Alpha Magazine (August 2020) by Heart of Alpha Ent.

TOP 5 MUST-WATCH SOUTH AFRICAN MOVIES

HAPPY WOMEN’S MONTH TO ALL THE WOMEN OF SOUTH AFRICA FIND OUT WHY RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 IS A MASTERPIECE, AND WHAT IS PREVENTING MORTAL KOMBAT 11 FROM BEING AS GREAT A GAME AS IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE

NEW POETRY SECTION INSIDE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE The performance of either a physical, verbal, or sexual act directed at an individual based on his or her biological sex or gender identity. Read more inside to find out why this is a huge issue in South Africa right now.

The Official Heart Of Alpha ENTERTAINMENT Magazine

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CONTENTS Page 6. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s empowerment Page 8. stop gender-based violence 6 Page 10. Adapting to change caused by COVID-19 Page 12. funny pages Page 16. Inglourious Basterds Movie Review Page 18. Top 5 Must-Watch South African Movies Page 20. Top 5 Horror Movies of 2019 Page 24. Why Red Dead Redemption 2 Is a Masterpiece Page 27. Problems With Mortal Kombat 11 19 Page 30. Top 7 Proudly South African Hip Hop Producers Page 32. Top 10 Trending Songs in South Africa Page 34. On Heavy Rotation Page 36. poetry Page 38. sponsored posts Page 46. our writers 24

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Dear Reader, Hello and welcome to the third edition of The Alpha Magazine, put together by our team of researchers, writers, editors, photographers, producers and publishers. We are really happy to have you here, and we have a lot in store for you. In this edition of the magazine we have implemented a few changes to make it easier to navigate the magazine with ease, and have added a new section, “poetry”, towards the end of the magazine, for the lovers of the written word. We have a lot in store for you in the coming weeks, including the introduction of our temporary website, which will act as a blog and a place to access all of our current services and offers. Our official website will be larger and will be introduced later in the year, or early next year. To make sure you don’t miss out when we announce our blog, make sure you follow us on social media. Our goal with this magazine is to provide you with great entertainment, art and news on a monthly basis. We feature work done by young, talented south africans and we are offering you a chance to be featured in the next issue as well, simply send us an email at heartofalpha@gmail.com. Have fun reading through this magazine and feel free to send us any feedback to our email. To be featured in next months issue: Email: heartofalpha@gmail.com. Whatsapp: +27 62 103 6126 Social media: Instagram: @heartofalpha Pinterest: @heartofalpha Twitter: @heartofalpha Facebook: @heartofalpha Youtube: The Alpha Network Youtube (Graphic Design): Alpha Graphics YouTube (Music): Sounds of Alpha

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BEFORE

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AFTER

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Women’s Empowerment By: Princess Sigidi

National Women’s Day is a South African public holiday that is celebrated every year on the 9th of August. The day commemorates the march that took place in 1956, where approximately 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where they petitioned against the country’s past laws. Women’s Day is important because it is the day that we dedicate to celebrate women’s achievements in the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres. Women’s empowerment is the process of empowering our women. We need to understand that women are still fighting their battles for equal rights. I honestly feel disgusted when I hear how women are being put down and told how to act, especially by other women, because as women we should be building each other up because, at the end of the day, we are all fighting the same battle, so we should be uniting and conquering rather than dividing.

is in life, or how quickly you got there, we have

all hit roadblocks along the way. Other women can learn something from our mistakes and our successes, but that’s only possible if we share our testimonies with people. By supporting other women, we can effect change. We start to believe in our own power, and also have more guts to take on new challenges. I encourage every single woman to think about women in their lives and how they can lift them up and encourage them to step out of their comfort zones and be the best that they can be. A quote by Angela Bassett states that: “we shouldn’t settle for less and bring only your best to the table because we NEED to live the best that’s in us.” That quote inspires me because it makes me want to be the best and do everything wholeheartedly.

The empowerment of women is a necessity for the development of our society. When we look at women’s empowerment, we can see who the strong women are because they make it a priority to build other women up instead of tearing them down. They also stick up for one another and don’t entertain gossip. As women, we can make a huge difference in society just by encouraging and being genuinely supportive of one another. We should also appreciate and value other women more, instead of seeing them as a threat, because our success is not diminished by the success of another. Women must remember and keep in mind that if they won’t support or empower one another, how do they expect men to support and empower them? It’s easy to empower each other, all you have to do is be honest, that is the key component. We have to be willing and able to tell a fellow female when they have gone off the wrong path. Secondly, you should share your story with others. It’s doesn’t matter what your position or status

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By: Nattrale

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Section Name Feeling ambushed as a nation and the world in its entirety, our lives have been turned upside down, we are forcefully required to quickly adjust to the new normal way of life due to the global virus, Covid-19, also known as the Coronavirus. However, brave men and women continue fighting for what is right, regardless of the virus. In the United States of America, the #BlackLivesMatter protest has grabbed the world’s attention as a result of the cruel killing of an African American man, George Floyd, as well as a multitude of other black men and women who were wrongfully murdered. Cases reminding us of racism going hand in hand with police brutality. Coming back home, South Africa has been experiencing two severe pandemics at once: the virus, and Gender-Based Violence, commonly referred to as GBV. Typically, Gender-Based Violence is the performance of either a physical, verbal, or sexual act directed at an individual based on his or her biological sex or gender identity, and in the case of South Africa, that violence has been directed mainly towards women. Multiple studies have been and continue to be consecutively conducted to help us understand the psychology of the perpetrator concerning why they abuse without ceasing. Noticeably, prevalent conclusions are that : -1. The South African (black) men have been ruined by the Apartheid system as it had stripped them of their masculinity, and that them abusing women is a cry for help more than it is to flex their physical strength. -2. This is all a power play as a result of gender inequality stemming from and intertwined to patriarchy-a system prompting and empowering a world where men have privileges that make it difficult for women to exist. The reality is that there are countless possibilities and reasons why men abuse and kill women, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but women are tired, the truth is that there is nothing that could be validated to be reason or justification (enough) to abuse a woman, now, they are just excuses. Gender-Based Violence is a generational problem that we cannot seem to find a solution to due to how it gains momentum daily, could we be mistakenly adding paraffin instead of water to a fire? Moreover, the abuse of drugs and alcohol do not assist in reducing the extremely high rate of the abuse, if anything, they increase the rate. Needless to say, many young men and women are left psychologically and emotionally wounded as a result of this matter. The wounds do not always become scars due to the vicious cycle of GBV. Trauma, depression and low-self esteem, as well as anxiety (amongst others), can also be the results of either first or second-hand abuse. It is safe to say that societies that are free of Gender-Based Violence are non-existent, nonetheless, we can all do our smallest bit to make the greatest change in taking care of each other. While spotting a perpetrator may be like chasing after the wind, we can at least attempt to assist the perpetrated one.

Additionally, it is to be understood that there are different types of gender-based violence: physical assault, rape, sexual assault, as well as the denial of resources /opportunities /services; forced marriage, and emotional abuse. In their different forms too, like violence against the LGBTQIA+ community, domestic violence, structural/indirect violence, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence. Often, people who are victims of GBV are isolated, for fear that once people get close to them, their truth will be exposed. So, we can look for signs of rare socialization, extreme sensitivity, short temper, or extreme anger, and although victims of GBV aren’t all painted in the same color, we can (if we pay attention to the people around us) identify someone we can help. Firstly, we ought to acknowledge that the only way for one to get help is for them to admit that there is a problem, be it that they are receiving the abuse or giving out the abuse. Once the process of admitting is complete, one must want to be helped, because trying to help someone who does not want to be helped is like taking the donkey to the water only for it to not drink the water. It is of utmost importance that we do not judge people who abuse or people being abused. We need to learn that the amount of attention we give to the victim is the same amount we need to give to the abuser to prevent the person from abusing someone else going forth. There are multiple organizations (NGO’s) throughout the country that help women and children living in toxic conditions such as POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse), ADAPT (Agisanang Domestic Abuse Prevention and Training), FAMSA (Family And Marriage South Africa). There are many more like Sonke Gender Justice and Stop Gender Violence Campaign, to name a few. The South African Police Services have been, for lack of a better word, disappointing the country as a whole for the longest time and especially now. As serious as femicide is, the police force does not take it seriously. Speaking in terms of morale, we would expect the issue to be of priority to them. However, the truth is that gone are the days when you associated someone’s career to who they might be in the comfort of their homes. For a long time, women have been fighting against inequality, Gender-Based Violence included. Now the plea is with the men to please do something about gender-based violence too. To talk about it and to rebuke it, to help all women in their fight against gender-based violence and femicide. It is our responsibility, both men and women. We are to teach the young boys to be men with integrity and to treat all women appropriately, whether people are watching or not. In conclusion, we are, as we act, to hope as well. To hope that our actions are not in vain and that the cruel acts will deteriorate until they come to an end.

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Adapting to change caused by COVID-19 By: Princess Sigidi

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Change is hard for many of us, and we have all needed to adjust to the pandemic at hand. Many people resist change because they believe that they will lose something of value, or they fear that they will not be able to adapt to the new ways of living. Neuroscience research teaches us that uncertainty registers in our brain much like an error does. It needs to be corrected before we can feel comfortable again. We also fear change because it forces us to get out of our comfort zones. Many people will argue whether or not there is anything good about change. Well, I think change is an extremely great thing because you have the opportunity to embrace new experiences. Change is learning, learning is growing, and growing is living. So live. As we all know, we are currently facing a worldwide pandemic which has brought a lot of uncertainty amongst us, and has forced the majority of us to adapt to change. We have had to adapt our lifestyles and make washing our hands regularly and wearing a mask, the norm. We have had to accept the fact that we barely have a social life anymore, which is sad for many of us. This pandemic, and being under lockdown has really changed the way I think and changed me as a person because I have had ample time on my hands to just think about where I want to see myself in the near future, and also what do I want to accomplish in life. It took me a very long time to realize that you can actually benefit from change. From time to time change makes you re-evaluate your life and look at things from a different angle. I think the most important benefit of change is personal growth. You grow and learn new things every time you are faced with change, you even learn lessons from situations that did not lead to where you wanted to be. Overcoming the tough obstacles helps you become a stronger person. What I have had to learn is that you should rather focus on your values instead of your fears, and also that it’s better to accept your past, but fight for your future, because you cannot change your past and what has happened, so what is the point of dwelling on something that you have no control over anymore? It’s better to think about what you do have control over, and make sure you get to where you want to be in life, and become the best person you possibly can. You should use this time to

work on yourself and set small stepping stones to achieve your goals, because each element of change is a turning point. It’s about closing one chapter of your life and opening a new one. I always ask myself what life would be like if there was no change, and I came to the conclusion that it will be dull. Next time you are tempted to avoid or resist the change, remember that change is not such a bad thing, and instead, you should initiate the ones that will eventually lead you to where you want to be in life. What I want every single one of you to remember is that you shouldn’t wait for people to change, you should do so first and make a difference. A quote by Barack Obama says “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

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funny pages

612 | Alpha Magazine

Section Name Cold Water John visited his 90-year-old grandpa who lived way out in the country. On the first morning of the visit, John’s grandpa prepared a breakfast of bacon and eggs. John noticed a film-like substance on his plate, and asked,

Four men are in the hospital waiting room because their wives are having babies. A nurse goes up to the first guy and says, “Congratulations! You’re the father of twins.”

“Are these plates clean?”

“That’s odd,” answers the man. “I work for the Minnesota Twins!”

His grandpa replied, “They’re as clean as cold water can get them. Just go ahead and finish your meal.”

A nurse says to the second guy, “Congratulations! You’re the father of triplets!”

For lunch, Grandpa made hamburgers. Again, John was concerned about the plates, as his appeared to have specks of dried egg on it.

“That’s weird,” answers the second man. “I work for the 3M company!”

“Are you sure these plates are clean?” he asked. Without looking up, Grandpa said, “I told you before, those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them!” Later, as John was leaving, his grandpa’s dog started to growl and wouldn’t let him pass. John said, “Grandpa, your dog won’t let me get by!” Grandpa yelled to the dog, “Cold Water, go lie down!”

A nurse tells the third man, “Congratulations! You’re the father of quadruplets!” “That’s strange,” he answers. “I work for the Four Seasons hotel!” The last man is groaning and banging his head against the wall. “What’s wrong?” the others ask. “I work for 7 Up!” Submitted by Anonymous

Submitted by Johnathan P.

A guy goes door to door looking for work. One homeowner hands him a brush and a can of paint and offers him $150 to paint his porch. Horse Jack Jack strode into ‘John’s Stable’ looking to buy a horse. “Listen here” said John, “I’ve got just the horse your looking for, the only thing is, he was trained by an interesting fellow. He doesn’t go and stop the usual way. The way to get him to stop is to scream heyhey the way to get him to go is to scream Thank God.

A few hours later, the guy comes back to the homeowner and says, “I’m finished. But you should know that your car’s a Ferrari, not a Porsche.” Submitted by Dan H.

Jim nodded his head, “fine with me, can I take him for a test run?” Jim was having the time of his life this horse sure could run he thought to himself. Jim was speeding down the dirt road when he suddenly saw a cliff up ahead “stop!” screamed Jim, but the horse kept on going. No matter how much he tried he could not remember the words to get it to stop. “yoyo” screamed Jim but the horse just kept on speeding ahead. It was 5 feet from the cliff when Jim suddenly remembered “heyhey!” Jim screamed. The horse skidded to a halt just 1 inch from the cliff. Jim could not believe his good fortune, he looked up to the sky, raised his hands in the air, breathed a deep sigh of relief and said with conviction “Thank God.” Submitted by Nigel Wurayayi

Inexperienced Handyman A businessman went into the office and found an inexperienced handyman painting the walls. The handyman was wearing two heavy parkas on a hot summer day. Thinking this was a little strange, the businessman asked the handyman why he was wearing the parkas on such a hot day. The handyman showed him the instructions on the can of paint. They read: “For best results, put on two coats.” Submit your jokes to heartofalpha@gmail.com and stand a chance to be featured in the next issue

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FILM 14 | Alpha Magazine

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CONTENTS 16. Inglourious basterds (2009) MOVIE REVIEW 18. Top 5 Must-Watch South African Movies 20. Top 5 Horror Movies of 2019

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Inglourious Basterds (2009): Movie Review By: Emmanuel Naicker

Why is Inglourious Basterds such a masterpiece? Because it’s written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. There... Review over. Read further if you need more reasons to watch it. Just a warning, there may be spoilers. Inglourious Basterds is a 2009 war film starring Bradd Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent, and Diane Kruger. The film is a somewhat slow burn when considering all of the dialogue-heavy scenes, but the action happens as quick and hot as a strike of a match, as is expected for a Tarantino movie. I have always been a fan of Alternative History stories and “What Ifs”, so this story of an alternate end to the Second World War will satisfy and entertain you if you also appreciate “What If ” stories. Full disclosure, this movie holds a special place in my heart because of Nostalgia. I watched this movie when it came out on DVD and it took me about 4 hours to finish this 2.5-hour movie because I was always pausing to read the subtitles when somebody spoke in French, Italian or German. By the time it was over it blew me away with the intense climax and today, I appreciate it even more with the knowledge of cinema I have now. The movie follows a platoon of Jewish American soldiers on a mission to kill as many Nazis as they find, combined with a secondary storyline of a French Jewish woman who plans on hosting a movie premiere for high ranking Nazi officers in her Theater, and then burning it down to the ground with all of them locked inside, as revenge for the execution of her family.

cinema, before any of the action begins, our protagonists, led by Brand Pitt, finally meet Christoph Waltz’s character. Pitt and 2 of his soldiers go undercover in the film premiere as members of the Italian Film Industry, and when they meet Colonel Landa, they (and I) were dumbstruck when they hear Landa speaking better Italian than they could. From the outset of the scene, you could see that Landa already knows who they are before their conversation starts. He sees that Diane Kruger’s character has her leg wrapped up in a cast, and because he is fully aware of how she got injured, her fake answer causes him to burst into laughter. While he continues to converse with Pitt and his two allies speaking Italian, he asks them for their names again and he responds with “bravo”, this is him clearly flexing in their faces that he knows who they are (because nobody is going to tell you bravo when you say your own name correctly). It would be very easy for a bad writer to have the character just lean in and whisper to the characters that he’s figured it out, but subtlety pays off, especially in a movie like this where almost nothing else is subtle. The pacing of the film is classic Tarantino, with effective tense dialogue which builds up to bloodshed, with less violence in the second act compared to the 1st and 3rd acts. Anyone who is a fan of War Films should check this out as it’s always awesome seeing Nazis get what they deserve. Inglourious Basterds is one of the Very Few films that I certify with my Perfect 10/10 Rating.

The film opens with Nazi Colonel, Hans Landa (played by Christoph Waltz), visiting the home of a dairy farmer in an inspection to see if he is sheltering Jews. The two proceed to have a conversion, made up of Landa asking the farmer questions of the people he is looking for, as well as giving a monologue about the different feelings people have for rats and squirrels. The scene ends with the farmer smoking a pipe and Landa asking for permission to smoke his pipe as well. He then pulls out a big Sherlock Holmes pipe before finishing his interrogation of the farmer and discovering him harboring the people under his floorboards. Unless you are a Veteran anime fan and are used to reading subtitles, the use of multiple languages in the film can throw you off, but I feel like it is entirely necessary because movies where Nazis speak English while using British or American accents break the immersion and takes me right out of the movie. I am happy with seeing this level of thought put into the movie in terms of language, and it’s importance during wartime, especially in the bar scene with Michael Fassbender, a spy who gets his cover blown with 1 wrong hand gesture, the scene then becomes a tense build-up to a fast-paced gunfight. Christoph Waltz steals the show and rightfully earned his Oscar for this performance. During the third act in the

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Top 5 Must-Watch South African Movies By: Motsosi Mathobela

From the days when Edison and his lab created the first motion picture camera, leading to the Vitascope, the Mutoscope, and then the Kinetoscope. To the traveling cinema of the Bioscope and my Dad as a kid running in dusty streets of Soweto to catch the latest martial-arts movie at the local church. Bioscope, or Bioscoop in Afrikaans, is still a term that refers to cinema in South Africa to this day. The South African film industry has grown from the days of dance and music in Sarafina!, to the Oscar-winning Tsotsi, and critically acclaimed District 9, and because of that, we put together a list of the top 5 must-watch South African films.

1. Letters of Hope

Genre: Political Drama Letters of Hope is a Xhosa film set in 1976 apartheid South Africa. This is the story of a 16-year-old boy named Jeremiah who wants to become a police officer, but his father wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let him. His father works as a postman and he expects his son to take after him. Following his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death, Jeremiah is confronted by the truth behind his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s postal work, to deliver letters of hope from freedom fighters to their families.

2. Material 2

Genre: Comedy Material 2 continues the comedic trail from the original Material movie. In this sequel, we continue to follow the Kalif family as they juggle family values and personal choices.

3. Toorboos

Genre: Romantic drama Toorbos takes a look into the uprooting of a young forest woman during the time of the final forest dwellers in the South African Knysna forest of the 1930s. The story follows a woman named Karoliena Kapp and her intimate connection with the tree heart of the forest, and how it becomes a hurdle towards her relationship with the man she loves.

4. Poppie Nongema

Genre: Political Drama

Poppie Nongema is the story of a Xhosa woman who struggles to make sense of the chaos in South Africa during apartheid and tells the tale of the struggle that she and her family go through when they are forced to move from their homes and resettled in remote areas designated as black homelands.

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5. Knuckle City

Genre: Dramatic Thriller Knuckle City is the story of a run-down and aging boxer who is struggling to attain one that he believes will uplift his broken family. He opts to navigate the murky waters of the boxing world that are filled with criminal activity. He even enlists the help of his gangster brother who is fresh out of prison. The biggest fight of his life is with the ghost of his father and the challenges at home.

Honorable Mentions Bonus 1. The Tree Genre: Drama

The Tree is about the lives of five people intertwining. Grace is a homeless refugee who is kidnapped from the streets of Cape Town after she sets out to earn some money to buy medicine for her child. The child, now lost, wanders the streets alone. A policeman and his girlfriend drift apart. A nurse yearns for motherhood.

Bonus 2. Riding With Sugar Genre: Drama

Riding With Sugar is a good vibes film about a young refugee who overcomes lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hurdles to find his way, to find love, and the chance to create a better life for himself.

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Top 5 Horror Movies of 2019 By: Princess Sigidi

When the sun goes down and it’s dark, it’s hard not to think about what’s out there. Spooky right?... If you like scary, bone-chilling movies, then you are in the right place. Below we have a list of the top 5 Horror movies of 2019, in no particular order.

1. IT: Chapter Two ( August 2019) Andres Mushchietti’s film titled IT: Chapter Two is basically about an evil clown named Pennywise returning after 27 years to terrorize the town of Derry, Maine, once again. Now adults, the childhood friends who played the main role in the first film have long gone their separate paths. But when people start missing, Mike Hanlon calls the others home for help one last time. Damaged from scars of the past, the United losers must conquer their deepest fears to destroy Pennywise, who is now more powerful than ever.

2. Countdown ( October 2019) Justin Dec, winner of Best Director at the 2010 New York Television Festival brings you Countdown, a horror about a nurse who downloads an app that claims to predict exactly when a person is going to die, the app tells her that she has 3 days to live. The truth about the countdown to death bein real is revealed, and with time ticking away and a figure haunting her, she must find a way to save her life before time runs out.

3. Velvet Buzzsaw ( January 2019) After a series of paintings by an unknown artist are discovered, a supernatural force enacts revenge on those who have allowed their greed to get in the way of art.

4. Ready or Not ( August 2019) Ready or Not, directed by Matt Bettinelli- Oplin and Tyler Gillet, follows a woman named Grace who couldn’t be happier after marrying the man of her dreams. She has to hide from midnight until dawn while her in-laws hunt her down. While she tries to survive the night, she finally finds a way to turn the tables on her in-laws.

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5. Us (March 2019) Accompanied by her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to the beachfront home where she grew up as a child. Haunted by a traumatic experience from the past, Adelaide grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen. Her worst fears soon become a reality when four masked strangers descend upon the house, forcing the Wilsons into a fight for survival. When the masks come off, the family is horrified to learn that each attacker takes the appearance of one of them.

Honorable Mentions Bonus 1. The Prodigy (February 2019) Parents Sarah and John are thrilled when their son Miles starts showing great development and intelligence. Their family bliss soon becomes a nightmare when their son’s behavior becomes violent by his eighth birthday. After seeking help from 2 experts, Sarah is horrified to learn that her beloved prodigy may be under the grip of a dark force.

Bonus 2. Brightburn (May 2019) Tori and Kyle find a baby boy in a spaceship and adopt him as their own child, Brandon. However, after turning 12, Brandon learns that he has superpowers and begins to use them for sinister purposes. Basically, the story of superman if he grew up to be evil.

Bonus 3. Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark The shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large in the small town of Mill Valley for generations. It’s in a mansion that young Sarah Bellows turns her tortured life and horrible secrets into a series of scary stories. These terrifying tales soon have a way of becoming all too real for a group of unsuspecting teens who stumble upon Sarah’s spooky home.

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Gaming

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CONTENTS 24. Red Dead Redemption 2 Game Review 27. Problems With Mortal Kombat 11

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Why Red Dead Redemption 2 Is a Masterpiece By: Emmanuel Naicker Firstly, I want to say that this is not a sponsored promotion from Rockstar Games because let’s face it, they don’t know we exist yet. Secondly, this article is entirely a bit of friendly advice from one avid gamer to others on why you should buy and play their latest title, Red Dead Redemption 2, if you have not already. As I have stated before, I am a huge fan of single-player games and the quality over quantity business model. Rockstar Games is one such developer who exemplifies this school of thought to a tee, I will not be reviewing Red Dead Online because I haven’t played it and I don’t really feel any desire to. I know this game came out in 2018, but Gold Doesn’t Rust.

Background

Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) is set in the Wild West world of 1899. In this prequel to Red Dead Redemption (2010), you play as Arthur Morgan, a high ranking member in the Van Der Linde gang, in a story of men living on the run and trying to make a living in an unforgiving and changing world where their way of life is threatened. The main story of the game clocks in at a massive 60 hours, with 80 Story Missions, excluding side-missions and your freeroam exploration, as well as all the other side activities you can do such as hunting, fishing, horse races, poker, and blackjack games, etc.

Setting

The game boasts a beautifully detailed open-world set in a fictionalized version of the American MidWest and the Southern States, with diverse biomes with many different types of flora and fauna inhabiting it. From dry deserts and snowy mountains to crocodile-infested swamps and an old-time City of Saint Denis that resembles late 1800’s New Orleans. The primary directive of the team when making this game was realism and it certainly shows when you look at all the small details, like how your character’s hair sways in the wind to how the light passes through your ears to give off that reddish color, to how the snow and swamp react to your movements, etc.

Story and Character

In my personal opinion, Red Dead Redemption 1 & 2 are games that are bought and experienced primarily for their storylines. How many other Rockstar games can you say that about? Only the RDR games. This is a game about characters trying to survive in their old

ways of living while the world changes and adapts around them. It explores questions of “What do you do when your entire way of life is threatened?”. Do you grow and rise in the name of what’s right or do you look into the abyss and fall in the hopes of preservation? You are Arthur Morgan, and the character of that man, whether good or bad, is shaped entirely by you. You are faced with many choices throughout the game, what you decide to do either increases or decreases your honour levels, with different dialogue lines being triggered according to what your honour looks like. He could be either a good man or an absolute bastard, it’s all up to you. However you decide to play, this character and his journey will make an impact on you when you reach one of the possible endings for him. The second most prominent character is Dutch Van Der Linde. A charismatic leader whose ideals are tested as he and his gang endure troubling times and escape dangerous encounters. We get to see Dutch go through a descent into madness and grow ever more unhinged in the face of these horrible situations. It is special and disturbing to see Dutch fall and become the broken, desperate man we see in Red Dead Redemption 1. John Marston, our first protagonist from Red Dead Redemption 1, is also seen in the game and is shown to have a brotherly type of relationship with Arthur. In this game we see him grow from a reckless renegade into the loyal family man he is in the first game. This extra character development for him and Dutch only serves to strengthen the events of the first game. Micah Bell. This man is the antagonist of the story and the writers did an excellent job in making me hate this man’s guts, from the very first moment we meet him we can feel what a scumbag he is, and his actions later on only consolidate that fact. He must be the fictional character I hate the MOST, more than Homelander from The Boys, and Nate Jacobs from Euphoria...Combined! That’s all I have to say about him to avoid spoilers. The only redeeming quality he has is that his revolver looks badass, that’s about it.

Disadvantages

No game, movie, series, or song is Perfect. That is a fact of life, but some artworks can be regarded as

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Section Name masterpieces despite their shortcomings. Red Dead Redemption 2 features slight flaws such as: • The Aiming – The feeling of the gunplay has never been something to write home about when thinking about a Rockstar game. Like GTAV before it, Red Dead 2’s aiming feels like trying to run through thick tar or sludge. Your only options are to snap in and out of Auto-Aim (which doesn’t feel that satisfying because of the lack of skill needed) or go into the settings and edit the feel of the aiming to your own satisfaction. In my opinion, making the game feel better to play is a responsibility to be taken up by the developers and not the players themselves. • Arthur is the Tortoise Incarnate – Although Arthur Morgan will certainly go down in history as one of the greatest fictional characters of all time, his movement in some situations is unbearably slow and clunky. When looting enemies or households, you have to individually open drawers, and individually loot items which takes a couple of seconds, this was done for realism and immersion but is kind of frustrating and irritatingly long.

Final Verdict

The years of hard work and effort that the team at Rockstar Games put into Red Dead Redemption 2 is more than we expected of them, they went above and beyond to give us the game we deserved. They gave us a deep emotionally moving story and a magnificently detailed open-world to get lost in for many years to come. I give Read Dead Redemption 2 a 9.4/10.

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Problems With Mortal Kombat 11 By: Emmanuel Naicker

As much as I love Open World RPGs and other single-player games, fighting games have always had a very special place in my heart, especially the products given to us by Netherrealm Games, The Mortal Kombat Rebooted Trilogy and Injustice 1 & 2. Their most recent game, Mortal Kombat 11, is a near-perfect fighting game but has some major issues that need addressing and fixing. If these problems are left unaddressed and allowed into future games, it would be a disaster for gamers. The first and most important issue I have with Mortal Kombat 11 is the price of the Aftermath Expansion. I am a long-time fan of the series and I bought the Mortal Kombat 11 “Premium Edition” for around R800 ($50) during Black Friday last year, which contained the base game and 7 DLC Characters, this edition usually went for R1200 ($70) when not on sale. Earlier this year, Netherrealm revealed the Mortal Kombat Aftermath Expansion, which added new story chapters continuing from the end of the main campaign as well as 3 new characters, Fujin, Sheeva, and Robocop. The price of the expansion alone... R650 ($40).

me is, eventually in the years to come, Mortal Kombat 11 will eventually have its servers shut down, and all of those unlockables and customization options are lost forever. This can all be solved by adding in an Offline Tower Rotation, much like the one that was implemented in their previous game, Injustice 2, so players can have fun and enjoy earning in-game rewards without needing always be online or buy microtransactions. I am very concerned for the future of Netherrealm Games since I do not want to see them fail and fall to greedy monetary practices. Recently AT&T, who owns Warner Brothers, has decided to put WB Games Division up for sale. All I hope for is that Netherrealm lands in the hands of a company that will treat them and their IP with respect, maybe Microsoft.

To me, that is unacceptable and clearly greedy. In my opinion, that is not worth such a high price, it is simply too expensive for so little content, add a few hundred Rands to R650 and you can get an entirely new game to keep you busy for hundreds of hours to come. I personally feel that the Aftermath Expansion is worth R400 ($20) AT MOST. Another mistake they made was at the launch of the Expansion you could not buy any of the 3 Additional Characters separately, however you can now. This leads me to the next problem I see in Mortal Kombat 11 and it is much bigger than the first in my issue. That is, its dependence on Online Connectivity to gain access to unlockable skins, gear, as well as access into the Krypton. If you have no Internet connection you cannot play the Towers of Time mode, these are special timed Towers with modifiers to fights, some automatic, and some you can apply to the match yourself. These towers reward you with loot, gear, and skins. I am opposed to this method of making video games because I don’t believe in the principle of paying a monthly subscription to get the absolute best out of a game you paid so much for. A far scarier thought to

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MUSIC 28 | Alpha Magazine

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CONTENTS

30. Top 7 Proudly South African Hip Hop Producers 32. Top 10 Trending Songs in South Africa 34. On Heavy Rotation

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Top 7 Proudly SouthBy: Siphesihle African Hip Hop Producers Ndzakana The hip hop scene in South Africa, is very much alive. In this section of the industry, there are so many household names behind the hits we feed our ears. A banging beat is something not only amapiano fans can enjoy, but also fans of hip hop. With the vast amount of subgenres available (also plenty emerging along the way), it’s a little hard to keep up with all their talent and potential. These people are some of the most crucial and critical people when it comes to music-making. What is a hit song if the beat won’t support the artist and allow him/her to make something worth listening to? This list will also include who our producers are associated with, some songs they are behind, and what record labels they’ve produced for in the past.

1. Tweezy

Everybody in SA has heard the “Ayobuur’’ producer tag at some point when listening to the radio. Tweezy is a producer and an artist with his debut song Ambitions (later remixed with Khuli Chana, Ice Prince, and Victoria Kimani). The question isn’t how many hits he has made, but rather what percentage hasn’t he finessed yet. He’s been associated with AKA, eMTee, DJ Slique, and Stogie T. Well known singles include Run Jozi(Godly) by AKA, Paradise by A-Reece and AmaDemoni, a UK Drill inspired song, by Cassper Nyovest.

2. Gemini Major

A man of Malawian origin, with a possible decade of power in the near future in terms of hip hop. An established OG bringing in his Africanacity into the sound. Formerly signed to Family Tree Records and Fresh2Def associate. He’s homies with Nasty C, Rowlene, Cassper Nyovest, and Da L.E.S. The man behind Lifestyle by Da L.E.S, Juice Back by Nasty_C, Mayo by DJ Speedsta and Without Me by new wave king Lucasraps.

3. MashBeatz

A man dubbed “The President” by his squad Rubberbvnd Gvng[RBG] (formerly The Wrecking Crew[TWC]). An executive producer to all RBG/TWC projects and formerly an Ambitiouz Entertainment producer with a justified talent and craftsmanship. When speaking of people skilled with sampling and adding a beautiful modern twist to a beat, MashBeatz will always pop up. A Day One Homie to A-Reece, Ex Global, Wordz, and formerly Ecco. Creator of Holding Hands by A-Reece, Pick You Up by Riky Rick, Pray 4 Us by Flvme and She Loves Me by Saudi.

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4. Zoocci Coke Dope

Next on our list is a passionate but humble sensation by the name of Zoocci Coke Dope. His beats are as addictive as the name with drum kit laced mastery. He has TWC and Clout Cassette ties in the game. Prodigy behind Pablo by Big Star Johnson, Freedom Or Fame by Blaklez and So What by Ex Global.

5. ElizeĂŠ + ElĂśhim

Trapsoul sound mastered to the tee. Behind the refreshingly new but skilled Elaine and her successful debut EP, named Elements. Less Friends More Bandz by The Wrecking Crew, Ringtone by The Big Hash, Right On Time by Malachi, and Changes by Elaine.

6. Wichi1080

Bass thumping is what to expect whenever Wichi is around, along with some entertaining Drums on hand. Wichi has been supplying Priddy Ugly from his come up days with the spark to set alight. Mostly independent but has had a stint at Ambitiouz Entertainment. Behind the songs such as 02Hero by Priddy Ugly, Sheba Ngwan O by Rouge and Scrr Pull Up by KLY.

7. Ruff + Lunatik

African Trap Movement members producing most of the Ambitiouz Entertainment catalogue. Currently friends with eMTee, Saudi, and Sjava. Extremely versatile and capable of going in hardcore African if need be. Excellent when on the same tracks but also more than capable on their own. Behind hits like Vura by DJ Citi Lyts and Ameni by Miss Pru DJ.

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Top 10 Trending Songs in South Africa By: Bonolo Pule I think it’s safe to say that music has become most people’s saving grace during these difficult times we find ourselves in. Fortunately, we all have music to save us and bring some light into our lives. I’ve decided to hit the radio waves and see what songs have been popping this month (July). We have seen new releases and some older releases make their way into the top charts this month. With the aid of the radio charts and a few streaming services, I have come up with a list of songs that make the most appearance in all these charts. In no particular order here are our top 10 songs this month.

1. Ubomi Abumanga – Sun El-Musician ft. Msaki

This dance song is definitely a great jam and clearly making its way to be a crowd favourite. If you haven’t heard it yet you should definitely give it an ear. With beautiful vocals from Msaki and encouraging lyrics, it sure could lift your spirits.

2. Price To Pay - Miss Pru ft. Blaq Diamond & Malome Vector

This one is definitely catchy and will have you singing along in no time at all! If you need a little motivation, this is the song for you. With newcomer, Malome Vector, dropping some bars in this one, Miss Pru has done it again.

3. You’re The One - Elaine

Elaine released her debut EP titled Element in 2019. It seems South Africa cannot get enough of her song as it just keeps popping up in the charts and won’t even budge. This song is still doing well and just keeps doing better. A very beautiful feel

4. Stuck With You – Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber

This duo decided to come together in the spirit of lockdown and came up with this beautiful song. Definitely more suitable for your special someone or even your family members. This song was released in May and it’s topping the charts this

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5. Savage Love – Jawsh 685 & Jason Derulo

If you’re a pop fan, please check this song out. It’s such a vibe with absolutely amazing beats! Definitely a favourite on radio right now. If you’re wondering why, listen to it and you’ll find out for yourself.

6. Savage – Megan Thee Stallion

Megan dropped her EP, Suga, this year but Savage got the most attention. Main reason being that there was a Tiktok challenge revolving around the song, and the rest was history. Savage is still a crowd favourite and there is even a remix with Beyoncé.

7. Jerusalema – Master KG ft. Nomcebo Zikodo

This track was released in late 2019 and got a lot of people through the December festivities as it became one of the holiday anthems. It’s doing well on the charts even now and as a result, a remix with Burna Boy was released in June. The remix is doing relatively well and it’s my favourite of the two.

8. iLog – Kabza De Small ft. Daliwonga

The King of Amapiano decided to drop an album to help his fans get through their lockdown days. And he didn’t disappoint, he never does. This song seems to be one of the many favourites from the album. It will undoubtedly cause you to break into dance.

9. Blinding Lights – The Weekend

The Weekend came with a new look when he dropped this single and we weren’t sure how to feel about it. This song was released November 2019 but it’s still topping charts, just goes to show that he did something right here.

10. Chicago Freestyle – Drake ft. Giveon

Finally, we have reached the part I was waiting for. No, this song isn’t on the charts, well at least not yet. I put it as a part of the list because I think it’s an absolute amazing piece of work, from the lyrics to the beats in the song. The attention to detail in this song is amazing. So I added it to the list as one to definitely watch out for.

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On Heavy Rotation By: Siphesihle Ndzakana

The most played and trending albums of July 2020 (and possibly 2020 as a whole)

Genre: Trap Pop Smoke - Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon

A well put together collection of Smokeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tracks made before his passing. He proved to live up to the hype he had while still alive(May he rest in peace). A more emotional and somewhat more human[e] side shown to the trap star with sections of the album showing that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aware and intact with his emotions, something not always done well by trap artists but he did it justice. Personal favorites include For The Night, Snitching, Got It On Me, Tunnel Vision, and Hello.

Gunna - WUNNA (Deluxe)

8 new tracks mostly previewed via Instagram snippets in the 2 months between when the original album was released and the deluxe edition was released. Gunna is one of the best new wave trappers to come into the spotlight as of recently. His capability of hypnotizingly listeners using a certain flow while accordingly riding the beat in an interesting but simple way is unmatched. Cementing his place in the trap scene with aid from YSL label boss, Young Thug, along with producers Taurus, Turbo, and Wheezy. Favorable tracks include Top Floor, Blindfold, Do Better, Relentless and Dirty Diana.

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap Juice WRLD - Legends Never Die

Another posthumous project, and the first dropped in memory of Emo Rap superstar, Juice WRLD, who passed away in December 2019. Listening to this and realizing that even celebrities can get caught up in relatable situations, and a reminder that artists are humans too and can feel emotion just like us is the highlight. Juice realizing the angel of death could have come for him at any given time (and the fact that he did) makes this album more treasurable surrounding the circumstances it emerged from. Frequent collaborator in terms of production, Nick Mira, makes an appearance. Interesting tunes include Conversations, Wishing Well, Screw Juice and Tell Me U Luv Me

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Genre: R&B Malachi - Wicked Romance

Local trapsoul enthusiast, Malachi, the breath of fresh air we’ve all been seeking in the SA R&B game. Matching soothing vocals, relatable lyrics, and beautiful Trapsoul beats to the tee. The first male to do it this thoroughly after Elaine burst onto the scene with such a sound (same producer squad by the way) Personal favorites include Right On Time, Issues, and On My Line.

Genre: House Kabza De Small - I Am The King Of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust

Self-proclaimed King of Amapiano (and rightfully so) dropped a whole 27 songs for this project. His skillful blending of vocals and the all-important log drum takes shine even though he dropped a solo project earlier this year and another 2 this year with DJ Maphorisa. The anticipation of alert level 1 increases as he keeps producing party anthems we can’t wait to dance at parties for. Hit records on this are Nia Lo, Masupa, Balanc’ise, and Into’Yellow.

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New

poetry 36 | Alpha Magazine

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Expectations

This Won’t Be Forever

Dear expectations, You’ve taken away my peace Made me question love and myself. You’ve given me reckless nights And dreams that drench my body in cold sweats And each drop a new fear An uncontrollable anxiety and tears that can no longer be held back You’ve kissed me and learnt how to tear me down I hope you stop breaking my heart And me pretenting to be strong and crying at 3am hoping my preyers are loud enough for God hear them but quiet enough for people not to know my pain You’ve made alcohol taste sweet and made it fill me with everything I’ve craved You made me something I watched someone else be The reflection of who I was never going to be. I lost myself in you expectations.

A million graves dug, and not a single penny left for a flower to put on the tomb. Beaches that used to be packed with people, now left the ocean singing alone. Ghost horses ride the empty veld, Coffee shops are limited. Nobody wants to be awake during the night, but this won’t last forever. The only spike in the statistics is the desire to connect to another human. This won’t last forever

By: Megan Geldart

By: FRenzzy Valorous

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