That's My Jam: Tjekkit!

To try to explain Die Antwoord would be to suggest that I know what they're about.

The empirical stuff is easy -- they're a hip-hop trio from Cape Town specializing in what they call Zef-Rap (which is apparently South African slang for "a unique, indescribable style") --

Which is a fancy way of saying ..well, nothing.

They mix rapid-fire lyrics from a guy named Ninja filtered through electronica-sounding beats, all of which is accented by high-pitched, cartoony sounding vocal lines (and occasional rapping) from singer Yo-Landi Vi$$er -- who also provides plenty of unwanted Pedobear appeal as it appears that she's no more than 13 or 14 years old and in their wildly viral Internet videos is always pretty much wiggling around and trying to disrobe, despite no one really asking or wanting her to.

Essentially, they're the Black Eyed Peas on acid.

The videos hit the web a while back and spread like wildfire, drumming up all kinds of curiosity and interest in the group -- which led fans back to an insanely addicting website filled with weird little videos, comic strips, and a secret chamber that really has to be experienced to be understood.

Even if you don't like this music (and I fully admit it's an acquired taste) check out the secret chamber. True interactive weirdness like this is definitely worth a few moments of your time.

It's weird though -- because there's sort of this mix of ideas going on with Die Antwoord that (at least in my opinion) strongly contradict each other. Either they're sort of white trash dirty way way way way south types who embrace their impoverished state so much that they've made it a part of their image and expression -- or they're shrewd, technologically savvy marketers with impressive lyrical chops and an understanding of how for a lot of people tired of slick pop produced music that the grungier an act looks, the better.

Is it end-of-the-world great? Hardly.

But it is high-energy, catchy as hell, and above all -- kinda weird.

And whether that weirdness is a calculated move or just a side effect of living at the bottom of the world in a place where ones national, racial, or personal identity is sort of a guessing game (not to mention the fact that these three appear to be really, really high most of the time) and what you get is pretty much unlike most anything else you're hearing right now.

One word of advice though: Don't sit too close to the monitor when you watch this one --

There's ..wigglage.

[Listening to:  DJ Khaled - "All I Do Is Win (feat. T-Pain, Ludacris, Rick Ross & Snoop Dogg)" ]