Dope Saint Jude | |
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 Dope Saint Jude in 2022. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Catherine Saint Jude Pretorius |
| Born | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Origin | South Africa |
| Genres | Hip Hop, RnB |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instrument(s) | Vocals, keyboard |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Website | www |
Catherine Saint Jude Pretorius, professionally known as Dope Saint Jude, is a South African rapper, singer, songwriter and music producer.
Dope Saint Jude was born in and grew up in Elsies River, a working class colored neighborhood located on Cape Town's flats in South Africa. She taught herself the guitar at the age of 12 and began writing poetry to accompany her music. She later went into her own brand of hip hop, which has been described as a soundtrack for feminist inclusivity, acceptance and empowerment. She has been noted for bringing a "queer" edge to the hip hop scene. [1]
She began her career in 2011, performing as Saint Dude, a drag king. At this time, she started South Africa's first documented drag king troupe. In 2013, Saint Jude left the troupe to pursue a career as a solo performer. [2]
She released the vogue song and accompanying music video "Keep In Touch" featuring Angel-Ho in 2015. In an interview she stated that she produced the song in 2014 using an Eminem sample kit. [3]
In 2016, she collaborated with M.I.A. to be part of H&M’s awareness-raising campaign video for world recycle week. [4] In July 2016, Saint Jude released her self-produced debut EP, Reimagine. [5] In 2017, she was featured on the Jlin album, Black Origami . [6]
She has performed at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in 2017, [7] Stanford University in 2017 [8] and Afropunk Festival Johannesburg in 2018. [9]
In November 2018, she released her second EP, Resilient . [10] The lead single, "Grrrl Like" was released in October 2018. [11] The song been used for the Apple TV show Dickinson, [12] the anime Netflix show Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, car manufacturer's advert, in the trailer of Netflix’s South African original series, Blood & Water, [13] and in the movie Nimona adapted from the graphic novel of the same name. [14]
In April 2022, she released her third EP, Higher Self . [15]
Much of Dope Saint Jude's music has tackled issues of social justice, specifically LGBTQ and women's rights. As a queer colored woman, Dope Saint Jude channels her personal experience into her work. By highlighting her identity through her work, Pretorius is able to bring attention to underrepresented issues and demographics in South African society.
In her music videos such as "Girl Like", "Keep In Touch", and "Alphas", Dope Saint Jude features elements of South African queer culture through the gender nonconforming wardrobe choices and of her background dancers as well as her use of Gayle. Pretorius' inclusion of translative subtitles for the Gayle dialogue in her video "Keep In Touch" allows the queer culture that she is shedding light on to be more accessible to a general audience. [16]
In her song “Brown Baas,” Pretorius addresses the racism in post apartheid South Africa. With lines like “I’m representing the voiceless and don’t you ever forget it / I’ve got power and passion and I don’t need to defend it”, “they keep us in chains while they keep on building their towers” and, “do you know what it’s like to be brown for a girl like me?” she presents herself as a spokesperson for the contemporary racial issues existing in South Africa. [16]
Elsie's River is a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa.
Bulelwa Mkutukana, known by her stage name Zahara, was a South African singer, songwriter and guitarist. Her music was classified loosely as "Afro-soul", and she sang in Xhosa, her native language, as well as in English.
Nimona is a science fantasy graphic novel by American cartoonist ND Stevenson. The story follows the title character, a shapeshifter who joins the disgraced knight Ballister Blackheart in his plans to destroy the over-controlling Institute. Blackheart's intent to operate under his code of ethics contrasts him with the impulsive Nimona.
Myraida Desireé Carmona Díaz, publicly known by the stage name Calma Carmona, is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter whose music is primarily soul & Latin soul with influences that cross between Sade Adu, Santana, PJ Harvey, La Lupe and Tina Turner. She sings in both English and her native Spanish.
Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (28 January 1988 – 10 February 2023), known professionally as AKA, was a South African rapper, record producer, and businessman. Born in Cape Town and raised in Johannesburg, Forbes gained recognition after releasing his single "Victory Lap" from his debut studio album, Altar Ego (2011). He was one of the most popular South African musicians of his era and the best-selling South African hip hop artist of all-time, also regarded by many as one of the greatest South African rappers of all time.
Jerrilynn Patton, known as Jlin, is an electronic musician. She began producing music in 2008 and received early attention for her 2011 track "Erotic Heat". Jlin's debut album, Dark Energy, was released in 2015 to critical praise. Her follow-up Black Origami (2017) received further acclaim.
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Elsy Wameyo, also known as ELSY, is a Kenyan-born Australian singer-songwriter, mostly singing in the hip hop genre. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, Wameyo was awarded Young Kenyan of the Year in 2018, and won People's Choice Best Hip Hop Award at the annual South Australian Music Awards in 2019.
Kewpie (1942–2012) was a South African drag queen and hairdresser. She was a gender fluid individual who preferred feminine pronouns. Kewpie worked as a hairdresser in District Six and her salon became the center of the queer and drag community. She performed under the stage name of Capucine. Kewpie's large collection of photos is owned by the Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) and documents queer life during apartheid.
Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba is a South African politician. She is the current chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education in the National Assembly of South Africa and a Member of Parliament representing the African National Congress. Prior to serving in parliament, she was a Member of the Executive Council (MEC) in the Northern Cape provincial government.
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Resilient is the second EP album by South African rapper Dope Saint Jude. It was released on 2 November 2018 through her record label, Dope Saint Jude. The 5-track album was recorded in London and produced by London-based producers Pete ‘Boxsta’ Martin and Dantae Johnson.
Higher Self is the third extended play by South African rapper Dope Saint Jude. It was released on 2 April 2022 through the French record label, Yotanka. The 6-track album is composed of Dope Saint Jude's vocals combined with elements of alternative R&B and electronic music.
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