Maglera Doe Boy: 2 Player [The Digital Score] (album review)
By Rita Kufandarerwa (Amber Stones)
Maglera Doe Boy (MDB) dropped a neat drop of water on the parched throats of hip hop heads, satisfying the thirst of a real hip hop album. 2 Player [The Digital Score] is a debut album that commands respect by whichever standard you choose to base your rating on. The piece of art exhibits a stark difference from other overly luscious albums which are not practical for serious reviews or study. MDB marries arcade games and rap, a combination that begets a hypnotic concept album. As an avid gamer and lover of hip hop, I can safely declare, without any diffidence that 2 Player is a classic piece of work. The songs on the album are a truly enviable catalogue. 2 Player is the quintessence of how hip hop can go beyond the double helix of rapping: the brag and the diss.
The first video game was made using Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) technology around 1950. Video games continued to grow in popularity such that inventers like Atari founder, Nolan Bushnell committed only the best technology in creating games. Space Wars was the first coin-operated arcade game which allowed players to insert coins and play for a certain period of time. By the time arcade games made their way to Africa, they were already an entertainment success with a wider variety of game titles. 90’s kids like me and MDB religiously spent our meagre allowances on arcade games to such an extent that gaming became our childhood culture. It is befitting that MDB leaked the album 2 Player so that children in the hood who do not have the money to buy it can also enjoy the magic.
The album is heralded by Game Over featuring Apu Sebekedi. MDB roars ‘Finish Him’, a punchline in the game, Mortal Kombat. MDB’s colossal voice is unmissable as he teases the foretaste of what comes later in the album. Just like in Gran Turismo, the intro track has a proper circuit, qualifying laps, shifting gears and a rudimentary physics system which gives players a realistic feeling of speed. The insertion of a cartridge when the song starts is symbolic of pressing the play button and beginning a gaming session.
Most rappers fail to establish a linguistic hallmark which is unique to them but MDB does it with ease. in rap, you can do whatever you like with any language: you can drink it, use it to clean or wear it. Throughout the album, MDB laces his lyrics with his distinctive ‘Strata’ rapping style. This style sets 2 Player worlds apart from other rap albums which lack seductive dialects. This linguistic ability is showcased in the songs Mortal Kombat and 10 Deep. The verses in Mortal Kombat are delivered with a faster than usual speed as they artfully adhere to beat melodies.
My favourite track on the album is Castlevania which features Sliqe and PatricKxxLee. There is hip hop for every mood. Castlevania is a happy song that is guaranteed to launch any listener into a partying trance. Castlevania is fast paced and laden with trap sound elements. The song radiates an intense party energy suitable for club dancefloors. Trap sonic arrangements have a typical monotone which we have become accustomed to but, the beat in Castlevania is nothing I have heard before. The last time I was this chuffed with a trap beat was when I heard Novacane by Tyla Yaweh.
The Rugals interlude has the outer trappings of a catharsis of some sort. The ambience, echo, acoustics and the piano blend together in a spiritual vogue as it prompts you to ‘find yourself in the darkness’. The interlude is comparatively short, which gives it a replay value similar to that of most videogames. It is rare to find a rapper who creates songs that massage a listener’s soul by speaking about something as relatable as life purpose. This dynamic inescapably makes this song potent in its effects.
MDB collaborates with Khuli Chana on Anjos. This feature is a stamped confirmation that MDB’s time as a rapper has come and there is no dousing his flame. MDB has a strong sense of community which comes out in the song when he says:
‘Streets start showing love when you become the plug’ and ‘Since I broke bread with the guys/ all the Doe Boy is trying to do is eat’
From this, one can see the connection between MDB and his hometown of Klerksdorp which deeply influenced his street style as well as his moniker, Maglera (slang for Klerksdorp). Another song which calcifies MDB’s connection to his hood is Bodega which preceded the album. The rendition of the track captures the kaleidoscope of nationalities which adorn the Klerksdorp landscape. The mechanics of the song defy convention by incorporating video game sounds as snares. In the song, MDB goes on to say:
‘Dream with the dreamers/ scheme with the schemers’
This line is indicative of the collaborative energy that MDB factors into his art. Featuring artists such as Khuli Chana, Sliqe, Reason, Apu Sebekedi, Mojileon and Kaygizm Soul suggests that MDB opens himself to work with other artists who are at different points in their music careers.
The gaming undertones are also audible in Tetris Brickz Extendo where MDB speaks about bricks of money which he demands in exchange of his art. The song conveys the same message of wealth accumulation as well as financial freedom which is fundamental in the hip hop culture. Towards the end of the song, MDB has a funny conversation with his friends. Though not uncommon, ending a song with a real-life dialogue adds a personal feel to the offering.
2 player is an album that celebrates the streets and its inhabitants. Combining gaming with hip hop is a winning formula. The album positivizes the hood by endowing it with new meanings from a gaming point of view. Whatever becomes of MDB as a rapper, he has made himself a permanent fixture in SA hip hop.
Play music, be carried away- eternal orgasm.