OCTOBER 2020 Still we Rise © BIG BANG MAG 2020 NEW ERA FOR THE YOUTH Markus Spiske CONTENTS Kareem (01-02) Sade (03-04) Megamenia (05-07) Celeste (08-10) Cashkarii (11-12) Dj Bahle (13) Addict (14-15) keegan (16-17) S kay Muzik (18) Basik (19) Kareem Born in Oakland California, Kareem grew up playing sports influenced by his father Kwame Nitoto. He eventually gained a collegiate scholarship to the University of Hawaii to play basketball, Earning a conference honours there. He then transferred schools to UC Riverside to be closer to his family and continued his collegiate career. There in Riverside he developed his love for art and fashion and began styling and designing clothes as well as writing music. After he graduated from UC Riverside, Kareem travelled the world playing professional basketball and dove deeper into modelling, designing and music. After his brief professional career Kareem decided he would be much happier home in his community mentoring and coaching his youth basketball program Team Arsenal AAU while he developed as an model and designer. Currently Kareem is a influencer for multiple brands and is in full pursuit of his modelling and acting career. He continues to give back to his community through coaching and developing basketball talent in the San Francisco Bay Area. He’s also is working closely with his father in Accra Ghana looking to continue to bridge the gap between athletes also looking to pursuing his education and basketball careers in the States. Five years from now Kareem looks to doing several campaigns of modelling for major brands as well as and launching his own brand. Also becoming an agent. Kareem Nitoto 01 Kareem states that criticism comes with the territory. Being an entrepreneur and model isn’t easy at all. “Most people doubt me, most people think my dreams are far from reality but I’ve overcome too many obstacles and continue to reach what most view improbable”. In the near future expect to see him in some Independent film work and his designing work to be more developed, he will be releasing a look book and tons of modelling and styling. 02 Sade Mixo Hlungwani also known as Sade, grew up in Rabie Ridge kanana [Midrand], she is a fun person who loves dogs and is very outgoing, she also loves people, modelling, basketball and her favourite place to be is Church. She fell in love with modelling when her friend opened his company called Mareline media group, she started off working behind the scenes operating cameras, she was then approached by Grandmark modelling agency to be part of the management team, her eyes were caught by the pageants they hosted, “I got comfortable with the camera and that's how it started for me”. She did not attend any fashion modelling course which shows that modelling is in her blood, after matric she applied at UJ for BA in Corporate Strategic communication which is still in progress, she took some time off and took a learner ship at HEINEKEN SA and studied at Optimum Learning Technologies which she is completing this year and is heading back to UJ next year to finish off her degree. 03 Her ultimate goals when it comes to modelling are actually endless, she would love to join Miss Tembisa until she escalates to Miss SA and Miss Universe, there after she wants to go into runway modelling and portraits, she hopes to model for Rich Mnisi who is a power house when it comes to fashion. “I see a lot of progress because of the support I get from the people I've worked with, I am surrounded by amazing people in the industry who are willing to work hard with me to reach the end goal”. She states that modelling needs a focused person, her current challenge at the moment is exposure, she has to grind and hustle for gigs, “I have to negotiate and use good business tactics to get exposure which keeps one's head in the game and humble” the other challenge she is faced with is getting sponsors for donations and charitable work which she is currently working hard to get. I hope to accomplish Miss SA and Miss Universe, through that I can help more people with donations, community work and so much more as it will be easier also to get sponsors for the needy than it is now. She is also a dancer who is also working on opening a dance studio in the hood where kids with the passion for dance can come and express themselves in a safe environment, another benefit for this studio is that we will prepare them for competitions and also give them exposure and work hard to score gigs for them. Work smart, it is not easy and just because you face a few challenges it doesn't mean it's not possible, follow your passion and once you find it, give it your all, don't be ashamed to break out of your shell and don't forget to Pray. 04 MegaMenia Helly Mafetsa Born and raised in Limpopo, Phalaborwa, it was kind of difficult for him to be himself in an environment that's far from everything, but he had basically no idea what he was called for, or what his true purpose was. “During my days of high school all I ever knew was to study science and maths cause I grew up in a mining area, along my journey of life”, His interests suddenly twisted and he fell Inlove with hip hop but nobody believed he could be great in that field. He had doubts too, he then went to college to study electrical Engineering, but problems came along the way, his family couldn't afford to pay for his fees anymore, by that time had love for fashion and music, so he decided to drop out because his parents had nothing, he was only given R2500 to pay for my fees which was still not enough, so he took the money to buy a camera, and told himself that he will go to Johannesburg to pursue his true passion in fashion and hip hop, whilst he was in Pretoria he had already applied He spent most of his time at Tshwane University of Technology that is when outside state theatre with the he ended up studying Engineering, along his journey he lost interest in fashion and music but person who taught him about deep down it was still in him. He had his camera the basics of photography, all with him, he kept on using it until he developed a good eye for pictures, then he opened his his time was spent on YouTube company while studying and saving [NSFAS] were he perfected his craft. money to fund for what he truly loves. 05 The challenges he faced when starting his business were money related and also not being able to sustain his business, it was difficult to describe what Megamenia was about when he did not have the right team on his side, it took a while for him to actually find himself and it was not easy. 06 “The most painful thing was saving money while people went out to have fun, I've spent my days trying to meet people so that my company could be uplifted to a better level, I've fought with clients due to how due to bad communication, but those failures made me who I am today, I lost friends because I was simply honest and real with them”. When it comes to achievements he states that he is not where he wants to be yet, but he has had a great opportunity to work with a few celebrities, he also had the opportunity to showcase his skills in most of the richest neighbourhoods in Pretoria, he has worked with countless private media companies, and has won best creative photographer on Mega artists magazine which is established in Polokwane, he has been on an article on Pretoria news along with my team for phenomenal Art, “its not much but I appreciate the blessings”. 07 Celeste Celesty Esmerilda Rita Magou She came to Johannesburg on the 13th of January 2016 like any young person she was ready to start with her education and get 6 figures but life turned out different. Celeste was staying with her mother in an informal settlement due to circumstances she was facing, she had to go look for a job than to continue with her tertiary studies, she got the job at a retail store called brand mania where she was earning R11,59 a hour. “Life continued and like any young lady I started having fun, Up to a point I realize that I don’t deserve to go out and have fun because I didn’t work for it”. Her mother got her into a nursing course which cost roughly around [R15 000] for a year and the qualification would’ve been a NQL4 and during that time she was also working part time on weekends at the same store, it turned out that the school was not registered all that money went down the drain. 09 During that time she realized that she must do something she had to find a way out of that tricky situation. Celeste started small by selling stuff like Tupperware, Avon just to make a living, during that period she was accumulating selling techniques. “At first I used to be very concerned about what people have to say so that affected me”. What made changed her views in life was the situation she was caught up in she had to come back to her senses mind you she was still staying in a [01] room shack. One particular morning she woke up very tired and discouraged and the place she woke up in was an eye opener in her life. She realised that this is not the life she wanted, she woke up with a different view of life. “I went out and I sold those lipsticks and got enough money to join Herbalife plus I wanted the body”. She had to set some goals that she would have to achieve. By so doing she finally got her way around everything, she got some customers and which I must say it was an eye opener. “The people that are close to you are more likely not to support you but people outside your ring that would contribute to your dream”. 10 Cashkarii Dakari Sams Up and coming artist based out the Bay Area [USA]. Originally from Richmond California but moved to Vallejo at a young age. He resided there for the majority of his teenage years until went to College. “Sadly I am a college dropout lol but I realized that school wasn’t something that I wanted to do”. He would rather put all his time and energy into his life and pursue his career as an artist. Growing up he had so many musical inspirations. Just to name a few: Young Thug, Lil Wayne, Cheif Keef, Earl Sweatshirt who is South African but is based in the states and many more. 11 He has been rapping for as long as he can remember but he has never officially released music until this year. It was always something he just did for fun. His close friends and family saw the potential in his craft and they gave him the push he needed in order to start taking his music career serious. “Recently I've been struggling with staying creative due too the hard times everyone is going through but I just been trying to stay positive”. Pertaining his craft he has a lot of plans for the end of the year. He is going to be shooting a lot more visual and drop his mixtape which he currently working on is. I just want say I appreciate you all for showing me love from all the way across the world and I want you all to know that all the support does not go unnoticed. Photo Credits : @Anttreeo, @93rnm and @Cannedfilm 12 DJ BAHLE Nobahle Mpolongwana House Music, Gqom and Deep house DJ Bahle is one of the most recognised DJ in Soweto she was born and raised in Johannesburg city she started her musical journey when she was 18 years old after being presented with an opportunity to work using virtual Dj. Her brother spotted her hidden talent and he persuaded her to dig deeper. She started off as an underground DJ till she finally graduated from Numark Dj Academy where she did a [3] month course, even though she faced some hardships throughout the journey she managed to get it all done. She is very focused when it comes to her skills on Afro house and House music, these two genres combined with her skills shake the dance floors of every place she is called to come and Dj. Her vision is to work with other Djs and work on dropping music that will lend her at the top of the music charts, with support from her mother who plays a major role in her career, she has strived to do more and also push her movement by hosting events and getting into the production side of things in the music side of things. This is just the beginning for the young female Dj, watch the space. 13 Addict Katleho Monyobo Addict is a [20] year old student at Wits Medical School as well as an aspiring music producer and an all-round creative. His creative journey began when he was [14] years old when he used to write poetry and that eventually evolved to rap. He always loved how creative people could portray their feelings through endless arrays of mediums, whether it be words, visuals or sound, it was always interesting to him. Growing up in Bloemfontein in the Free State, with a Doctor and Prosecutor for parents, non-traditional career interests, like music or entertainment in general, weren’t really encouraged and he always felt like he didn’t belong to some degree because of that he therefore spent a lot of time alone in his solitude, he found music, his one and only true love. He was influenced by the likes of Drake, Lil Wayne, B.O.B and G-Eazy to name a few and at the age of [16] he decided to try and make his own music. He then began to listen to more South African music and that is when he discovered Soundcloud, the music streaming app that changed his life. 14 “I heard how unique everybody in the “new wave” was and I knew I had find people around my age that were serious about their careers in the entertainment industry and I was hooked”. His childhood dream has always been to run an organization that created a generation of phenomenal artists with his move to Johannesburg in 2018, he knew he was at the right place. The decision to leave home to pursue a career in medicine was very difficult, but he knew that he had to be in Gauteng to make his entertainment dream come true. He met amazing and humble creatives such as Pencilxvisuals, Onehouraway and Elohimxvii, they have inspired and moulded him into who he is today. In 2019 he and pencilxvisuals founded MOTUS Media, a media house that would provide a home for all the talented creatives they had come across and had the privilege of working with, whether it be visual artists, make up artists, photographers, models, stylists or musicians, the aim is to connect the aspiring creatives of tomorrow and build their individual brands under one brand centred collective. “My greatest gift is my ability to motivate people and with MOTUS I aim to motivate and inspire my fellow creatives to pursue their dreams to the best of their ability. The entertainment industry in Johannesburg is a dog eat dog world and the reason most people fail is because someone convinced them to give up or they weren’t receiving the necessary recognition to carry on. I realize I cannot change the way it works but I have met so many talented individuals that have not been given a chance to showcase their talents and do not have a support structure that encourages them to pursue their creative goals”. Most people lose the fire that used to exist inside of them and end up settling for mediocrity, they let their dreams die and they continue to haunt them. Addict wants to help these people make their dreams come true, in whatever way possible. He wants people to know that they can achieve all they put their minds to and to do that, he needs to achieve all of his goals to show them it’s possible. He is on his way to becoming a star, he is currently building a music production studio and he has already started working with musicians and he hopes to release the first project out of this production house around July 2021. Many people say he is crazy for pursuing two completely unrelated careers and aiming to succeed in both. “We only live once, I’d find it crazy not to try”. 15 Rules to live a happier life LOVE YOURSELF BE POSITIVE HUSTLE HARD CHASE YOUR DREAM Keegan Bafana Mdluli It all started as a crazy dream within [02] brothers who had an idea to work while schooling in order to offer aid to their parents in a way their dream would still live on, Kidgraphy is yet to reach its peak. For a while it was hard since they weren’t getting booked for shoots, they then decided to start a photoshoot tour, the idea behind it was to show people that shoot are meant to be fun for everyone. Kidgraphy is a youth platform where shoots are at a reasonable price to promote the style of the youth. “basically we are told to act and feel in a certain way but KIDGRAPHY tries to break those beliefs and tries very hard to capture the perfect moments”. 16 17 S-kayMuzik Manqoba Belief Chambele Born in Themba hospital in Nelspruit, mamelodi east’s artist stared making music at the tender age of [14]. He grew up listening to music icons like Brown dash, Zola 7 and TKZ, Zola’s music gave him the kick to start writing lyrics for his music, he released some hot bangers last year [2019] . His music and authenticity granted him the opportunity to go on stage and show case his talent to the people who listen to his music giving them hope. He has been recognised by the likes of TAA [Tshwane Artist Association], he has performed at the famous Motsepe foundation which houses some of the biggest artists in South Africa. S-kay is a community activist founder of young leaders drug awareness and entertainment organization introducing art to prevent drugs in schools. The organization pushed a [67] school tour, which was a huge success, he is also a founder of the East Gang Movement which is aimed at helping talented artists get recognition. “We can all make it, only if we support each other”. 18 Basik Leonorah Moyo Johannesburg based, self-taught creative & technical professional. Her experience runs in editorial and creative direction for digital production and post-production. She has worked on branded, promotions and commercials, documentary, film, music videos, case study videos, and experimental videos. During this process, she is fully involved from conceptualizing to casting, styling, shooting, editing and sound design. Leonorah’s inspiration comes from her being alive. Visual and sonic arts are an integral part of the [5] senses to a certain extent, it's the study of human psychology. She also loves observing and re-enacting you get to give a message to many at one go. She is also as an introvert, it’s just comfortable for me to communicate in this form. Her seminal experience is the God Body project (2020), she states that its her favourite piece of work. She also touched on the topic that every artist faces in the art world which is known as exploitation of ideas which is something that affects a lot of artists. “I want my own production house, specifically for VFX, maybe connect Africa visually”. Looking at spaces like Nollywood she wonders how it would be like if we all put our resources together and tried to make spaces for creatives within our continent. 19 Writer Andiwa Ziqubu Creative Director Andiwa Ziqubu Editor Andiwa Ziqubu . Email @[email protected] Instagram @bigbangmag_za Twitter @bigbangmag_za Facebook @bigbangmagZA Contact Details 072 323 0482 2020 © BIG BANG MAG All RIGHTS RESERVED
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