South African rap-rave group Die Antwoord are quite eccentric as musicians. Because of this, much of their persona and lives have been shrouded in mystery. Well, we’re here to uncover all of that! Below, we present 15 things you probably didn’t know about Die Antwoord. Check out part one right here, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: They Believe in the Concept of Zef. According to Yo-Landi Vi$$er, Die Antwoord promotes the concept of zef, which is to say that they are the underdog. It has been described as “apocalyptic debris,” and Ninja has said that “You’ll get a kid in Liberia wearing a Tupac T-shirt, and for us that’s zef.”
Number Fourteen: Yo-Landi Doesn’t Go to a Fancy Salon to Get Her Hair Done. Rather than go to a salon and trust someone to mimic her iconic bangs and style, Yo-Landi looks to bandmate Ninja to cut her hair. We bet that has saved her some money!
Number Thirteen: They Are Not Very Easily Impressed. In an interview, Ninja admitted that there are no musicians alive today that he admires. When asked if he admires Lady Gaga, he said, “She doesn’t impress me at all. She has a strong visual thing that kinda works, but her music’s like some washed-up wannabe Madonna.”
Number Twelve: They Hit the Big Screen. Ninja of Die Antwoord was recently featured in this year’s Chappie, which also featured Sigourney Weaver and Hugh Jackman. Apparently, Ninja was a nightmare to work with, and there are even allegations that he sent lewd photos to a female crew member and hit someone on set.
Number Eleven: Yo-Landi Has a Soft Side. Though based on looks alone, Yo-Landi’s hair and appearance can be quite drastic and intimidating, she has said that she actually has a soft side. She said that she was a “little punk” growing up, but then she went on to say, “Which is weird, because actually I am quite soft and caring.”
Number Ten: Yo-Landi Also Went to Boarding School. The Die Antwoord frontwoman was sent to boarding school when she was just 16 years old. The school was nine hours away from her family’s home, and it was there that she was truly able to develop her creative spirit.
Number Nine: She Has Never Met Her Birth Parents. The only thing Yo-Landi really knows is that her mother is white. However, a portrait artist recently theorized that Yo-Landi’s father may be African, based on her facial structure.