Blogg assignment 10

Subculture

Zef...

The term Zef is South African slang word, which roughly translates to the English word common.  It is also not typical of the poorest classes of the society, but rather a mostly white, lower-middle class subculture.  Die Antwoord singer Yolandi  Visser saying, "It's associated with people who soup their cars up and rock gold. Zef is, you're poor but you're fancy. You're poor but you're sexy, you've got style."

It is a movement that glorifies the trashy and the weird, a tougher relative to the American Rednecks and the British Chavs. 

The culture began forming in the 60s and 70s and a genuine Zef culture still exists in the rougher parts of South African cities. However, its rebirth happened in the depths of the underground Bellville music scene. Bellville, a deteriorating, middle class suburban city and South Africa’s premier rock capital, is the home to Zef revival. Zef has been tweaked by Bellville super stars like Jack Parow and Die Antwoord, who have breathed new life into the culture through their music.

Mullets, tracksuits, cars with fur on the dashboard, Crocs, brandy and vulgarity- these are the images that jump to mind when thinking of the South African cultural movement, Zef.