A sorceress who casts hexes with words and sound waves, Yugen Blakrok emerg… Read Full Bio ↴A sorceress who casts hexes with words and sound waves, Yugen Blakrok emerges from the smoke filled dungeons of rap… Growing up in the Eastern Cape and influenced by the political/militant and spiritual aspects of Hip-Hop, her music is firmly rooted in the mind-set of the 90’s, a deep lyrical and audio odyssey into the world around us, both seen and unseen.

Gaining recognition through various features and live shows, Yugen has been on the SA scene for over a decade. After joining indie label Iapetus Records in 2009, home to artists such as the late great Robo, Hymphatic Thabs and Fifi the RaiBlaster, she teamed up with Sampletologist Kanif the Jhatmaster, releasing several videos and singles, leading up to her debut album.

‘Return of the Astro-Goth’ (2013) was well received by the Hip-Hop community worldwide, receiving several five star ratings, and caught the attention of renowned Hip-Hop veterans such as Chuck D and Sage Francis. It also saw her nominated three times at the 2014 SA Hip-Hop awards, in the best Lyricist, best Newcomer and best Female categories.

Having toured Europe several times, Yugen has opened for Hip-Hop legends such as MC Lyte (Germany/Switzerland), Pete Rock & CL Smooth (Denmark) and Edo G (Austria), and was the opening act at world renowned Hip-Hop Kemp in Czech Republic in 2016.

Back home in SA she has performed alongside names such as Public Enemy (2012), Sage Francis (2015) and Jeru the Damaja (2016).

She has also featured on several international collaborations, releasing music with artists such as Jak Progresso, Naomi Pilgrim, Copywrite, Von Poe VII and Bradata of Dusted Wax Kingdom.

Her sound is a mix of sci-fi soundscapes, hard drums and meditative melodies, over which Blakrok’s words command vivid attention. Live the room often moves as one, as in a trance, led through the acoustic void.

Currently perfecting her spells and putting final touches to her follow up album deep in the basements of Iapetus, she sometimes emerges to collect writing paper or moonbeams.

Tetra Tarantula
Yugen Blakrok Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lost in the depth of the straw man fallacy
Where none can leave a legacy
Identity quests are now aimless, roaming urban faceless
Jakes on dirty streets plead their cases and we die so state lives
Enslaving masses to master plans, blocking paths
While I trace the footsteps of the Invisible Man
Eradicating frequencies polluted by garbage
Aim to raise the turn-out for the harvest

Higher powers, noses covered in powder
Scared that winds of change bring apocalyptic showers, so they cower
With big brother schemes, tell the snitch keep his eyes peeled
Dominating media, agendas revealed
The seeds of decay planted by John Hoover
Are nightmares infiltrating the streets like Fred Kruger
Best to stay awake, the black cougar
Moves below radar, let dead rappers tell you how a bullet runs thru ya
That's why we take...

ONE for the physical, food, clothes, shelter and guns
And stay armed for when the time has come
Take TWO for the literal, in-between the syllables
Mental states are steady when the mirror faces you
And take THREE to burn trees, spiritually high steez
Chaotic spaces, manifestations of holy trinities
FOUR emotionally accounted for
Stoically staring down the enemy, we're ready for war

And for this so-called freedom
People will go against the concept of
god, even the natural laws that free them
Condemn the innocent and sell them to the guilty felons
Number Game: was twenty-seven on another level
And twenty centuries deep inside a fabricated lie
The truth's like rains to a desert, at worst it's a mirage
And penitentiary philosophies where ends justify the means
Are the real cattle-killings of the twenty-first century
While crooked politicians keep campaigning for office
The vigilant determines if performance follows promise
Because law is the disguise the brute force goes by
They plant the seeds of anarchy with hands hidden by vines
And we... sip from the wine like kisses from poisoned lips
See the blind can only lead the blind into the abyss
Word to the massive, guided by petty passions
Men led by the masses never rise above six
And this is... not even time, it's only illusion since
The power of gold's uprooted our divinely chosen rulerships
So by the Second Star! I'll direct
One drop of acid in the ocean causing ripple effects
That's why we take...

ONE for the physical, food, clothes, shelter and guns
And stay armed for when the time has come
Take TWO for the literal, in-between the syllables
Mental states are steady when the mirror faces you
And take THREE to burn trees, spiritually high steez
Chaotic spaces, manifestations of holy trinities

FOUR emotionally accounted for
Stoically staring down the enemy, we're ready for war

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Yugen Blakrok's song "Tetra Tarantula" speak to the challenges of living in a society where power and control are often wielded by those with wealth and status. The opening lines speak of being lost in the depth of the straw man fallacy, where nobody can leave a legacy, and identity quests are aimless, leaving people to roam the streets without direction or purpose. The singer laments that people are enslaved to master plans, and that the powers that be are afraid that change will bring apocalyptic showers. In this context, the singer advises people to take things into their own hands, to arm themselves physically and mentally, and to stay ready for the time when they'll need to take action.

Line by Line Meaning

Lost in the depth of the straw man fallacy
Feeling disoriented and confused due to false arguments presented in discussions

Where none can leave a legacy
In a situation where it seems impossible to make a lasting impact

Identity quests are now aimless, roaming urban faceless
People in cities are losing their sense of identity and purpose

Jakes on dirty streets plead their cases and we die so state lives
Police officers in poor areas often resort to violence, leading to harm and death for local residents

Enslaving masses to master plans, blocking paths
Powerful entities are controlling and restricting the actions of many people

While I trace the footsteps of the Invisible Man
An attempt to uncover hidden truths and follow the trails of influential but unseen figures

Eradicating frequencies polluted by garbage
Removing negative influences that are hindering personal growth and development

Aim to raise the turn-out for the harvest
Striving toward a successful and bountiful outcome

Higher powers, noses covered in powder
Wealthy and powerful individuals who abuse their position and indulge in drugs

Scared that winds of change bring apocalyptic showers, so they cower
Those in control are afraid of major changes that could threaten their power and cause mass chaos

With big brother schemes, tell the snitch keep his eyes peeled
Monitoring people's actions and encouraging them to report on others

Dominating media, agendas revealed
Control over the flow of information and the manipulation of public opinion

The seeds of decay planted by John Hoover
A reference to the actions of J. Edgar Hoover, who is seen as contributing to the corruption and decline of society

Are nightmares infiltrating the streets like Fred Kruger
Negative forces and people are causing chaos and destruction in communities

Best to stay awake, the black cougar
A call to remain alert and aware in order to protect oneself

Moves below radar, let dead rappers tell you how a bullet runs thru ya
The dangers of violence in certain neighborhoods, as told through the experiences of those who have been killed

That's why we take...
The reason for taking certain actions

ONE for the physical, food, clothes, shelter and guns
Securing basic necessities and protecting oneself

And stay armed for when the time has come
Preparedness for potential threats to one's safety

Take TWO for the literal, in-between the syllables
Focusing on the deeper meanings and nuances in language and communication

Mental states are steady when the mirror faces you
Self-reflection and introspection lead to a stronger sense of mental stability

And take THREE to burn trees, spiritually high steez
Using recreational drugs to reach elevated spiritual states

Chaotic spaces, manifestations of holy trinities
Finding divine connections in disorder and confusion

FOUR emotionally accounted for
Taking into consideration the emotional aspect of oneself

Stoically staring down the enemy, we're ready for war
Being prepared for conflict and standing strong in the face of opposition

And for this so-called freedom
Examining the concept of freedom and its true meaning

People will go against the concept of god, even the natural laws that free them
The pursuit of freedom can often lead to disregard for religious and moral values

Condemn the innocent and sell them to the guilty felons
The injustice of punishing those who are not responsible for a crime

Number Game: was twenty-seven on another level
Referencing the significance of the number 27 in spiritual and mystical beliefs

And twenty centuries deep inside a fabricated lie
Belief in falsehoods that have been perpetuated for centuries

The truth's like rains to a desert, at worst it's a mirage
The difficulty in finding and accepting true knowledge and reality

And penitentiary philosophies where ends justify the means
Moral ambiguity in the pursuit of achieving a desired outcome

Are the real cattle-killings of the twenty-first century
The inhumane treatment and exploitation of people for the benefit of those in power

While crooked politicians keep campaigning for office
The falsehoods and corruption within political systems

The vigilant determines if performance follows promise
A call for increased scrutiny of politicians and their actions

Because law is the disguise the brute force goes by
The use of legal systems to justify oppressive actions

They plant the seeds of anarchy with hands hidden by vines
Those in power are responsible for creating conditions that could lead to social disorder, while trying to conceal their actions

And we... sip from the wine like kisses from poisoned lips
The dangerous lure of falsehoods that are disguised as appealing options

See the blind can only lead the blind into the abyss
Those who are ignorant or unaware cannot provide guidance or direction

Word to the massive, guided by petty passions
The influence of trivial or unimportant things on people's actions and decisions

Men led by the masses never rise above six
Those who follow popular opinions or movements cannot achieve greatness or success on their own

And this is... not even time, it's only illusion since
The concept of time is a construct that has little bearing on reality

The power of gold's uprooted our divinely chosen rulerships
The role of wealth and greed in subverting rightful leaders

So by the Second Star! I'll direct
Determination to take action and make change

One drop of acid in the ocean causing ripple effects
Small actions can have a larger impact than one might expect