It takes brilliance to cross borders and appeal to a global market. This is the level African music has risen to, almost overnight. It is as though a fire has been rekindled and that beam of light has fuelled an undying passion within the African musos.
We all feel the winds of change and those that are at the forefront of this revolution are truly legends in the making. Take a connoisseur like DJ C-Live, Tastemaker, extraordinaire as a prime example. This diverse entertainer has sort out to understand his consumers’ needs. Which is why when he drops a must-have-art-of-a-musical-genius like ‘The Taste Maker Mixtape’; you are guaranteed South African Hip Hop at its best. A red-themed, captivating, world class mixtape made with love and mixed with zeal. Get your hands on this product, it is definitively live.
It is also without a doubt that Nigeria is the place to be for African entertainment. First the growing Nollywood film industry, to the quality music production. Have you heard anything from Nigeria lately? I challenge you to get stimulated by a song called ‘Share My Blessings’ by Naeto C and Nigerian songstress Asa. You will enjoy this number!
The talent on our continent is raw and versatile. It is establishments like the Dizzy Monks to name a few that capitalise on the resources at our disposal, to raise the bar on our music industry. This is a complementary team of musically gifted individuals; leaving you in a slight state of nostalgia, reminiscent of the Wu-Tang Clan of Shaolin but bigger.
As the African adage goes, ‘kuguga othandayo’ (aging is a choice). Many of Africa’s musical veterans have caught on to the buzz and are keen on following the hi-tech direction that music is taking. These key role players know that it is the generation in the making that will make their work pure artistry. With enough collaboration and mentoring, this booming industry will be graced with institutional memory and a fresh knack for sound
This could easily be just another blog and yet another topic; only this time the music production in Africa is plucking at every heart’s string and taking over the rhythm of our nod. The best we can do to invest in this gold mine, is to support the artists by legitimately buying their products and getting out there networking and building brands.
So forget your number plate, your social network profiles and frivolous belongings; personalise your brand instead. What is your purpose in life? Now that is your ideal brand. You need some help? Think about what you would like written on your tombstone as your purpose in life.
