On 25 February Live went out to Wits University in Braamfontein to meet up with singer, rapper, poet, writer, model and ghetto pop femcee, Lex La Foy to get her views on our current political climate and what perceptions young people have of government.

Live: How do you use what you do to influence society?

Lex La Foy: I guess for me it’s a metaphysical thing and a spiritual impact. There are things we see and things we feel, and alot of the time those things stay silent. As a creative I guess it’s voicing those things that need to be shared on an expressionist level to bring balance to the world.

Live: Being a rapper, rap was born out of the burning urge to express one’s self so I wanted to touch on what freedom of expression means to you.

Lex: For me it means I’m a mouthpiece for society. It means I am that I’m an instrumentative piece and expressionist in society to add colour, flair and dimension.

Live: Do you feel the music made 20 years ago is different compared to the music made now?

Lex: Looking at the content from 10-20 years ago and comparing it to now, we were in a different political situation. All cultures being organic systems evolve and I feel our music is growing, there is music for all times. There is music to educate, to dance to, to love to and to rebel to, so there’s a place and time for all of it.

Live: It’s election season. Are you voting? For who? Why?

Lex: I’m not voting this year because the last time I voted I was in Durban so now that I’m based in Joburg I would need to have re-registered. I’ve been caught up in so much stuff that I missed the window. Funny enough the DA called me the other day on some “Do you support us”?

Live: Do you feel today’s politicians represent us as young people?

Lex: I don’t think so. I don’t think the current leadership are on par with what our current needs as youth are.

Live: Do you think young people address that enough?

Lex: I feel that artists have a place to address that because artists are more freely spoken, more courageous and less afraid of the impact of what they say.

Live: What do you think we as young creative people can do to bridge the gap with the older generation?

Lex: It has to do with strategy and structure. No matter the goal if we plan it out properly then we can achieve it. More doing and less speaking will bring us change.

Live: Do you think young people ignore the political sphere intentionally? Why do you think this happens?

Lex: A lot of young people don’t pay attention to politics  and I don’t know if it’s clear apathy or that young people are caught up in so many other things that serve as distractions to what’s really going on.

Look out for the video interview dropping soon on our YouTube channel subscribe to LiveMagSA  and follow Lex @Lex_LaFoy

Twitter: @Thapelo_Mosiuoa

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