New Era

Standard Bank Namibia launches music festival

…growing the economy by investing in art

- Paheja Siririka - psiririka@nepc.com.na

Standard Bank Namibia in collaborat­ion with the Mshasho Record label launched the SB.09. MF (Standard Bank Music Festival) this week, a music gala to be hosted in September this year with no date set yet.

The initiator of the show or concept originator, Morocky Mbwaluh, famously known as King Tee Dee said they have already thought of the logistics surroundin­g the holding of the show, stating that hosting shows virtually has become a norm and they are not ruling that option out for now until regulation­s for the pandemic have been lifted or eased.

“The whole world is hosting shows virtually, you can buy the tickets and watch it from the comfort of your own home, wherever you are. We are hoping for the best. Once the government gives us the green light on how we can operate, it’s going to be a bonus for us to have people at the event but the show is not going to stop because of Covid-19, you can watch it from home,” clarified King Tee Dee.

He added: “Because of Covid-19, we couldn’t host last year and after we hosted our last show 29.09.2019, we had back and forth discussion­s with Standard Bank Namibia until they eventually gave in. We got to a point where they were happy about the show.”

Standard Bank Namibia’s representa­tive Margareth Mengo said the main reason for coming on board and investing in art is for the growth of the economy.

“The reason for being part of this project is for economic growth. The purpose of Standard Bank Namibia is to drive the growth in the country, and the growth is the people who live in the country. King

Tee Dee is a Namibian product, 100% Nam flavour. We heard and believe in his dream because he created an amazing platform where he hosted two successful events, we got the reviews and we decided to venture into it,” explained Mengo. She added at the end of the day, supporting such an initiative is best for Namibia and having faith in people that can take the country further.

“Believing in Namibia is important, every dream that speaks to us and aligns with our strategies and vision as a corporate, we will support where we can and that is what it’s about. We want to do this differentl­y because we are moving into a world where things are being done differentl­y,” highlighte­d Mengo.

In 2019, the then The Dogg hosted the final

same concert bidding farewell to that stage name to transition and rebrand to King Tee Dee and not to retire from music as previously thought and confused with.

“When I said retiring, it wasn’t me as a person- I was retiring The Dogg. I wanted to rebrand. A lot of companies and brands do that. Sometimes you just want something new, something that will connect with what’s happening now. For me that is all I wanted to do,” said King Tee Dee.

He added: “The Dogg was mainly Kwaito, with a lot of anger and all of that and I know people like how The Dogg was but I just rebranded. I am not going to move to another country. I am here to stay.”

Feminism in my country is outing rapists and seeing our brethren sit and laugh with the very same men who have defiled us. Feminism in my country is watching our rapists roam the streets with their head held high because they know the justice system will always fail us. Feminism in my country is waking up everyday and fighting the very same gender who is to protect us- it is fighting our fathers, our uncles, our brothers, male cousins, pastors, lecturers and friends. Feminism in my country rests on the shoulders of tired women- but we do not give up.

Within this generation, Feminism in my country has had the resurgence of fighting for radical change even when we know seeing change will be years from now. Feminism in my country has shackles around the feet of women who chant for our freedom. Shackles that are accompanie­d by phrases we are often too tired of explaining yet we still do it. Not all men are trash, surely, we ought to applaud Tom for opening a door for a lady. Feminism in my country is having god’s perfect creation breathe entitlemen­t down our necks when we say no to their advances. Sighing with privilege as the wealthy and well-protected take advantage of one of us because he knows the justice system will never side with us. Feminism in my country is crying while looking for our sisters- yet we do not give up.

Feminism in my country is fighting our political leaders and the justice system. Feminism in my country is double texting our leaders that it is a good day to resign even when we are left on reading. Feminism in my country is protesting and facing police brutality in their face and telling them #OnsIsMoeg. Feminism in my country is begging our leaders to legalise abortion and let us have rights to our bodies. Feminism in my country is teaching grown men about bodily autonomy as they do not already know it is not their body. Feminism in my country is teaching grown men consent. It is constant teachings that, consenting to sex is not consenting to a baby. Feminism is fighting to protect our bodies- yet we do not give up.

Feminism in my country is a great experience. It is building safe havens for ourselves when we find each other in the bathrooms. Feminism in my country is going to pee with my drink and getting the whole squad to accompany me to the bathroom. Feminism in my country is constantly living in fear. But, feminism in my country is reminding each other that, today and always, we fight. We do not give up and we do not surrender. We will twerk to show that the freedom we seek, we will find it. We will twerk to WAP to express our sexual joy, pleasure and freedom, and show the indulgence in the power of seduction, the erotica and sexiness of consent. We will cry, yet, we will not give up. We will show up, continuous­ly, without fear, without fail and we will do so for generation­s to come.

• Frieda Mukufa’s lifestyle section concentrat­es on womenrelat­ed issues and parenting every Friday in the New Era newspaper.

 ?? Photo: Paheja Siririka ?? Hosts… King Tee Dee, Pombili, DJ Castro and DJ Dreas, Paul Da Prince and Standard Bank’s Margareth at the launch of the Standard Bank Music Festival.
Photo: Paheja Siririka Hosts… King Tee Dee, Pombili, DJ Castro and DJ Dreas, Paul Da Prince and Standard Bank’s Margareth at the launch of the Standard Bank Music Festival.
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