Cash payments and beefs rather out of style now
We must applaud the organisers of the maskandi music events in Kwazulu-natal – the love for that genre is beyond imagination.
We were back to yet another maskandi annual event, the Umbuso Wamaciko Maskandi Music Festival at Curries Fountain in Durban on Saturday.
As usual there was lot of drama before the event started. I’m saying this because of the whole saga around the organiser, Geh Ngcobo, who began by showing off the stacks of money he was going to pay the maskandi artists.
I see the Mamkhize tendencies of paying people in hard cash runs deep in the sunny province. Surely, we can do better as black people, and pay performers the “normal way” instead of throwing cash around. Aowa. Let’s disabuse ourselves from funny stuff.
Ngcobo did go ahead to pay artists upfront. I appreciate that you paid every artist that you had booked upfront to avoid negative publicity around your event as many had been complaining of being undermined by some event organisers in the province. However, be careful of the taxman. You can’t be paying people in cash and not attract negative attention from the South African Revenue Service. Remember Dr Malinga and his tax woes? Relax, and run your business in an orderly manner.
There wasn’t any drama this time around as the two rivals, Khuzani Mpungose and Mthandeni Manqele, avoided each other. I was touched by a tribute song performed by award-winning young maskandi artist Ntencane Zondi, which he dedicated to the late Mijikijelwa Ngubane. Your humbleness, my boy, will take you places and I like the fact that fame has not changed you. Congratulations on your new car. We heard you are one of a few maskandi artists to buy a brand-new Mercedes-benz – bravo, Shwashwi loves it when people do well – it is such a turn-on.
Ey, I finally met Smirnoff Gumede, who sings Imali Yase-absa. If that one can remain grounded, he is going places because he loves his craft.
Just a piece of advice – focus on your music. Don’t be like other artists in the genre who believe in starting fights with rival artists being the best way to get noticed. People recognise and appreciate talent, not unnecessary “beefs” that get you nowhere.
I fail to understand why maskandi artists would want to behave like US hip-hop stars of the 80s and 90s. The world has moved on from that nonsense, unless you’re AKA or Cassper, who still believe beef sells.
There was also actor, social media influencer and singer Quality Biyela. The swag from these maskandi artists’ is on another level. You have done so well, “Biyela Onezinto Zakhe”, as he normally puts it.
Keep preaching the word of being neat, and by the way, you must never forget your friend Smirnoff for helping you reach for the stars in terms of your album. What are you beefing about with Intaba Yasedubai? I heard you said he can’t sing. It was exciting to see Mroza Fakude performing his latest offerings. I must say it is strange to watch Shwi performing alone on stage. Yes, he’s still the best but you need your partner Mtekhala back. Please sort out your differences because to me you are both talented and we need more music from you. Your famous Ngafa song made many people happy. It’s sad to see people behind an album that sold over 750000 go their separate ways. This is one of the most painful divorces the industry has witnessed. If I were president for a month, I would ban the breakup of popular acts. The country is being terrorised at an alarming rate. It has become fashionable for music acts to make South Africans fall in love with them and later go their separate ways. That should be criminalised. This time around the legendary Thokozani Langa got his time on stage and he did not disappoint – class is indeed permanent.
There were over 15 maskandi artists and all of them managed to get their time on stage; Sgwebo, DSD, Zanefs – the list is endless.