South African rapper Teboho 'Success' Dlamini, launched a brand new 7-track EP titled 'Channels' over the weekend [january 28th], a project that he hopes will mirror his maturity as an artist over the last couple years.

'Channels' is of course Dlamini's second studio project after having made his debut with POETRY HUSTLE back in 2014.

"The brand new EP was inspired by my transgression to a better person, so basically it is about learning from our past to improve and equip ourselves for the future taking the knowledge and experience to relate it to our current situation we face on daily basis", said the Soweto born and bred hiphop artist.

According to the 22-year old, his EP which was produced by Complex and Smoke Beats is centered around a number of themes, chief among them being growth, self-awareness and staying true to one's self.

" The title track, 'Channels' is about me displaying my journey through music and how much I've gained and lost during the process of reaching out for my dreams.

"On the other hand 'Love is Motivation' is a song that concentrates on relationships, specifically on the ones we share with our "better half" managing an unstable relationship conflicted by priority and personal interests causes me to fight harder to keep things together and that fight is what makes to love stronger and keeps the connection alive.

"One other track that I cannot forget to mention is 'Suka', this is a track that is meant to show that I, as musician and a person, don't follow up on treads or follow any culture that I don't believe In", asserted the young rapper.

Fans and followers of Success will surely not be dissapointed as the rapper made it known that a lot more was on the way and that includes accompanying videos to the brand new EP.

"I am excited to tell my fans that they should look out for some dope and amazing videos that I will be dropping soon, visuals to tracks from the EP like 'Thula', 'Everything Goes' and 'Love is motivation', among others will be available on your small screens soon", said Success.

Besides the music, the hiphop artists said that he hoped to "uplift the communities by giving back through charity event's for those less fortunate but my focus will be on charity organization that have children who are born with HIV".

To know more about the Rapper, Success, follow the link below:

http://btnmediazw.blogspot.com/2017/01/rapper-success-living-up-to-his-name.html

Urban Craft magazine caught up with South African music promoter and organiser of an event that has over the last few months not only put Soweto on the map but given its upcoming talent a platform from which they can launch their careers from, one Masethembe Golozana[Ras Emotion], and this is what he had to say;

What is the name of your event?

Soweto Boom Box Sessions

When was it established?

It was established last year May, so in a few months time we will be commemorating our first anniversary.

Who is the brains behind it?

The Boom Sessions came together as a result of the tireless efforts of Masethembe Golozana[Ras Emotion], Lebohang Mofaledi[D-Razor] and Velaphi tshabalala[Mshengu Shabba]

Where is it based?

It is based in Soweto (Phiri Mapetla)

What do you aim to achieve through this initiative?

The goal is to empower,promote and give upcoming and disadvantaged artists the platform to showcase their craft to the public

Who are some of the more notable names that have come through your event?

Kommanda Obbs and other local artists such as Chris Of Peace, BoizaChuta, Success, Ferguson, Froz and PediKatse to name a few

How often do you host this event?

We host it monthly but due to the lack of capital we often skipped a few editions along the way but whenever it came back again, the shows were (and are) always packed!

Thus far, how has been the response from the artists themselves?

The artists are happy with the show because it has brought them more exposure and opportunities but then you know the struggle for upcoming artist when it comes to paying gigs.

Any highlights/achievements?

We managed to get more supporters,potential investors and promotion on the radio too for the Boom Sessions. It is only the beginning and I believe more brighter days and milestones are still ahead of us!

What are your plans for this event going forward?

Going forward we have every intention of staying on course in the fulfillment of our chief goal which is Empowering upcoming artists.

We plan to get sponsors and encourage the participation of more artists in the industry. The other thing that we are working on is introducing a periodical mixtape featuring songs from some of the best takents who would have come through to perfom at our shows. These are some of the avenues that we are exploring, all in an effort to promote these new and upcoming voices and give them an equal platform for exposure like everyone else.

When and where is your next event?

The next show will be in March but the exact date and venue are still to be confirmed.

Anything that the fans can look forward to in the next edition of the Soweto Boom Box Sessions?

We have approached quite a number of big artists who have expressed an interest in the show and some of these artists will from here on grace our shows as 'surprise guests/performers'. We hope that their presence will surely have a positive effect on the event itself and the upcoming artists as it gives them a chance to rub shoulders with some of their idols.

We caught up with promising South African rapper and definitely one of names to lookout for over the next couple of years, KayC for a brief chat. Below are excerpts from that interview in which he spoke about his earlier release 'Inaka' and shared with us his plans for this year and beyond.

 

What was the title of your EP and what inspired the name?

My Ep is titled INAKA it's titled after the song that is also part of the EP, inaka is a tsonga word meaning "i agree".

What was the official release date for the EP?

The Ep was released early 2016 for the Radio but I'm planning of dropping a full project this year to the public but we haven't decided whether the project is gonna be an album or a Mix tape but people can follow me on social media to get the updates.

How many songs does it contain ......can you give us the titles and what a couple of these songs talk about?

The Inaka Ep contains 6 songs and the project I'll be dropping this year will be containing 15 of the hottest tracks

What themes do you explore in this project?

The project is more of a youth lifestyle soundtrack and it also features songs that everyone can listen to but it's more relatable to the youth. It also has tracks where I talk about myself so if anyone wants to know more about myself, my daily life ups and downs i go through......this is definitely the EP to listen to!

Are there any notable features on the EP?

Yes the Ep features the likes of Santy, Quikk Billion , Mochachino ochi, Pule Ngamla just to mention few

Who produced it?

Tack musique is on the production, Tackz is the guy responsible for most of Shane Eagle's hits like Way up and Top Floor.

Are there any videos from the EP that the fans can look forward to watching?

Yeah I'm working on videos, the fans can look out for the 'All we want' video which will be out around March this year.

Is (or will) the EP available on radio as yet,  if so,  which stations?

Yeah absolutely i have songs from the project that have been playing on radio stations like Ukhozi fm, Munghana lonene fm, Yfm and lot of community radio stations.

Besides the EP, what else do you have instore for 2017?

I can not say much for now but people can look out for BRACKA'S EVENTS I'll be hosting a lot this year, I'm also hosting my birthday celebration on the 13th of may which is an event not to be missed!

Can you list for us some of your songs that have made it to radio or in the club that the fans will be more familiar with... 

All we want, Wanyatsa, Inaka, tsipa tsipa feat Santy, No day off feat Quikk billion and Teka, among others.

Who are some of the 'big' artists that you have enjoyed meeting and working with over years......and why?

I have met a couple of Big artists up to date I work with Shane Eagle,  I've met Lira, Cassper Nyovest, Kwesta , Black Motion, Gino Brown, Mochachino Ochi, Major League Djs  , Ricky Rick just to mention few and yeah I enjoyed meeting Lira she's down to earth fun to hang around with and she's inspiring.

There can be no doubt whatsoever that zimdancehall has indeed taken over the nation and still continues to make considerable strides everyday.

Controversial as it might be sometimes, one cannot ignore the talent and passion that these musicians possess.

It has created virtual 'non-entities' into stars overnight and some are actually reaping huge benefits from this enterprise, monetary or otherwise.

Artists like Freeman, Lady Squanda, Seh Calaz, Winky Dee and Souljah luv, to mention a few, have paved the way and are making a living from Zimdancehall.

Dancehall has become the new 'staple diet', so-to-speak, as you find it playing anywhere and everywhere locally.

Loca station, Radio Zimbabwe even introduced a show entirely dedicated to the genre after noticing the impact that it has had on the local populace.

We spoke to one of the deejays behind this particular showshow, Dj Tayden, and here is more on what he had to say;

When was your show first broadcast on radio? 

Radio Zim Zimdancehall show ws first brodcasted in July 2016..

What is its time slot?

Its time slot on Radio Zimbabwe is 7pm to 8pm every friday.

What motivated you to introduce this type of show (and genre) to Radio Zimbabwe?

I cant say we were motivated to start the program but people need to stand with one voice to lift up Zimdancehall because it is promoting our culture and it has given our ghetto youths a voice.

What is it that you aim to achieve through this particular show? 

We are aiming to uplift the upcoming artists and producers because they are the ones whom we will be looking at in the future to produce good music.

Can you take us through what goes on behind the scenes in bringing each edition of the Zimdancehall show to life?

Well during the week, Monday to Thursday we will basically be compiling brand new tunes and acquainting ourselves with the artists and studios that are shattered all over the country. When Friday comes, we are LIVE on air! Dj Giver as an Mc and Dj Tayden on the decks ..the rest you will need to tune in to the show to find out.

Besides the music itself,  what else does your show offer to the listeners?

Besides music we offer live peformances to artists, last year we had a show at the Harare Agric Show live on air where we had the likes of Hwindi President and Sir lincon among others..we also do interviews in which the artists get a voice and the show is their platform to express themselves however they might feel like.

Radio Zimbabwe is largely considered as a station for the older generation,  so to speak,  how did you convince the powers-that-be to give this particular show a chance?

Some people might believe and say so but the times have changed and our show on Radio Zimbabwe is true testament to that.

It was all a matter of convincing ourselves that it was high time we introduced such a show to our own station.

In truth, we are just keeping up with the times and fully embracing the new state of affairs brought on by the emergence of zimdancehall.

Given that zimdancehall is mainly a genre for the young people, by introducing this show do you believe you have captured and increased listernership among this demographic?

Yep, I believe that by intoducing this show, we have managed to capture the attention of that particular age-group.

Even the older generation is appreciating the show and most importantly the genre itself.

What are your goals in regards to the show for 2017 and onwards? 

Well our goals are to expose young talented artists and producers to the Nation and world at large....as you all know, Radio Zimbabwe covers all the corners of Zimbabwe and is accessible outside our own boundaries as well.

Give us a brief about you yourself and co-host......

For myself, there is nothing much to say except that I am just a guy who enjoys music ..and so does my team (The A-Team).

Ambitious South African rapper David sithebe otherwise popularly known as Dapper SA is currently in the studio putting the final touches to his fourth mixtape which is slated for release at the beginning of the year's second quarter.

According to the Soweto born-and-bred emcee, the mixtape will simply be titled, 'Savage'.

We caught up with Dapper for a brief one-on-one and this is what he had to say in regards to his forthcoming project, among other things;

 

What is the official releasé date for your mixtape?

The official release date for this project is the 24th of May.

What inspired the title to your mixtape?

I gave the mixtape that title because this year I am all about causing harm to my competition, lyrically of course!

I intend on putting out more hits and rub shoulders with the 'cream of the crop'.

How many tracks does it contain?

My mixtape consists of 17 tracks.

Who is producing this project?

Im working with different producers on this project, from the likes of Gee, Jay Trilla to Dj Meelow, just to mention a few.

Any features worth taking note of?

Yeah there are people already on the line up and these include Jay trilla,Reezy,poison,dj meelow,terry and others I have not mentioned .

For the benefit of those not yet familiar with your work, can you give us a brief into your projects, prior to this one?

My first mixtape was titled 'Living Dreams' (2012) because of the hope I have and in 2014, I released the second mixtape 'Pink Love' on which I featured mostly rnb singers. It was a project that I did for my lover and thus, It was officially released to the public on the 14th of february(valentines day).

The third one which was simply titled 'Mogul' came out in 2015.

What are your goals for 2017?

My goals this year is to take my brand to another level. I wanna see myself up there with the best. I know that nothing comes easy and that i gotta work extra hard to achieve all my goals.

I wanna also get signed, hopefully by a record label that shares the same passion for music as i do so that I can also keep working harder and be a source of inspiration to others as well.

For bookings

Email :daviddapper8@gmail.com.

Robz Tanah is a young Zimbabwean HipHop artist who was born and raised in Bulawayo but currently based in Harare Zimbabwe, he was introduced to the music industry in August 2016 also as the founder and owner of the record label TisuTAKADZIYA which he lately introduced in 2016 again, in addition Robz Tanah is also a singer on the other hand but overally categorised as an HipHop artist which he said he grew up having an ambition to be an artist since his childhood and he was once a choir master during his time at school until he got influenced at high school level with some artists such as Lil Wayne, Birdman,Eminem,Rick Ross and other gurus of the mid 2000s, he goes on and said he admired the lifestyle and the way these rappers nailed their flaws and their success concerning music until he finally suggested to fall under HipHop category as well. He continues to say he got his stage name from his initails which he said "Robz Tanah" means the "shining star" and his name is also emphasised by the name of his record label


"TisuTAKADZIYA" which means "we are the best" and from all this it clearly shows that he wanted to be categorised as a rapper since HipHop music is mainly focused on the topic of branding yourself as an individual. In addition Robz Tanah also mentioned that he also admire to achieve that level of success and richies like what those famous rappers are. So far Robz Tanah is looking foward to release his first album in 2017 but however the rapper got his name noticed due to some of his late singles which include Garai Maziya and Tonaz Yese which also scored him some attention on TV and radio circles in December 2016 and the rapper is believing in his potential and effort that he got a bright future concerning his music journey as an artist. However apart from his music life Robz Tanah runs his clothing business which sustains his music and he also play chess and snooker as his other hobbies.On the local scene, Robz Tanah also mentioned that he is not like any other rapper around in ZimHipHop but he wants to take it to an international level in consideration of how real HipHop is done in USA and he continued saying that some of the Zimbabwean rappers have been in the industry for so long but they are being limited to go global due to some factors such as weakness of international creativity whereby a lot of local rappers still give themselves a boundary to be ZimHopHop artists yet they should also produce something which taste international including their type of flaws and the topics they apply in their rap. In addition, he also mentioned that for an artist to go global he can not stand alone in everything but he should also cooperate with anyone useful for the better.Lastly, on his aim in 2017 Robz Tanah is promising to bring up some dope music which got an International taste and he is aiming to score a big change in the industry. To get all his latest music immediately and for the bookings just inbox via email on robztanahzw@gmail.com or via WhatsApp on +263784802561. Thank You

Teboho Success Dlamini, stage name Success is a 22 year old male who was born in Soweto and raised in the vaal by a single mother who raised two daughters as well. Success grew up not having a solid relationship with his father which affected his childhood. He went to 3 different schools for his primary level which were vaal Christian primary school, Roshnee primary school and unified public school. He attended at General smuts high school for his secondary level but he never finished his secondary level to get his matric certification. Success is a rapper/freestyle artist/hip hop  artist, poet, songwriter, motivational speaker. He started admiring music at a very young age, he's love for music as a whole started with singing other people's songs with his older sister where they would compete against each other to see who knows all the words to the songs. 2006 his Mother past away so him and his two sister's had to relocate to his Aunt's place, all 3 of them had different fathers and only Success's father was still alive. The rest of that year he stayed with his Aunt and his Aunt's husband who played a big fathering role and 2 of their Sons plus Success's siblings so in total they were 7 people in the household. 2008 he relocated to live with his father in Soweto leaving his 2 siblings behind, when he was in Soweto he still had love for music but he discovered Dancing as a way to deal with his depression and anger. He's relationship with his father was becoming worse and was affecting his studies so he had to relocate back to the Vaal to his Aunt's place in 2010. 2010 that's when he decided on doing poetry for the love he had for music he started writing his poems in a form of music which was identified as rap music, during that same year he started recording his own music his first encounter with the studio was with a record label called killer records which was the stepping stone to his career, under the label he released his first ever single. 2011 he took a break from recording music and focused on reciting poetry and on that year he was reciting his poems at poetry sessions around the vaal and also joined a poetry club at school. 2012 he got back to making music, 2012 was also a year where he discovered his ability to freestyle and used to participate on lunch break and after school cyphers, than writing music became his obsession that it ended up disturbing his school progress and affected his grades. The year 2013 he met Danny bazuka and B.sick who introduced him to the shebeen boys who were a recording hip hop group that's when Success's full potential for hip hop music was formed and he recorded a couple of good songs with the group shebeen boys. 2014 he dropped out of high school to focus on his music career that same year he made a long term decision that he'll focus on his music career. The same year he started recording his first full studio mixtape called POETRY HUSTLE under Ninja school entertainment where he worked alongside Lord druxx, Sechaba, Koloi, B.swick, shady FK, cool ice and featured Artists like Danny Bazuka, Mos loco, Neo and a group called society against. His mixtape done well for his first craft and one of the tracks on the mixtapes had a music video shot and edited by rock farm entertainment which is located in orange farm. The middle of 2014 he was invited for an radio interview at Sedibeng FM regarding his mixtape (POETRY HUSTLE).  The person who inspires and motivates him is his Mother cause she was responsible for his creative foundation and musical background. the end of 2014 he moved back to Soweto with a vision and mission to pursue and further  his music career. 2015 he went back to school where he attended at a FET  business college(South West Gauteng College). One day he was freestyling with other hop hop heads in a cyphers opened during class hours that day that's when he met with Musa who introduced him to Siboniso Dlamini the owner of a film and production company called BrosProjects that's when he was able to shoot his second music video from a single track produced by Lord Druxx and released under ninja school, the music video was shot and edited by BrosProjects and Assisted by Rock farm entertainment. Dropped out of college that same year. 2016 that's where he was introduced to BrosProjects as an active member and a alternative Director for the company. During 2016 he met Bornfree_society and that's when he started recording his second full project scheduled to be released early this year(28 January 2017). 2016 he also went to a local radio station called Thetha FM in orange farm where he was crowned champion of the mic for 3 consecutive weeks. He went on to perform at several places like vanderbjile, veerneging, sharpville, Daveyton, Mayerton, New town and other locations in Jo'burg like ko spotong Ghandi square and also several places in  Soweto like Zola, phiri, Dobsonville, silver town, Orlando and Dk and also got to perform at Mpumalanga and the east rand. He was also featured on an online TV show hosted by Ms Mo. Success was given the titled the best freestyler in Soweto.

Success can be contacted on the following.

Social networks: Facebook username- Success Dlamini cooper trouble m/ Facebook fan page- Success SA.

BrosProjects Facebook fan page- BrosProjects

Instagram- Success_brosa

For bookings contact Siboniso(0726198529)/Simphiwe(072 964 9572)

Email adress- brospojects1@gmail.com

ARMSTRONG Shibiti, also known as KayC Bracka is a Hip hop artist from the North East of Johannesburg. His music career began when he sang in the church choir as a young boy and that is where his love for music developed.

As he grew older, he started writing his own songs and fell in love with rap.

Later he decided to join the hip hop genre as he was inspired by the late Skwatta Kamp member Flabba, also from his Kasi.

KayC is an independent artist and is influenced by Mzansi's stories.

His music will take you on a journey, from the rural villages to the urban streets uptown.

KayC has performed in different parts of Mzansi and shared the stage with well known musicians such as Ricky Rick, Black Motion, Okmalumkoolkat, Stillo Magolide, Thebe, Major League DJz, DJ Shimza, DJ Capital, and Vusi Nova, just to mention few.

The rapper has  released a six-track EP titled Inaka in which the title song reached over 20 000 downloads online.

His songs are also play listed with various radio stations.

The 24-year-old describes himself as a go-getter and someone who does not settle for second best.

Twitter @kayc011

instagram Kayc011

Facebook :KayC BRACKA

By tawanda ngena

A new television drama series is on the Horizon!

Produced by Loud 5 studios, owned by Michael Mushunje in collaboration with Just Imagine Pictures, owned by Tendayi Zonde (Prometheus) and aptly titled 'Shine FM', the drama series is set to do what very few other local television productions are doing right now.....giving a leading role to the next generation of stars and thereby also availing a platform for them to blossom (or shine, as it were!)

"It has always been my 'custom' to give "unknowns" a chance. I love working with fresh minds because I can not stand people who have a "diva" mentality. We already started shooting the first episode and it looks very promising.

"It made perfect sense to have young artists portray young artists. It's quite literally their story and I think that their own personal experiences will feed positively into their performance", said Prometheus, co-producer of Shine Fm.

With new and amazing upcoming talent from the likes of Shallom, Blacperl and lil Saynt, to mention a few, the series which is being shot in various locations in and around the capital city promises to be a feast for the eyes.

"Production for the series has already commenced and we should be finished by early April, after which, we look forward to it being commissioned on the national broadcaster.

""We are also looking at taking the pilot to as many networks as possible and try to secure the best deal for our young actors.

"We are shooting 13 episodes (season one) and depending on how it received by our television audiences, we will definitely be shooting a second season", he said.

According to Prometheus, the story to the drama series, 'Shine Fm' revolves around young artists who are trying to make it in the music industry and the challenges they face in the sunshine city.

"It is a story that I have seen up close in my interaction with young artists through the various youth shows I'm involved in at Zbc TV. So it is a story I feel needs to be told.

"The series also explores other themes such as romance, betrayal and self actualization, all of which I am sure today's youth can identify with", he said.

Asked how the series came about and whether we can look forward to a cameo from him, this is what he had to say,

"It was late last year that I was approached by Loud 5 Studios and got commissioned to write a screenplay for a TV series. Several weeks later the first draft for "SHINE FM" was ready.

"I might play a part if the right role presents itself but for now I am concentrating on the production aspect of it all".

Just Imagine Pictures has produced a number of TV projects before and besides the popular hip-hop show, ZIM RAP CITIES (whose first season was flighted on Zbc Tv for in 2015), the media company also did production work on the YGT VOICE-BOX and ZIM HIP-HOP REPORT CHRISTMAS CONCERTS for Zbc TV in 2016.

"Just Imagine Pictures is a production company I started with my wife in 2015. It actually started earlier by being a recording studio then evolved into  a TV production company as well.

"In our company, we believe that whatever we "imagine" can become a reality", said the 'hiphop driver', as he has become known over the last couple of years.

Prometheus reckons that the upcoming drama series will 'blow everyone away' and will keep them glued to their seats. Given his track record over the years and the number of successful projects he has put together, you surely would not bet against him!

Peter Tanyanyiwa

Zimbabwean born South African based musician, poet, producer and preacher Prince Titus Munondo Zhakata “(better known as Psaltz) has taken the South Africa music scene by storm. So pronounced has been his impact down south that he is now being touted one of the brightest prospects for the future.

Born on February 21, 1992 in Harare, Zimbabwe, Psaltz pronounced “'salts' began his musical journey at the age of 12 when he developed a keen interest in playing the keyboard at church. Psaltz believes his true calling was to be a preacher and psalmist and the music is his medium through which he can minister the gospel.

The name Psaltz is a combination of four names “psalmist prince titus zhakata’ .

He grew up in Harare where he lived in various locations which include Mbare, Waterfalls, Avenues and Hopely Farm. Psaltz did his primary school education at Nettleton Junior School and Waterfalls Primary School . His Secondary school years were spent at Seke four High School and Rufaro High School where he did his ZJC. Psaltz then moved to St Annes Goto High in Wedza where He did his O'levels which he completed at City Academy College. His A'level days were spent at Mt Pleasant High School and at Introway Training Institute where he completed his studies.

Psaltz is currently a theology student with Pan Africa Christian college.

To date, the young musician has worked with the likes of Flame B, New Generation Choir, Gamuchirai Magadzire, Amagents Jazz, Joel J Chiviru,Limitless Call Family “Licafa,” Tatenda Mahachi and Duo-Likembe “Aggabus Nyabinde and Poet Itai,” Trymore Bande, Phebion Tagarira , Miniter Brian Tibu and Minister Lawrence Chirindo where he was a Bassist, Keyboardist and Vocalist.

Most Recently, Psaltz has featured on South Africa's veteran poet Bongani Mavuso's soon to be released album where he features as a poet, vocalist and mbira player. The sensational and emotional blend of his shona poetic artistry and mbira playing skills as well as his singing has rocked Kwazulu Natal.

Zhakata is also a producer, talented but relatively new the production industry. To date, he has produced three powerful albums, his first one being Minister Larry Chirindo's album, a Zimbabwean musician who is currently based in durban South Africa. He has also made an unmistakable mark on the music of Minister Brian Tibu of Zimbabwe, also based in Durban and his God-annointed set of music creation skills is sending shock waves all over Africa. Psaltz has also co-produced a maskandi album “local isizulu music” for Mgeshe and again the music vindicates him in his choice of also persuing a career as a producer.

His forth-coming album "Afro-Praise" from which his latest single 'Tsime reropa' springs from,exudes his deep appreciation for the rich Zimbabwean and African rhythm.Psaltz aspires to take The Lord, Jesus Christ's message to the world and wants to create an atmosphere for worship through his music as well as to function as a minister and entertainer at gatherings such as corporate functions, weddings and parties.

Peter Tanyanyiwa

Registered recording label and publisher, Blackol Records has taken it upon itself to help upcoming (and established) Zimbabwean musicians not only record their music but also get the much needed airplay in South Africa.

The recording label's proprietors, Brian Masiyawo and Archford Mupuqua said that though they initially faced many challenges, they have since managed to make headway.

Established in 2012 and located in Cape Town, Blackol Records had always felt like home to many Zimbabwean musicians who have over the years made that great trek down south.

Blackol Production Manager Archford Mapuqua said their vision is to promote young Zimbabwean artists who are talented and help them excel in the music industry.

“We have realised that most of these artists can’t afford to hire or pay for big studios and often they don’t have the right equipment needed for their small production.

“Many young adults have a passion for the music industry and combined with talent we would like to heighten their passion for this and push them to become the best they can be", he said.

It is Maquqa's belief that their stable is at its peak at the moment and expecting to do more to help Zimbabwean musicians record and spread their music so they can establish themselves, especially thosé from a disadvantaged background.

“We hope to find young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds and create a better future for them and their families. I know that a hard beginning usually means an easy finish and I know that the road forth might not be easy but through hard work and dedication I foresee a bright future for the youth of today.

“Our mission is to make these young artists explore their dreams and expand their field of knowledge in music, by providing them with the right facilities, quality music and equipment. We want to get the youth off the streets and give them a better opportunity in the music industry, would like to focus on their strengths, passion and bring it out in their music. Most of them make their music in their back yards or in their rooms and I would like to give them the chance to be exposed to the public and become a success,” said the Blackol Production Manager.

With shortage of jobs, this has proved such a noble idea and will go a long way in taking youths off the streets.

Blackol records has worked with Roki, Shinsoman, Freeman and Randy Icey Snow and internationally they have recorded Chico from Jamaica,  Chibwa from Tanzania and Lambogini from Nigeria.

From getting a visuals deal to featuring on Onvi TV,the Kwekwe born Kwaito rapper Thuts Rodney is on demand thanks to his Dlala Ngamla hit produced by Murphy Cubic and Larynx,mixed and mastered by STAN and recorded at Velocity studios.

After the release of his single Thuts Rodney's visual for Dlala Ngamla produced by the Creative Pot. Shot in 3days in the dusty iconic streets of Nketa 9 in Bulawayo with beautiful models, energetic dances from MaGesh and a good acting cast.The video was written by Qinisela Keitse(Rasquility Keaitse) and Blessing Ndlovu,we couldnt help but wonder why they chose such a theme and this is what Mr Ndlovu said,

"True life events and the state of the film industry in Zimbabwe inspired us". Since the video is a part series of their production its understandable why there was all that drama in the beginning", he said.

When we heard rumours that there were visuals coming from Thuts Rodney for his new single Ntombenhle,produced by Murphy Cubic and Comfort,we could help but wonder what the visuals would be about fortunately we got snippets and this propelled us to ask for more details and Blessing Ndlovu had the answer.

"The video is a love story between an uptown guy and a rural girl,the video contains dramatic and creative acts,in a nutshell its based on lyrical content of the song", said Ndlovu.

That's just great because that means the video is like a Dlala Ngamla sequel sadly its not but all the same we can't wait to see what Ras cooked for us.

Most people dont know what Creative Pot is and fortuanately we exist to tell you all about it.

Creative Pot was established in 2009 as Transformative Media and later rebranded to the Creative Pot we all now know and love. It's subsidiaries include Creative Pot marketing,Creative Pot music,Creative Pot casting agency and Creative Pot artist management. The board members are Collin Ncube(Main Casting Director),Laura Nkiwane(ProjectsCo-ordinator),Qinisela Keitse(Director) and Blessing Ndlovu(Producer),and their main target is making films which the reason why they produced a film by the Target for the Zimbabwe International Film Festival,an honourable mention would be that they won an award for the best visual for Team Bho's "Hamuko".

Thuts Rodney is somewhere in Africa producing a new flame to cook something for us and hopefully he won't burn himself,wish him all the best 'cause we our meal very hot with that said,Goodbye, God bless you.

By Blaque Aqua

Twitter and Instagram: @blaqueaqua

Facebook: Blaque Aqua

Gmail: blaqueaqua@gmail.com

                   

Enjoy!!!!!

By Tawanda Ngena

Renowned fashion designer Paidemoyo Chideya Mazhandu believes that the Zimbabwean fashion industry has the potential to surpass expectations and can one day become a major player on the regional stage, if not an international one.

"Opportunity presents itself in many ways. We are being given an opportunity to rectify the problems that have been created by past generations and we are also being given a chance to develop the sector and and become a leading player in Africa and eventually in the world. Therefore, the onus is on us as fashion designers to grab this unique opportunity with both hands", she said.

Who can doubt that assertion, especially when it is coming from a Paris and New York trained designer who of course is owner of her own fashion label, DeMoyo, which she established in 2010 and is located in the leafy surburb of Avondale, Harare.

" The name 'DeMOYO' stems from Paidemoyo, my name and it also means 'from the heart'. All that I can say is that all creative works that come from me come from the Heart.

"Nothing beats knowing that I am being my best, yet still individual and that I am the brand ambassador within my work culture", said Paidemoyo.

DeMoyo's target market is metropolitan women and men aged between 25-40.

" We recognized a need in the market for a sophisticated and fabulous look when it comes to business attire. The need comes from the understanding that a corporate look should also define a personality, a feeling, a touch, a sense of style and above all else eloquence.

" Our goal is to connect to the grassroots of the corporate subculture and we have  embarked on the great mission of tackling corporate culture and identity through design, style and clothing", said Mazhandu.

Mazhandu spent more than a decade discovering what it meant to become not only the epitome of the classic, but an innovator in the fashion sense as well.

Now mature, and ready to leave a mark on the fashion industry with her own style, she has created a product line that she hopes encapsulates her vision of the fashion world.

"I have always been creative. I consider myself a creator first, an artist second and a designer third. I have been blessed enough to have real experience from some of the fashion world's top players.

"This subsequently led to me pursuing my own dream of creating a fashion empire. I have seen things that most people only dream of and it has been the most beautiful  experience of my life", she said. 

Born in Zimbabwe, raised in Sweden, London and with a brief stint in Paris, Paidemoyo learned to refine her design eye through the diversity of all the multiplexes of cultures that surrounded her upbringing. Upon her New York City arrival, she worked some of the most iconic fashion houses, chief among them being Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, where she learnt to refine her eye for vintage, style, eloquence and demure.

"One of my most treasured moments was naturally the first show I ever saw live- Valentino in Paris and then walking down the runway at the end of my show in Toronto", said Paidemoyo.

In this industry, to survive you have to stay ahead of, not only the trends but the competition as well, we asked Paidemoyo how her own product line has managed to stay relevant.

"First and and foremost, our basic approach is to work on each individual client to ensure customers retention. The residual effect of this is that naturally by word of mouth people will hear about our service, finishing and expertise. Then secondly the garment itself speaks for itself.

"We make sure that everything we do is made to perfection. What is does is that it guarantees our product. Thirdly, all social media, online platforms, website, retail outlet platforms must be in top form. That's it in a nutshell", she said.

As to her plans for the future, the fashion designer said that one of her primary goals was to establish flagship stores across sub-saharan Africa in the next 5 years.

By Tawanda Ngena

 

February is known as the month of love and keeping in line with that theme is reggae singer/songwriter Sista Flame, who is set to release a mixtape titled 'Love Sweat Fears' on the 24th.

The Harare-based musician describes the 10-track mixtape as among other things, a celebration of love. Below is her breakdown of the album title;

"The mixtape celebrates and talks about love. In it, I highlight the ups and the downs of today's relationships.

" The 'Sweat' part in the mixtape title is in recognition of the hard work that one puts into their passion in order to see and be able to achieve their goals. 'Fears' is of course related to the idea of one facing their challenges head-on and thus the title Love Sweat Fears came together", said the songstress.

Love Sweat Fears comprises of tracks such as 'Ngadinga' (automatic riddim), 'Moyo wangu' (tropical escape riddim), 'Only You' (cardiac keys riddim), 'Falling' (Obama riddim), 'Shame' (give praises riddim), 'Break Up and Make Ups' (sudden change riddim), 'Too Late' (corner shop riddim), 'Mafemele', 'Music is my life' (conquering lion riddim) and 'Treasure' (loveOlove riddim).

"For me, there are a number of songs from the mixtape that deserve special mention and those that I feel the fans will also fall in love with. Top of that list is the song 'Ngadinga', it talks about searching for true love everywhere else when it is in actual fact right there in front of you all the while.

"The track 'Only You' is special in its own way because it celebrates mothers, grandmothers and 'step mums' for their undying love and support.

"The other tracks that I can not forget to mention are, 'Mafemele', a song that I wrote in appreciation of my own husband and kids for their support and love, they allow me to follow my dreams. Last, but not least is 'Treasure', which is a song that appeals to couples who have had miscarriages not to give up but to believe and never lose faith", said Sista Flame, as she is known to her multitudes of fans.

The mixtape, which she herself produced with the help of Vito and Mobxthedon (one half of hiphop duo, Mobb figgaz) is her 3rd studio project.

Though 'mixtapes' are not readily associated with the reggae genre but are more synonymous with hiphop, Sista Flame had this to say,

"Mixtapes, regardless of genre are a good way to market yourself as an artists and more importantly, they keep you in touch with your fans. This project gave me the chance to build bridges and also buy me time to work on my forthcoming album, which is due for release later this year".

Her debut effort was of course an album titled 'The Road' which was released back in 2003 and did well on all local radio stations.

That album not only Launched her solo career but it also got Sista Flame nominated in the Best Newcomer category at the Zimbabwe Music Awards (Zima) that very same year.

Her second album was to come 6 years later in 2009 when she released the 'The Flame of House', which is up to now still doing relatively well for the reggae musician on radio.

Most people will be familiar with Sista Flame from the days when she was part of the More Fire Crew working with the likes of Kieth Ferguson and Ihawu lesizwe among other artists. She was also part of a 4-piece all-female ensemble which went by the name Rhuvhuvhuto Sisters and included Plaxedis Wenyika, Ivy Kombo and the late Jackie Madondo who came together as Zimbabwe Tourism Ambassadors.

Born in Karoi but grew up in Bulawayo, not many people would ever have known that the reggae arist began her career in the entertainment industry as a dancer working with a group called Buwac and then moved on to theatre where she was to fall in love with song.

When the music 'bug' finally caught on, Sista Flame formed a group called Afrobase with her friends and during the weekends they played at a local motel called Matopo rock tourist Inn in the Matopos.

Acoording to Sista Flame, it was during one of those shows that arts guru, Albert Nyathi spotted her and which led her to relocate to Harare in 1999 where she was to join the group Imbongi. Later that same year she joined late musical icons, Andy Brown and mbira queen, Chiwoniso Maraire as a backing vocalist for the Band Storm, a role she took and pefected for a good 8 years.

It was Andy Brown and Chiwoniso who encouraged her to write her own songs and also gain experience as an opening act at their shows.......and the rest as they say, is history!

Having already established herself and her brand locally over the years, Sista Flame still promises a lot more.

"My fans can expect a whole new level of performances and a lot of new music and  surprises!

"Being able to go back on stage, doing what l love, connecting with people and putting out more albums is all I can ask from hereon and what keeps me going", she said.

By Tawanda Ngena

GHETTO JOURNALISM will this friday (January 13th) honour incarcerated Jamaican dancehall icon and self-proclaimed 'World Boss', Vybz Kartel with a belated birthday bash at Columbus Place in Borrowdale.

Vybz Kartel is of course currently serving time in jail after being convicted of murder, a charge that many of his die-hard fans (and the world at large) still feel was trumped up to curtail the DJ's growing influence.

An influence that continues to grow by the day and regardless of the fact that Vybes Kartel has been locked up for since 2011 , he is still miles (if not light years) ahead of his competition!

Hardcore dancehall fans all over the globe took time out on the 8th of january to celebrate the Jamaican dancehall supremo for his artistry, what he did for the dancehall genre, but more importantly, his role as a symbol for struggle and voice for oppressed people everywhere......and Zimbabwe is no exception.

We spoke to the organiser of the show, one Tawanda Tsoka, better know as Tawastok who said that plans were afoot to make this an annual event.

"This is only the first show that we have done in recognition of what Vybz Kartel means to dancehall and all of us as individuals. We are more than happy to join the rest of the world in honouring this man whose work and undeniable talent have made him immortal!

"Since Zimbabwe is one of the biggest consumers of dancehall, we felt compelled to honour this true icon and we will make sure to celebrate this day annually from now on", he said.

Tawastok spoke glowingly of the controversial but talented Jamaican and shared some of his fondest memories of Kartel.

"From day one I have been one of Kartel's number one fans and I saw the transformation of the dj from a mere underground artist to arguably the biggest dancehall act of our time and I am sure for many generations to come as well.

"I believe that he has done enough to merit all this attention around him, he added that glamour to 'ghetto levity' and showed us ghetto youths that you can be what you want to be if you believe in yourself and the talent you possess.

" I followed his progress since the days when he made a mockery of the likes of Ninjaman and Mavado on stage during the famed Sting clashes. It was then that I knew he was truely destined for the stars and not even jail can put a man like that down or take away his talent", said Tsoka.

Headlining the belated birthday celebrations is Boss Dk, Sky toppa, Marcus Mosaiah Garvey sound and City Angels. The list also includes Zimbabwe's own next generation of stars, the likes of I RATTY(mwana wamambo), TATIANA (Boss lady, dancer and singer) and Da Shocca(fresh from S.A), to mention a few.

"People underrate talent but we try by all means to fight for them so that they make it because most of us are tired of the same old line up.

" These artists deserve their chance to shine as well, after all, they are the future of our industry", said Tawastok.

In the event that his idol was to one day come across this article, we asked the 'ghetto journalist' if he had any special message for the incarcerated dj, this is what he had to say,

"I would like to tell him that, be strong my brother and never give up your fight for justice!

"You have inspired a whole generation of youths, your songs, your message will forever be etched in our hearts and minds.........and on that note, Gaza me seh... !!!!!!!