Eastern Cape: Injongo MUSICWIK was not agreeably received

Subsequent to INJONGO MUSICWIK Auditions, there were complaints from artists about the outcomes of the event, others were complaining of the guy who got the first price while he was performing Chris Brown's songs, they say he was not being original as according to one of the judges criteria.

 A source who wanted to remain anonymous enquired, "How can you take Gospel people to come and judge Hip Hop artists and poetry? Continued the source, “Of course they will choose an RNB singer because vocals are what they like most". Another query was about the people who were awarded as Legends in Buffalo City Metro (BCM) music, amongst the artists that were there, the question was what scale was being used to regard others as legends over others.

 As a concerned student and an artist from Walter Sisulu University, who is much more interested a lot in entertainment news I took an initiative to take this matter down from the roots. I visited Mr Sivuyile Vovee Batala to brief me more about INJONGO MUSICWIK, what was the task behind this event and what he had to say about these accusations.

He explained to me, that INJONGO MUISICWIK was an initiative from Vovee Music Productions but they got partners involved like SOUND FANTASTIC, AYANA COMMUNICATIOS, and VALNAGE PRODUCTIONS that does media and camera works etc. After getting these companies on board they asked the municipality to give them the hall and some money for prizes or something. The initiative was not from government.

It's a development platform for aspiring artists and others that are already there. It was just to share for the upcoming, established because the auditions went all over Buffalo City looking for talent to develop. The auditions were specifically for the upcoming artists but however they did the established as well. They recorded a live DVD for them on the 23^rd of September, the shooting was for those who have albums and established but do not have a video. Then Saturday the 24^th they hosted an upcoming artists finals, the first position received R10 000 and the second received R5000.

On Sunday they had to honour those people who played a role in developing artists in BCM, people like Mandla Makhubalo, Koko Godlo, Erol Wilson, Lulama Gawulayo, Obrie Manuel, Dj Tulz, Veliswa Skeyi, there were about twenty-five legends who were awarded there.

So the awards were not awarded only to gospel legends? "No, all music like myself as I’m standing here because I have produced music from nobody to top stars, not gospel only. Koko Godlo is a Kwaito producer who produced the popular Mashava (Sic, Mashava is no longer popular), Super, you can count them. Dj Tulz is a house producer too and have produced a lot of artist out of Mdantsane, those are the people who were awarded there” Vovee answered.

I asked Mr Batala about the query coming from artists that the guy who received the 1^st prize there didn't deserve the price because he was not being original as according to one of the criteria that were used by the judges; he was singing Chris Brown’s songs…

"His song might have not be original, only on that point, out of many things that we were judging according to maybe (Mind the “maybe”) he failed on that point only and all the other fifteen points he got them more than anyone else" said Vovee.  Creativity is not only when you sing your own song but you can sing someone else’s song and still be creative about it. Points were also given from the audience if they are impressed then the artist get points according to that.

Why developing an upcoming who is sitting there doing nothing that might disappear out of the blue after the prize has vanished because s/he got it on a silver plate. You can help develop someone who’s out there hustling and got singles out playing on radio because R10 000 would have been a great wake up call for that particular person to hustle even better. "We've chosen upcoming because they need money while the developing artist has money, however they don’t but they have a product, they are established" said Vovee.

INJONGO MISICEWIK called SEDA to come on board so that these established can be thought on how to register themselves as business entrepreneurs. Then will assist them on marketing strategies and branding them because established artist(s) of BCM fail only when it comes to marketing, they have the products but don’t have ways to sell those. In conclusion Vovee said, "These established don’t need money but knowledge which IJONGO MUSICWIK with SEDA will soon provide to them by workshops.”

Story by Rawmenticw Sobetwa / Rawmenticw is a guest writer/Leave your comment for me below the comment box or click on the “contact us” page tab to see my profile.

©The views expressed above do not in any way represent GoXtra News, but are those of the concerned writer. 2011. Follow us on twitter here  Find us on Facebook here /leave your comments below or email: editor@goxtranews. For publication ERRORS: publisher@goxtranews.com