Pioneer Unit is an independent Cape Town-based Hip Hop record label.

As the name suggests, our focus is on developing Hip Hop artists who push boundaries, break moulds, and blaze trails. ‘Unique’ is an adjective that’s thrown about very easily these days. However, it’s an adjective we feel very comfortable with.

There’s a wide variety of influences in our music, everything from Roots, Dub and Dancehall, to Electro, Detroit Techno, Dubstep, Grime and of course, the sounds of Africa.

Africa is the birthplace of rhythm. That rhythm found its way to the Caribbean through the music of the slaves where it eventually became Reggae and Dancehall. From there it travelled to the US where it evolved into Hip Hop. Soon after, it spread out around the world, and back to Africa.

We represent one completed circle in Hip Hop’s journey. Our mission is to keep that journey alive by making innovative African Hip Hop that is at home anywhere in the world.

“Pioneer Unit - home to Ben Sharpa and KONFAB, two of the most inspired and agile lyricists in the world today… spitting raw truth in their dungeon-dutty Cape Town-prophets voices…”

Mary Anne Hobbs, BBC Radio 1.