Jaco van der Merwe

Bio

Jaco van der Merwe has been creating and performing original music since 1998, as a lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist and songwriter. His electro-rap band BITTEREINDER won two SAMAs (South African Music Awards) for Best Alternative Albums in 2011 and 2015. Jaco's musical collaborations and projects over the past 24 years are diverse and stretch across many genres and worlds. A brief highlights reel: Touring Poland in 2008 as spoken-word poet AJAX, including being the opening act at the Afrykamera Film Festival in Warsaw. Touring Europe three further times with other hip-hop/spoken word projects, including memorable performances at Lowlands Festival in NL, Melkweg and Paradiso in Amsterdam and Badehaus in Berlin. Playing the Oppikoppi main stage, headline slots three years in a row with Bittereinder, amongst dozens of other festival main stage performances across Southern Africa between 2011-2019. Founded a spoken word collective called WALKIE TALKIE in 2013 consisting of South African spoken word poets, still operational. Formed a synthwave/dreampop band HALF-SISTER in 2017, played Oppikoppi as our first show. Founded a hip-hop/jazz band called PLACEHOLDER in 2020, featuring jazz demi-god Ngwako Manamela on the vibraphone, produced and directed a concert which was filmed and broadcast as the 2020 Afrykamera Film Festival opening performance. Made music in studio and on stage with many of my heroes, including Stogie T, The Kiffness, The Soil, Jack Parow, BCUC, Flex of He & I, DJ Spoko, Desmond & the Tutus, Inge Beckmann, David Kramer, Hunter Kennedy amongst many others. Founded an artist collective which has evolved into a platform for multi-disciplinary creative projects called WERELD in 2015. Countless other projects and details that might be interesting, including exploits as published poet, filmmaker, lecturer, workshop-host, presenter, director, editor, curator would probably not fit well into this short bio - suffice to say I have been blessed to enjoy what I do for the past quarter century, I am a keen collaborator, I make art in many different disciplines, I find deep reward in empowering others on their creative journeys, I value innovation and experimentation, and I like to make artworks that challenge, subvert, question and uplift.

Posts

Track artwork
Bittereinder
Soeklig (Stemme)
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Aanhoudend
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Ysbeer
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Bly Online
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Damn Good
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Hoogste Bome
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Zero Illusions
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Ampersand (Skelm Remix)
Deezer

Music

Track artwork
Bittereinder
Asemrowers (Tweede Asem)
04:27
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Donderwolk
03:40
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Damn Good
04:42
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Recommended Playlist
03:44
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Karongeluk
03:23
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Bly Online
04:58
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Hoogste Bome
04:20
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Zero Illusions
03:18
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Aanhoudend
02:59
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Soeklig
04:00
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Ysbeer
04:34
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Soeklig (Stemme)
03:25
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Slechte Mensen
03:01
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Penworstel
03:29
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Die slang & die arend
05:03
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Voleinder
02:55
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Wakkerword
03:01
Deezer
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Bittereinder
A Tale of three Cities
05:34
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Die Waarskuwing
05:07
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Solidariteit
03:18
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Almanak
03:41
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Ware Verhaal
03:52
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Ampersand (Skelm Remix)
04:25
Deezer
Track artwork
Bittereinder
Doodsberig (Grafsteen Remix)
04:13
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Skerm
03:35
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Rymtevaarder
01:47
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Tribute
04:14
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Altyd Genoeg
03:24
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Doodsberig
03:46
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Jou Tyd Sal Kom
03:42
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Taalmeng
03:38
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Klankanatomie
04:21
Deezer
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Bittereinder
The Ones
04:03
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Vagevuur
03:39
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Ampersand
03:46
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Houvas
04:30
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Hartklop: Die dansmasjien
04:00
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Regstreeks: Die dinkmasjien
07:46
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Die slagting
03:25
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Bliksem
04:32
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Kulkuns
03:52
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Jakkals trou
03:50
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Die dinkdansmasjien
03:22
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Kwaadnaas
03:35
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Die woud
03:49
Deezer
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Bittereinder
The Flood
04:25
Deezer
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Bittereinder
1903
03:31
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Bittereinder
Hou Niks Terug Nie
03:57
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Bittereinder
Great Track
03:52
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Die Berge Brand
03:54
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Hartseer Gangster
03:24
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Die Mes
04:06
Deezer
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Bittereinder
Asemrowers
03:37
Deezer

Videos

Bittereinder - SOEKLIG
Bittereinder - SOEKLIG (Stemme) feat. The Royal Madness
Bittereinder - DIE MES (akoesties + elektronies, live in Pretoria)
BITTEREINDER - THE ONES (LIVE IN PRETORIA, 2022) - featuring Flex (of He & I)
the making of ZERO ILLUSIONS
Bittereinder - RECOMMENDED PLAYLIST
Bittereinder - KARONGELUK
Bittereinder - ASEMROWERS
ASEMROWERS - Behind The Scenes
Bittereinder - DONDERWOLK
Bittereinder - HARTSEER GANGSTER (live at OPPIKOPPI 2016)
Bittereinder - DIE MES
Bittereinder - DIE DINKDANSMASJIEN (live at OPPIKOPPI 2016)
SOLIDARITEIT (akoesties in 'n tuin)
Bittereinder - OPPIKOPPI 2016 DRUM MEDLEY (live)
Bittereinder - DIE BERGE BRAND
Bliksem - Drum Cover
Great Track - Drum Cover
Die Slagting - Drum Cover
Die Mes - Drum Cover
Hartseer Gangster - Drum Cover
BITTEREINDER - Soeklig
BITTEREINDER - the making of "DANS TOT DIE DOOD" (with English subtitles)
Bittereinder - HARTSEER GANGSTER
Bittereinder - KLANKANATOMIE
BITTEREINDER "SKERM" LAUNCH
Bittereinder - SKERM - Behind the scenes
Bittereinder - SKERM
BITTEREINDER in jou SKERM
Bittereinder - "SLEGTE MENSE (remix)" live at Oppikoppi Bewilderbeast 2013
Bittereinder - NEW ALBUM & OPPIKOPPI ODYSSEY promo
Bittereinder - "HARTKLOP: DIE DANSMASJIEN" live at Oppikoppi Bewilderbeest 2013
Bittereinder - JAKKALS TROU (2014 remix)
Bittereinder - "DIE WOUD" live at Oppikoppi Bewilderbeast 2013
Bittereinder - SLEGTE MENSE (2014 remix)
Bittereinder - KULKUNS (feat. Chris Chameleon) OFFICIAL HD
Bittereinder - DIE SLAGTING (feat. Tim Beumers) OFFICIAL HD
Bittereinder - DIE DINKDANSMASJIEN (OFFICIAL HD)
Bittereinder - KWAAD NAAS (feat. Shane Durrant) OFFICIAL HD
DIE DINKDANSMASJIEN PROMO CLIP 02
DIE DINKDANSMASJIEN PROMO CLIP 01
Bittereinder - SOLIDARITEIT (official music video HD)
BITTEREINDER - Slechte Mensen live at Firkin and Hotbox PTA - by Neil v.d. Walt
Bittereinder - "ALMANAK" live at Firkin, Centurion, 2011
BITTEREINDER Slechte Mensen (feat. Tim Beumers)
Bittereinder Slechte Mensen RAMFEST Live Promo
Bittereinder- A TALE OF THREE CITIES featuring JACK PAROW and TUMI MOLEKANE
Bittereinder- Ware Verhaal
ZAPretoria, South Africa
In operation since: 
1998

Contact

Jaco van der Merwe

Followers (3)

Following (1)

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