Horris the Horrible

Horris the Horrible, real name Kristoff Yeltwan, is a musician and composer based in Cape Town, South Africa. He is mostly known for his percussion work in the contemporary jazz group Chocolate Face, but since the success of their 3rd album "All Alone With The Horry" which went gold in 9 countries, Kristoff left Chocolate Face in order to pursue his real passion in life, gangster rap. Horris the Horrible was born, and after winning the SAMA best new-comer award in 2007, his album sales have continued to go from strength to strength.
Early days
Kristoff Yeltwan was born on 20 February 1976, to Emile and Emily Yeltwan on a small holding outside Krugersdorp. From an early age, his parents noticed his skill and dedication in all aspects of music, and at only 4 years old he got his first piano as a birthday present. Barely a year later, Kristoff had already composed his first piece of music. It was then that his parents decided to make the fateful decision and move the family down to Cape Town, in order for Kristoff to attend better schools and study music. Years later, Kristoff was quoted as saying that was "the kindest thing anybody had ever done for him." Unfortunately, barely a year later, his father was killed in a bizarre baboon attack whilst on a day trip with the family to Cape Point.
Chocolate Face
After finishing high school, Kristoff Yeltwan was already a noticeable talent on the South African music scene, and barely a year later in 1995, he met co-founder of Chocolate Face Nigel Nywere whilst travelling through the Transkei. They immediately connected, and their ideas on a fresh fusion of street hip-hop with South African jazz inspired them both. After returning to Cape Town in early 1996, they were joined by Steve Jababula and Jerry Dimasco, and Chocolate Face was formed. From rehearsals in Steve Jababula, the band quickly progressed to playing shows throughout South Africa, and as they grew so did their fan base. Their self-titled debut album "Chocolate Face" rose through the charts, eventually peaking at number three, a record debut for a South African jazz band. After a short tour of Europe, the band returned to South Africa to record their follow up album, "Jazz your Fasch Off". Although the sales were not as successful as their debut album, "Jazz Your Fasch Off" received a SAMA award for Jazz Album of the Year, and was highly acclaimed by journalists around the world. However, whilst on a tour of Germany to support the album, bass player Jerry Dimasco was found dead in his hotel room from a cocaine overdose, and the tour was immediately cancelled. After a 6 month break, the band recruited bassist Jimmy "the Weasel" Frank, a well know bassist in the Cape region, and began work on their 3rd album.
"All Alone With The Horry" was an entire album based on what the band had experienced in Germany, and all the emotions that went with it. It took 9 months for the album to come together, but the band could sense they had struck gold. Barely 2 months after the album was released, the first single "Horry Porry" rocketed to number 1 on the jazz charts, stunning critics and fans alike. It was a blend of street and jazz that the world had never heard before, and with the success of the following three singles, the album went gold in 9 countries and received two SAMAs. Kristoff Yeltwan shone in the fame and fortune that followed, and it was then, that he realised his true dream.
Horris the Horrible
Kristoff's manager, Neil Le Beof, first announced at a press conference on the 13th February 2006 that Kristoff would be leaving Chocolate Face to pursue a solo career in Hip-Hop, to mass uproar by fans all across the country. Barely a month later, Horris The Horrible was introduced to the public, with slight trepidation from Le Beof. Le Beof was worried that fans who loved Kristoff as a placid percussionist in a Jazz outfit would not accept him as a hard gangster rapper, and had publicly stated so. However, Le Beof was wrong. In fact, it was quite the opposite - his old fans still loved him, as well as a whole new era of fans that never followed Chocolate Face. Horris the Horrible was here to stay. His debut album "I'm So Horrible It Hurts", charted at number 7 on the hip-hop charts, and he was rewarded with a SAMA for best newcomer in 2007. A series of tours followed, the highlight of which was a packed arena concert at the Studdwerbachtinglekt arena in Austria to 45,000 people. Now, with the bulk of the tours complete, Kristoff has returned to South Africa to work on his follow up album. With all his success so far in the music industry, his follow up is guaranteed to be a success.

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