Established in 1998, 4 Corners are Ocean View’s original R&B/Hip Hop pioneers. The group was formed by childhood friends, Earl Mentor and Marlon Mileham, whose passion was to encourage youth to get involved in music as an alternative to drugs and gangsterism. Although Marlon sadly passed on in 1998, 4 Corners continues to pursue his dream. The name 4 Corners epitomises the struggle of growing up in a sometimes suffocatingly close-knit community – like living inside a box.
4 Corners was the first Ocean View group to independently record, produce and press their own CD. They see themselves as storytellers, community commentators and, most importantly, youth ambassadors against the social ills that plague their area – continuing the tradition started by Alvin Castro and Arts Vibrations II. One of the group’s founding members, Earl Mentor, has initiated a number of community outreach programmes such as the ‘In Touch Community Festival’, theatre training at local primary schools, and most recently, the eMzantsi intercultural music project across the south peninsula.
4 Corners comprises Earl ‘Nizzel’ Mentor (composer and vocals), Francisco Bull (composer), Lora-lee Mentor, Rachelle Symms and Alfonzo ‘Teado’ Johnson (vocals), David Gogg (composer and vocals) and producer Elroy Van Wyk.
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| Earl | 4 Corners at FanFest 2010 | Teado |