME$ NEVER LAST utilizes the classic cut-and-paste punk aesthetic as the rappers tour their city, flexing from the back of a van and performing a dance routine from a junkyard.
Watch the full film above, and read the band's statement on the film and album below.
‘TUFF TIME$ NEVER LAST’ is about how hard life has been during the pandemic and how our government has been letting people down, specifically poor black communities.
A lot of our new music has become increasingly political as of late. Everyday we live the reality of being young black and exploited by the legacy of apartheid and colonialism in South Africa so it’s nothing new but now more than ever we choose to fight back through our art.
Through TUFF TIME$ we express the rage, pain and joys of moving to Johannesburg in pursuit of our dreams. We’ve always been inspired by the resilience and creativity of Johannesburg’s inner city youth. We’re just young artists trying to do what we can with what we have to create a better life for ourselves and our families. In our eyes, this city epitomizes that. It’s not pretty, it’s rough and it’s scary but through it all it’s beautiful. We’ve learnt a lot, we know who we are and we know what we want.
We owe a lot to this city and TUFF TIME$ is our tribute.”