Packaged in boxers and mullets, cuddling rats and sporting self-explanatory tats, South African band Die Antwoord have just exploded globally.

Die Antwoord have ridden the “interwebs”, as they like to call it, to worldwide domination. Their music video, Enter The Ninja, has received over 1.4 million views on YouTube since it was loaded six weeks ago. Two weeks ago, the band’s website dieantwoord.com crashed after being visited millions of times within four days.

Since then, their music and attitude became the topic of conversation on many blogspots, Facebook, and Twitter, where they have received praise from the likes of Katy Perry and Fred Durst. 

The process was simple. Tracks were made available for free download on alternative Afrikaans culture website watkykjy.co.za. Their videos were put up for download on dieantwoord.com. They set up a fan page on Facebook. They received a few mentions on prominent blogging spots. And like the Arctic Monkeys, the "evolution of dance” guy, and Susan Boyle, suddenly, their names were up in lights.

Die Antwoord make bouncy electric rap and melodic music that has been described by one blogger as “Eminem meets with Aqua and Aphex Twin”. It uses a mixture of expletive-driven Afrikaans and English to portray an image of South African "zef" culture – a slogan that has become an embodiment of the brand they are exporting. Their quasi-documentary Zefside and image portrays a parody of all that is crass and “white-trash” in South African culture.

The band, who are endorsed by Puma and Jagermeister, are made up of MC Ninja, Yo-Landi Visser, DJ Hi-Tek, and recent addition Leon Bartha, who is a Progeria Syndrome survivor and renowned artist.

Ninja, or as he is best known, Watkin Tudor Jones, is no stranger to the ever-changing South African alternative music culture. His music career was launched in 1994 when he formed the group the Original Evergreens. Jones’s evolving musical activity also spanned Constructus Corporation, Max Normal and Max Normal.TV.

Beeld recently reported that Die Antwoord will be touring Europe, Scandinavia, and the US later this year, and that they have been approached by two international record labels.

But with Die Antwoord’s product being of a purely South African breed, it is worrying to wonder if foreigners understand the concept. During its conception, Jones mentioned that the band would be a “wild and savage rap crew from the deep, dark depths of Africa”. Will the music and image be understood for its tongue in cheek tone, or will this be the outsider’s perception of what South African culture is all about?

Alternative South African music, as with Watkin Tudor Jones, has been facing an identity crisis since its birth in the late years of Apartheid. It has faced the constant need to change in a forever changing cultural climate. But Jones is the first to wander over to the wrong side of the tracks, where he has discovered fame and fortune in the celebration, or mimicry, of stereotypical poor white culture.

Whether it will face the same fate of other South African bands who reach this level of fame – that fate being either implosion or desertion – only the next few months will tell. In the meantime, decide for yourself, before they leave for brighter lights and bigger cities. They are playing  at the Alexander Theatre this weekend, both Friday and Saturday night.