Photos by Sean Metalerkamp

Long story short: Die Antwoord are a completely manic rap-rave group from South Africa that have gained more than 30,000 fans on Facebook in about two weeks, thanks to a couple amazing music videos. Their overall style is called "zef," which roughly translates to "common" and is typified by "blue eyeliner, bleached hair, sweat bands, and cars with overly powerful sound systems." Because of group leaders Ninja and Yo-Landi Vi$$er's prior involvement in conceptual hip-hop projects, the group has been met with claims of inauthenticity. Are they paying tribute to or making fun of zef culture? (For a longer version of this story, check out our recent article, "Who the Hell Are Die Antwoord?")

So we sent an e-mail to the address on their website and someone called Dirk the Oracle got back to us saying Ninja and Yo-Landi might answer some written-out questions. We sent some questions. They wrote us back. In the following interview, Ninja and Yo-Landi talk about their surging fame, their idea for an upcoming Die Antwoord film, Katy Perry, smoking weed out of coconut bongs, and so much more:

Pitchfork: When did you realize Die Antwoord were reaching a big international audience via the internet?

Die Antwoord: We noticed on the 3rd of February. It was a full moon. We just stared at the computer screen. We started getting about 1000 emails per day. When it got to 5000 mails on day five, I just gave up, lay down on the floor and looked at the roof. It was like tripping on acid. But now every time we wake up it still won't go away.

Pitchfork: Did a lot of people start calling you?

DA: Yes, a lot of people suddenly like me a lot. Me and Yo-Landi have changed our phone numbers.

Pitchfork: Why do you think Die Antwoord has broken through more than your previous rap groups like MaxNormal.TV?

DA: The other rap albums we made were a bit stupid. Then we tapped into our inner zef and discovered Die Antwoord and became next-level.

Pitchfork: Was there one moment of epiphany when you saw the potential of, as you say, your inner zef and the potential of Die Antwoord?

DA: Ninja, Yo-Landi, and DJ Hi-Tek were at a rave at Ninja's parents' house when they discovered Die Antwoord. We actually are making a high-energy, totally next-level, rap-rave feature film about this called The Answer. We would compare it to District 9, but just with more rave and more rap. This feature film is part of the reason why some people are flying Ninja and Yo-Landi to L.A. in two weeks' time.

Pitchfork: What is the movie about?

DA: The plot it this: Ninja, Yo-Landi and DJ Hi-Tek live in a kak little white hood called Sunnyside (the hood in the "Zef Side" clip). Ninja has this big plan to throw a fat-ass rave at his parents' house. But Ninja's parents don't trust him to look after the house while they go to Sun City. Eventually, Ninja manipulates his parents into trusting him enough to let him look after the house. Just after Ninja's parents fuck off to Sun City on holiday, Ninja forces Yo-Landi to steal money from her mom to hook up a fuck-off heavy sound system, a smoke machine, a strobe light, a phunky 3D visual mix on VHS to play on the TV in the chill room, tiger balm, party decorations, dop and a lot of zol. Only about eight people come to the rave, and everything is going pretty cool 'til Yo-Landi starts to fuck out from smoking too much of the coconut bong that somebody mixed with tik. This final scene is going be sort of like this hallucinogenic erotic nightmare that Yo-Landi experiences. The end of film is actually just going to be the full-length music video of "Beat Boy". The lyrics to "Beat Boy" describe this scene to the T. It's going to be pretty next-level.