Today South African rockers on the rise Lonehill Estate tell us about their new single and video for "Gangstar". Here is the story: Lonehill Estate has never really been one for the sex, drugs and rock n roll. We enjoy tea and pancakes and our hospitality rider includes flavoured milk and sour gums. It was with some surprise then in 2008 then when a campus DJ referred to us as "gangster." At the time, we drove beat up cars passed down from our grandmothers, never used to cuss and the closest we got to bling was a couple of dental fillings.
Gangster rappers are renowned for bragging about all the things we knew we didn't possess and so we decided to brag about exactly that... our un-gangsterness.
The opening line was inspired by my wife who comes from a rough part of Johannesburg, when we started dating she would literally "have a beer and I would have a milkshake" she can also fight better than me.
Rock music and gangster rap was birthed by people going against societal norms and what was expected of them. In today's world where just about everyone is trying to escape the boredom of desk job life by being inebriated, high or a World of Warcraft character and where rockstars are expected to constantly be snorting cocaine off of strippers, we prefer the enjoyment of life, tea and pancakes which in the end goes against what is normal and expected today.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and check out the video right here!
