hello my name is NINJA from the south african rap group, DIE ANTWOORD, and i'm here to discuss our new album that's dropping today called MOUNT NINJI + DA NICE TIME KID. AMA!

i love the new context! The direction is definitely new but I'm a new fan and the mixture of old style rap rave and new slower beats to pump out to is incredible. I absolutely adore you guys; you guys make me feel proud to be who I am. Why did you feel like Your persona 'Ninja' got out of hand, and what do you hope become as Mount Ninji? How are the two different pieces of you, and did they both have an influence in the creation of this new album? Don't forget about zef fans in Hawaii ! Would love to see y'all live 💕

this is a really cool question... i created NINJA for fun like 10 years ago or something like how Brian Warner created MARILYN MANSON or how Russel Jones created OL DIRTY BASTARD like how Bruce Wayne created BATMAN

then without me knowing it, i became NINJA

like i can't remember who i was b4, like seriously feels like a dream or a past life

creating NINJA was like creating an indestructible manga style mecha that i climbed into and had to merge with to control

then at some point i became interested in climbing out the NINJA mecha

and when i stepped out i discovered i had been transformed into MOUNT NINJI

Yo Ninja! Love your work. I'm going to be seeing you and Yolandi live in Atlanta next month. I got two questions.

What was it like working in a big budget movie with A-listers like Hugh Jackman, Sharlto Copley and Sigourney Weaver?

Is it true you and Neill Blomkamp had a falling out after the filming of the movie Chappie? Or is it all bullshit?

Bonus-

How'd you link up with Jack Black for the Ugly Boy video?

neil wouldn't let us meet hugh jackman and sigournery weaver, i like used to like sharlto b4 we worked on chappie... and neill is cute, he tried his best... neill's dope, but he's got dumb bitches around him whispering in his ear... dat's dat shit dat drives a king to madness if he starts believing the bullshit

chappie was cute, but it had its breaks on

the original film we signed on 4 was wild as fuck mainly based around us turning chappie into the wild gangster robot jesus you should see the secret in-house short film we made 4 chappie to get the main 1 green lit then big studio power came in and started making that shit more and more diet coke

but our essence wasn't fucked with still a cute film just kinda time compared to the art we used to making

jack black is kinda 1 of my best friends in da hole universe he's starring in our movie we making ourselves we writing, scoring and starring in it im directing called SOUTH AFRICAN NINJA dat shit def not gonna have no brakes on ;)

Yo ninja, what's good bruv. Who's an artist you listen to regularly that people might be surprised by?

um... i love ennio morricone

Hey Ninja and Yolandi, I was wondering if there was more of the beat that was at the end of your Banana Brain video, during the credits?

This question is rly important. That beat is sick

yo GOD made dat beat. iz from our nxt album. we already deep in2 dat bitch

Do you guys run any charities or community projects in SA to help out your people? If so, do you have a website link so we can donate and help out too?

we have a little ZEF sanctuary in johannesburg, and some other kids in africa that we putting through skool

Hi guys!

You are the craziest thing to hit mainstream music in a long time. We just love how you channel that energy like wicked shamans, looking for beauty, for dirt, for love and for the most evil inside all of us and turn it into the coolest sound and style around.

What brings you this energy/love/passion? How do you look for beauty in life?

What wisdoms do you try pass along to your daughter?

Dank jullie voor deze crazy trip.

we just love unexpected stuff... we addicted to the unexpected...

i mentioned this b4, but i'll say it again:

The only real things in life are the unexpected things, everything else is just illusion

Whats your favorite pizza?

margerita with pineapple and feta

A lot of your music has some dark themes, while a lot of it has some child-like themes.

Does writing towards these themes ever cause your personalities to be affected similarly, or are you able to separate your personal life from the art you create?

A lot of the references to things involve old school video games and TV, were these all freely available to you in South Africa? I think it's awesome how few other rap groups put nostalgia in their music.

How do you manage to stay so energetic all the time, while keeping it cool? Most rap avoids high energy movements but you both embrace it which I think is awesome!

Love you both, thanks for keeping music interesting! Never break up!

there iz no separation between our personal life and the music we make. iz da same thing. we like high-energy shit. prolly from eating good. excerzise and being in love with this shit we make

You are creating your own weed line, how are you overseeing the quality in regards to nutrients, growing conditions and curing? Is it only available in South Africa or are you trying to replicate it in different countries around the world?

we starting it in LA. and DJ MUGGS from Cypress fucking Hill is overseeing everything, who is basically the God of weed, he's got mad plantations of his own... so yea starting our little line here, and will start expanding as things go... we soooo happy about this shit... its fucking crazy...

What's on the horizon movie wise? Any full length projects you'd like to make or anything you're hyped about being involved with?

we making our own movie. been working on story for over 10 years. den about a week ago, i wrote the whole story down in 2 days. my homie ashley wood gonna turn the script into a graphic novel 1st. den we straight gonna shoot dat like our story board. I'm directing it. me and Y starring. DA scoring it. called SOUTH AFRICA NINJA

Hey Ninja big fan of you and Die Antwoord Of all your tattoos which one's your favorite? Can't wait to see you guys in Dallas

da lil one under my right arm of a boy and girl hugging... kids drawing

First, thank you thank you thank you for doing this! I've loved your music since I first heard of MaxNormal.tv!

I loved Chappie, probably moreso because you and Yo-Landi were in it, do you have any offers or plans to be in any more movies any time soon? I would love to see you guys fighting your way through SA again.

yea we making our own movie called SOUTH AFRICAN NINJA. i spoke about it a few questions up ;)

Why isn't Yolandi doing AMA too tho?

cos she didn't feel like it :)

I want to know the truth behind evil boy, the drawings, as i have seen the originals before that he made , and been to the farm . have images of the first old drawings, evil boy. why did you leave him behind? why didn't he sign with you at the time. all the "drawings" and the whole look , he drew, the first sets, he painted......... and now there is no mention of him ever..... I want to know why??

evil boy is a tattoo i have on my arm, a playful little cartoon character that i drew that we turned into a toy and a song

wanga, who rapped on the evil boy song, was this kid from a little ghetto farm who we have known since he was little. when ever wanga would go home to his hood, he would get beaten up because he is xhosa and he was not yet circumsized. in xhosa tradition a boy becomes a man after he goes through an intense ritual which involves going out into the wild for a long time wrapped in a blanket, getting circumsised with no pain-killer or anti-infection stuff, and every year a lot of kids die (like around 60 or so) from bleeding to death, or they have severe penile disfunction afterwards. so i told wanna, bra... fuck dat shit. who's cares just stay an evil boy 4 life. then for fun me and Y wrote a rap for wanga, and we recorded him saying it line for line, then i laced it up into a verse, and wanga was like woooooahhh!!!! then he came to kick his verse with us when we bust live a few times.... and wanga is a sweetheart, but the instant fame kinda fucked with his head a bit, and there would be some kind of stupid situation after every show, wanga get fuck drunk and missing flights, wanga arriving at a faraway festival with a girl, then telling her she's not allowed backstage, cos he wanted to fuck new fan girls, then wanga phoning me the next day crying because the girl that gave him a lift left without him and now he can't get home... so wasn't wanga wasn't able to roll with us proper and keep learning about music... but this is all just fun silly stuff to us now... we fuckn love wanga and we all joke about this shit...

Ninjaaaaaaaa!!!!! THANK YOU so much for doing this AMA- I admire you so much for doing everything that you do and how passionately you do it! My question:

You have so many creative outlets! You write poetry/lyrics/music, you rap, you sing, you draw, you sculpt, you paint, etc- are there any other creative pursuits that you haven’t gotten to try yet but want to?! If so, what are they!? (And/or what’s one of your favorite mind-bending/creative movies that you find inspiring?)

um. my main main MAIN love is directed movies. i been training to direct one for last 10 years by conceptualizing and directing, or co-directing every single one of DA music videos. Y is always heavily involved in the conceptual phase and me and Y edit all our vids, sometimes working with our homie saki who cuts with us... editing is my fukn best

i like MY BEST FIEND by Werner Herzthog

and soooo many other movies

most of David Lynch's stuff

i LOVE gummo (duh)

we gonna make soooooo many movies!!!

Hey guys, just an old boy from America here.

• Whats your favorite thing to eat when visiting the states?
• and whats something I should try out when I finally make it to South Africa?

P.S. Posting this from my dope new PC computer. <3

i love the V-cheese veggie burger with orange fries and the special dip frm veggie grill in LA and in south africa.. i love the grilled corn they bust on the side of the road in the ghettos

what happened to Gucci coochie music video?

still busy with it. sometimes we take a while to work shit it. has to be super fukn perfect

What is your songwriting process like?

mysterious and random as fuck

i still don't understand it

i could write a book on how each song was made, and every process will be different... in fact... i think i will write a book about that ;)

Ninji! <3 Do you allow 16 to listen to DIE ANTWOORD's music? I fink I remember an interview when 16 was younger where you and Y both tried not to curse near her. And when will 16 release some music? Wif you and Y's energy, her music is gunna be too fucking dope! Love you both and da new Album <3 DA4EVA

we always swear around her. we just speak normally. she never swears. ever. never once in her life. she refuses

Really wish I could make it to Life is Beautiful to see you perform!

What is the best memory you have since the start of your career with Die Antwoord?

this new song we just made yesterday! i think iz gonna be the biggest song we ever make... it's got me soon tripped out!!! i'm in looooooove

Hi Ninja (and a hello to Yo-landi)! Good to see you here. Big fan here.

Been listening to Die Antwoord for quite some time now. Been a good accompaniment while I’m working outside and exercising, not to mention totally enjoyable to listen to and learn from.

I feel that your whole philosophy is built on governing your own way of living and demanding respect for yourselves. That you both weren’t satisfied with the way other people have set it up or how you might have been taught or told to live and how you’ve been treated.

Do you feel that going about it your own way has freed you up? Do you feel your art and all that has come with it has changed the way you think about the world and how you go about it? And maybe changed the way you feel about your place in it and what you can do about it?

Edit: Glad you're not breaking up. Keep up the great work. I admire your discipline, work ethic, and vision. Love you guys.

yo! since we started Die Antwoord, our attitude towards making music and living our lives has staying the same. We were freed up before DIE ANTWOORD got known, because we don't make music for anyone. we make it for ourselves. so no1 can take anything away from us. all thats important to us is that maintain this freedom. the fact that people all over the world like us is like some kind of miracle or something

Say a fan wants to meet up with you and/or Yolandi before or after a show and smoke you out, how would you suggest doing that?

haha i dnt know... maybe google how ;)

How much would you be willing to pay for an authentic, fully functional Chappie?

he lives with us! we stole him ;)

Hey Ninja, thanks for all the good work I've already listen to your last album 4 times today.

My question is kinda silly but what's your biggest fear ?

Bye from france, I love ya

loosing my voice on tour

Ok so sorry to totally dwank da phuck out but you guys are seriously some of my IDOLS. I’m a die hard fokken fan who knows all the words to your songs and my first tattoo was zef2def. I mean anyone who knows me knows about Die Antwoord too. Besides luvin the crazy, twisted, dark vibes; you guys are true fukkin ARTISTS who keep your visions clear and uncompromised and I have so much mad respect for that. I can’t wait for what will come after DA.

So wif dat out tha way uhhh shit I have so many questions lol I'll keep it light tho.. Ninja, I threw you this shirt I made at Mad Decent in NYC, you remember that by any chance?!??! You stuck it in your boxers and I p much lost my fkn shit from there. Also, what was your first tattoo? I’m curious

Other than that jus send my luv to everyone in the DA crew, I’ma be bumpin mount ninji and da nice time kid till my ears bleed out. Dark energy has never manifested so beautifully as in this album. Seein you again Oct 22 in philly, shit gon be wicked u already kno

dude I'm sorry i lost your shirt!!! ;)

and my first tattoo was a little elf that hiding inside the big fairy forrest on my left arm

Are you still beefing with Lady Gaga?

i 4got about her... is she still making music?

Ninja!

Big fan of your work with Die Antwoord and am really looking forward to the new record. Recently watched Chappie for the first time with my wife and quite enjoyed it. Any plans to do more acting with or without Blomkamp in the future? You've got some acting chops! You should do a film with David Lynch!

Plus, a shoutout to my wife Maddie would make her day! Cheers!

sup maddie!!

yea see above!

Hey ninja! I was wondering what 16 and tokkie are up to. Are they doing any of their own music/film/art etc.?

secret x

What's your favorite track to perform? What are you most excited for for your new tour?

i wanna bust fat faded fuck face live

Hi Ninja! You're known for your unique tattoos. Some have an obvious meaning but some seem more obscure. Would you be able to talk about what inspired you to get so much ink, and what the tattoos mean to you?

i like art made by kids, mentally disturbed ppl and criminals... my tattooos are a combination of these 3 styles

Big fan here! Me and my bf like to dance to your music alot. I always wondered, do you let Sixteen listen to your music? Does she like it?

yea she dances in our live show

she likes our music but she refuses to swear, she's never sworn in her life

Who's your favourite member of the Wu Tang Clan ?

ODB muddafukkkkaaaa ;)

What's up Ninja. Saw you guys at Lollapalooza Chicago and fucking fell in love. I'm curious, what was your biggest inspiration for the new album? What message does it try to send?

we inspired by sooooo many things: -being original -being fresh -being fun -being unexpected -being pure -being dirty -being clever -being retarded -being lovely -being ugly -being diligent -being lazy -setting the stardard -taking the lead -and eliminating the competition

HI DA!! When are you bringing ZEF to Bulgaria? Also, pls share about the connection between between Black cAt WHite Cat the movie and your awesome art with the pitbull sample

no sure when we coming there! we hit up the director who made the black cat white cat film coz we fucking love that movie.... like that movie was actually a major influence on our sound, especially the original pitbull song! and anyway it turned out that the director was a fan of us also, and we asked him if we could recreate his orginal version pitbull and he said yea sure!

Are there any plans for a UK tour? Would love to see you smash the shit out of Brixton Academy in London!

yea yea yea . not year def

You said in recent interviews that all of your work up until now has been influenced by the South African Ninja movie your working on. Will this tie the themes of your past work in with die antwoord?

yea when you see the movie, you gonna see stuff in it from the very beginning of die antwoord

When you need to create a song , you have already instrumental or write text with the metronome and then create the beat at a later time ? Synth that uses DJ Hi - Tek to create your instrument ? You will bring a live show of the new album in Sardinia ( Italy ) ? Write your texts together or everyone writes his own and then joined the party ? Do you have a postal address or e-mail where to send the stuff ? Thanks guys <3

sometimes we make beat 1st den write to it sometimes we write words and melody den make beats to it

Hi Ninja!! I love y'all. What is your favorite movie? PS: come to Atlanta!

hmmm edward scissorhands

Hi ninja!! Are you planning a UK tour??? Please say yes!

yea nxt year def!

Hey Ninja, huge fan from the US here. I absolutely love your group so much and I am more than relieved to hear you didn't break up. How long does it take you to fully complete one song on average, including recording and writing?

haha sometimes whole song in a day sometimes a song can take 10 years to finish literally. it's a really strange, and kinda mystical process that i still don't even understand, maybe 1 day i will when I'm older and i know everything

Have you seen Stranger Things?

nope

Hello Ninja from Scotland! My Mount Ninja CD came in the post today, Really liking Daddy so far. What advice do you give to an aspiring rapper to get their unique sound heard amongst the thousands of others on the internet.

You made fame through the internet, do you recommend it, or do you think starting a following at home is the better way?

Many thanks!

make sure u don't sound like no-one else. just rap about your life. be brave and honest do not give 1 single fuck about what anyone thinks about you. do it for yourself

Hey Ninja, really appreciate you doing this! My question is, why did you ditch the old verse from 'Wings on my Penis'? I saw the preview on DJ Sibot' s instagram and I've been waiting for your verse on that ever since I first heard it. Thank you and regards from Iceland!

huh... i can't remember an old verse

soweeeee

Any chances of performing Alien live? this song is a masterpiece, the lyrics really hit home

yes. but not yet. want to make alien video 1st, and create a crazy live version of it. that song is sooooo beautiful... so nice to hear Y open up like that

Congrats on the release of Mount Ninji. I've been listening to it all morning, and think it is fantastic.

The first half of the album is very upbeat, and based in dance/rave music much like Ten$ion (Daddy, and Banana Brain could have easily been on Ten$ion), but everything after the tracks with Lil Tommy Terror, the mood shifts to a much darker feeling (Street Light and Darkling are incredibly dark and depressing).

• What was some of your inspiration while writing these new songs?

• Any great stories about the writing or recording process?

I noticed that on the more upbeat songs, it's Yolandi that sings the most, then towards the end of the album when it's more rap/trap based, it's mainly Ninja.

• Is there any reason for splitting the album and songs up like that?
  

There's definitely a theme throughout the album. Almost every song, even the upbeat ones, have very dark elements. The album as a whole is darker than anything you've released to date.

• What are your thoughts on the dark theme that can be found throughout? What inspired that change?

• And, on a more personal level, how are you all doing today?

I hope everything is well with you all, and your daughter.

Thank you for doing this AMA. A lot of us have been waiting years for something like this.

-inspiration: real life -street light is a true story, except we got mugged again by another crew, like 5 minutes after the 1st incident -album just seemed to want to flow like that.., it's quite a skitzo mix of stylez that seems to work strangely together... -then deeper you go into your psyche, the darker shit gets. we go deep. -im having a fuckin wonderful day thank you for asking

What's your favourite song on Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid?

i think fat faded fuck face

Hi Ninja, are you currently single?

yup

Hello Ninja, What is the last album you bought?

haha our one!

Howzit Ninja

I had the pleasure to live six months in South Africa (unfortunately in Potch). I fell in love with Cape Town and want to ask what are your favourite spots there?

Looking forward for the new album, thanks for the great music!

i like snoekies in hout bay i get chip rolls from there with pickled onions

HEY NINJA

So you've worked with some pretty ill people lately, is there anyone you've not worked with who you'd want to in the future?

um. nah... no one i can think of... or maybe charlie theron! she's so brilliant! and hot ;)

Hey Ninja! been bumping MN+DNTK all day and loving it man

So part of why I love you guys is the way you evolve from album to album

What were the biggest musical influences for you this time around? And if you had to recommend one album what would it be?

our biggest influence is always real life and doing things we've never done b4, our DA albums are all kind've 1 big epic saga with 5 chapters... MN&DNTK was chapter 4 and is such a beautiful shrine in our hearts