The over-publicised Driemanskap single featuring iFani, “We Are Not The Same” was finally released online last week Thursday. A great departure from their usual organic boom bap-induced sound, the Kosh-produced banger is 808 hi-hat-heavy. On what the song is about, crew member Ma-B had this to say: “Mainstream music is out to turn everyone into an AKA, Drake, or Da Les, so the song challenges that –  the title is self-explanatory.”

Albeit mixed reactions to the song, the guys are happy with the response. “The song, I believe, has been well-received as it trended on Twitter a day after its release with only us as Driemanskap marketing it. iFani hasn’t had time to push it on his side,” says Ma-B.

The Cape Town-based spaza crew met fellow Xhosa rapper iFani, whose album I Believes in Me just won him a SAMA,  as far back as 2010. That was before the Eastern Cape rapper even made it big in the City of Gold. They hosted him as a guest performer on one of their Jukebox Sessions series of gigs.

The new single’s video is scheduled to come out this Friday if all goes according to plan. It was directed by the quartet itself with assistance from Anne-Sophie, a director they had worked with previously.

“We Are Not the Same” is the second single to Hlala Nam – the crew’s second album due for release sometime this year. The first single to the album was “Izulu Lelami” released last year accompanied by a great music video. “Compared to the first album, this one will be very musical and more experimental as it even has uptempo tracks which indicates musical growth,” crew member El Nino reveals.

The new album is 95% done and it will feature the likes of Proverb, iFani, Ntsiki Mazwai and the crew is still waiting on The Soil to confirm a feature.

Drie hasn’t been resting between the release of their debut album, Igqabukil’inyongo and present day. 2011 witnessed a solo release from Ma-B in the form of a mixtape titled Beats & Rhymes. Other collective releases such as, among others, Kwaai SA/Swedish Hip Hop Exchange, Cape Town Effects as well as a solo mixtape from Redondo which was released in Belguim with 7 Foot Sound System.

The anticipation for Hlala Nam increases. And the fact that we are not sure when to expect the album makes it even more highly anticipated.

Images by Onele Liwani.