ENTERTAINMENT
ISSUE 3 | NOV\DEC
CONTROVERSIES & CANCEL CULTURE
IOL
Zodwa Wabantu and controversy ... like a moth to a flame LIAM KARABO JOYCE LOCAL entertainer Zodwa Wabantu found herself on the trend list recently after a video of her taking off her underwear on stage went viral. Described by some social media users as uncomfortable to watch, the star can be seen pulling down her underwear while performing and twirling them around in the video, which she shared on her Instagram account. She wrote: "Authentic! Genuine! There's Zodwa Wabantu in everyone." While some South Africans expressed concern over the video, Zodwa, who made a name for herself by being comfortable with nudity, is not fazed. In fact, days after posting the video the reality star posted another video in which she thanked those around her for their support. An emotional Zodwa said that she was thankful to people who sit in board meetings and ask her to become involved in projects. “I am so grateful. All the people who make that decision to say we want Zodwa Wabantu on board, all the major deals and booking, our friends who say our names, even when we are not there, thank you, thank you for choosing my name,” she said. Media personality Lerato Kganyago commented on Zodwa’s post, saying: “You are LOVED. You are real, unapologetically yourself. “You undermine nobody, you respect those that respect you. God will keep blessing you abundantly, because hawuna mona! You want everyone to do well. We appreciate you.”
Inside... Four celebrities who felt the sting of cancel culture
4-7
Dave Chappelle:The Closer criticised for homophobic & transphobic jokes
8-9
FROM THE EDITOR
Bujy’s physical altercation with Boity isn’t an LGBTQI+ issue, it’s a man issue.
10-13
Why celebs like Ntsiki Mazwai keep getting dragged on social media
14-15
Being Bonang in name, but not rights
16-17
The backlash to the cast of The Wife is a reminder that we need to move away from the soapie genre to free up actors
18-19
The Harder They Fall celebrated for being the change Hollywood needs to see with its all-black cast
20-21
Nedbank brand story
22-23
Two of the most controversial artists of our time
24
Reality bites for these shows that got tongues wagging...
25
CONTACT US PUBLISHER | Vasantha Angamuthu vasantha@africannewsagency.com EDITOR | Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za EXECUTIVE EDITOR: LIFESTYLE | Nelandri Narianan nelandri.narianan@inl.co.za PRODUCTION | Renata Ford renata.ford@inl.co.za DESIGN | Mallory Munien mallory.munien@inl.co.za BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | Keshni Odayan keshni.odayan@inl.co.za SALES Charl Reineke | charl@africannewsagency.com GENERAL ENQUIRIES | info@anapublishing.com
IN OUR third quarterly IOL Entertainment magazine, we look at the world of celebrities as they find themselves embroiled in controversies and, in some cases, faced the very real possibility of being cancelled or are clawing their way out of the doghouse, so to speak. When it comes to celebrities, public rows are par for the course. But the adulation of fans, and the industry, by and large, has a ceiling. In this era of #MeToo and GBV-awareness, celebrities are held accountable for what they say and do. And it doesn’t matter how much clout you have in the industry, if you cross a line, you could very well be crossed off everyone’s list. In this issue, we look at those close calls with cancel culture and the controversies that grabbed headlines. At the moment, Somizi Mhlongo went from media darling to outcast in the blink of an eye. While it remains to be seen if he has been cancelled, he is proof that accountability transcends status and industry clout. He isn’t the only one, though. Comedian Dave Chappelle came under fire for his homophobic and transphobic jokes in Dave Chappelle: The Close. And he continues to feel the heat with his unapologetic stance on his Netflix show. Following his recent physical altercation with Boity Thulo, Bujy Bikwa proved that it wasn’t an LGBTQI+ issue, it was a man issue. We also unpack the recent furore with Bonang Matheba in a legal tug-of-war with her former management agency CSA Global over the rights to House of BNG. Don’t miss the shows that got tongues wagging as well. Enjoy!
Debashine
Cancel Culture DEBASHINE THANGEVELO and SHINGAI DARANGWA
THERE was a time when celebrities could get away with murder. But this was when a patriarchal society was the puppet master in the industry. Below are a few celebrities who came close to being cancelled
Mel Gibson WHEN it was recently revealed that the John Wick spin-off TV series The Continental had cast Mel Gibson as the lead, fans took to social media to express their disapproval. After all, this is the same Gibson whose rap sheet includes several documented incidents of antisemitic abuse, domestic violence, racism and sexism. “If we can’t keep Mel Gibson cancelled,” one Tweep noted, “then cancel culture 100% does not exist.” It’s been a decade since the actor was caught on tape admitting to hitting his former partner Oksana Grigorieva, who recorded him saying: “You look like a f****n b***h on heat and if you get r***d by a pack of n****s it will be your fault.” Oh, and who can forget how in 2006 an allegedly drunk Gibson launched an antisemitic verbal attack on a Jewish Los Angeles police officer who’d pulled him over, claiming “the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world”. If Gibson made any of these controversial comments this year, it’d be difficult to see him ever overcoming the public backlash.
Somizi Mhlongo HE went from being a media darling to an outcast. Yes, Mhlongo is known for being outspoken and might have ruffled a feather or two with his candour but no one minded. Looking back, the adoration of fans didn’t waver even when there was rampant speculation about his marriage to Mohale Motaung being on the rocks. He’s no stranger to controversy. Earlier this year, he doxed journalists from local publications for running “fake news” about him and he was unapologetic about it. But what really stung recently though were news reports of him being physically abusive towards his estranged husband. There was a noticeable change in attitude toward him. Several publications reported that Motaung, in an interview with the producers of Living the Dream with Somizi, claimed that his husband tried to kill him with a kitchen knife, among other allegations. In a statement issued shortly after, Mhlongo said: “I have loved loudly and proudly and, as such, you all have experienced parts of our relationship by virtue of my reality show, our wedding special on TV and our social media platform. Now, you are also audience to what has, sadly, become a breakup between two people laced by defamation.” He added: “Our relationship has had its ups and downs but I have never been physically or knowingly emotionally abusive towards my estranged husband. I vehemently deny the allegations of criminal acts towards him and would like to clear my name of that defamation. “What I am going to state, however, is that we had one altercation in which I had to defend myself and both of us were physically hurt by the other. I am, at this stage, not at liberty to dive deeper into the details but can state that he is not a victim in this situation.” Meanwhile, the fallout from the allegations was immediately felt by Mhlongo. First, Mzansi and many celebrities sided with Motaung. M-Net asked him to take time off as a judge on the long-running reality show Idols SA. He was also relieved of his on-air duties at Metro FM. Of course, in PR speak these “considerate” gestures to allow him the time needed to resolve his personal issues were basically their way of saying, if a stance was not taken, a reprisal from the public would be most damaging for the brand. In the meantime, Mhlongo seems to have adopted a low-key approach while Motaung is seemingly living his best life with opportunities popping up left, right and centre. Once again, it goes to show that it doesn’t matter how big a name you are. When your reputation is tarnished, you become a social pariah.
DaBaby A RUNNING joke in hip hop circles is that DaBaby has been making different versions of the same song for years now. As if stuck in a time loop, his beats sound like remakes of old songs and he seems to be recycling the same flow. His proclivity for controversy has been unwavering, too. Although the 29-year-old has been around for a while, it’s only after his majorlabel debut studio album Baby on Baby was released in 2019 that he blew up and became a mainstream success. Since then, he’s made a point of doing whatever it takes to stay relevant, flooding the internet with remixes of other artists’ songs and releasing new music at a frantic pace. At times, his helter-skelter approach to his career has led to some major public mishaps. Last year, perhaps the best year of his career despite the coronavirus pandemic, he slapped a female fan on the way to the stage for a performance after she allegedly hit him on the head with her cellphone. After a weak apology, the drama from that episode blew over quickly as his career continued to skyrocket. A few months ago, during a live performance at the Rolling Loud Festival in Miami, DaBaby sparked a social media firestorm when he told festival-goers to hold their phones in the air unless they had HIV or were gay men who had performed oral sex in the parking lot. Despite issuing a couple of half-hearted apologies, the rapper was dropped from the Lollapalooza festival, Austin City Limits Festival and a host of other shows and commercial deals over the following weeks. Cancel culture has been unforgiving this year, but DaBaby has come under fire more harshly than most. Artists like T.I., Boosie Badazz, 50 Cent, Nick Cannon and Tory Lanez came out in his defence but it’s going to be a long road for DaBaby now. It might be time for him to try out some new flows.
Chrissy Teigen WHEN Teigen’s 2011 cyberbullying incident with model and TV personality Courtney Stodden broke this year, she issued an apology on social media. Despite her apology, Teigen faced immense backlash. While Stodden accepted the apology, she pointed out that she was blocked by Teigen, who, since the incident has had to do much introspection. More so, with reality TV star Farrah Abraham confirming that she was also on Teigen’s radar and was bullied by her. And let’s not forget about that public spat with designer Michael Costello, where her hubby John Legend stepped in to defend her. Following the Stodden trolling incident, Teigen stepped back from a voice-over role in Never Have I Ever, a Netflix comedy with Mindy Kaling as the lead, as well as Safely, a home cleaning line that she launched with Kris Jenner in March this year. In a recent interview on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, she announced her 100 days sobriety and revealed that she is hoping to learn from the incident.
Comedian under fire
'Dave Chappelle: The Closer' criticised for homophobic & transphobic jokes SHINGAI DARANGWA
DAVE Chappelle's new Netflix special, The Closer, the final instalment in his sixset Netflix deal, received backlash online for its overt attacks towards the LGBTQI+ community. Chappelle has garnered critical acclaim over the years for pushing the envelope with his social commentary. But on this special, as if taking advantage of the fact that it’s his final show from his lucrative Netflix deal, the comedian unleashes a sustained transphobic attack unlike any we’ve seen on the platform. At one point, in his apparent defence of JK Rowling's widely condemned comments on trans-women last year, Chappelle even goes so far as to declare himself a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist). He also comes out in support of rapper DaBaby, who's faced sustained criticism for his homophobic comments during a show a few months ago, and used criticism of DaBaby to try and juxtapose how society unjustly makes more of a fuss over homophobia than about systemic racism and the killing of black people. “You know I go hard in the paint, but even I saw that sh** and was like, ‘G**damn, DaBaby!’... He punched the LGBTQ community right in the AIDS. Can’t do that,” he quipped. “In our country, you can shoot and kill a n****, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings,” he continued, referencing a 2018 incident where DaBaby shot and killed a black man at a Walmart in North Carolina. It’s a lazy joke that ignores the fact that DaBaby was not charged after he was adjudged to have acted in self-defence. The premise (or rather, excuse) for all this homophobia and transphobia, it seems, is that the groups he is attacking are more privileged than black people and that white
gay people talk down to black people when it suits them. This argument doesn’t hold up. Instead, it feels like an excuse to let loose the homophobic and transphobic vitriol he’s been teasing for years. In fact, many black people and some civil rights organisations, who he would have you think subscribe to his theory (including the National Black Justice Coalition), have condemned the special and urged Netflix to remove it from the platform. Almost from the moment The Closer debuted, several celebrities and industry insiders have taken Chappelle to task for his anti-trans jokes. Dear White People executive producer Jaclyn Moore, whose show has aired on Netflix for four seasons, said on Twitter that she would no longer work with the streamer “as long as they continue to put out and profit from blatantly and dangerously transphobic content.” She went on to add: "I love so many of the people I've worked with at Netflix. “Brilliant people and executives who have been collaborative and fought for important art. “But I've been thrown against walls because, ‘I'm not a 'real' woman’. I've had beer bottles thrown at me. So, Netflix, I'm done." GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) responded to the special by saying: "Dave Chappelle's brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalised communities. “Negative reviews and viewers loudly condemning his latest special is a message to the industry that audiences don't support platforming anti-LGBTQ diatribes." Not everyone has spoken out against the streamer.
Boity Thulo
Bujy’s physical altercation with Boity isn’t an LGBTQI+ issue LAST month, South Africans were shocked when news reports surfaced that media personality Boity Thulo and radio DJ Bujy Bikwa were involved in a physical altercation, at a hotel in Johannesburg. As quickly as the news broke, as quickly the internet started discoursing whether or not this altercation should be considered gender basedviolence or not – across Twitter, it became clear that the vast majority of users were on Thulo’s side. More details from the incident surfaced, including statements from both parties, along with several audio clips, giving more details about how things went left so quickly. Various members of the LGBTQI+ community were very vocal about how this incident should be classified as a GBV scenario, since Bikwa being gay had nothing to do with why he felt emboldened to physically assault a woman, but everything to do with him being a man. This came after he was already called out earlier this
year on his Queer Way of Life With Bujy podcast, not only for working with MacG, who has been labelled as a misogynist, homophobe and transphobe, but also for the topic around polyamory and the way one of the panellists described being an abuser with her previous partner. This incident had already put Bikwa on the wrong side of the queer community, with many members taking to social media so state that they would not be supporting him. The incident with Thulo again saw many queer people being vocal about Bikwa needing to suffer the consequences for his actions but, as usual, certain cisgender heterosexual people – specifically men – decided that the queer community was being quiet about the issue, giving the reason that they feel there wasn’t much noise coming was since Bikwa was part of the community and people were being biased. A similar discourse happened after the news of Somizi Mhlongo and Mohale Motaung's divorce, after Mohale made
>> Turn
>> Continued abuse allegations against his estranged husband. Even though the queer community was very vocal about believing the victim and making it clear that, when it comes to sexual assault or abuse, someone’s sexuality is irrelevant. The reason for this discourse or ill-informed hot-take from certain cishet people has two parts. On the one side, it’s homophobia disguised as concern and, on the other hand, it’s how they don’t see queer men as men. For those who don’t know, misogyny and patriarchy aren’t just indoctrinated and benefit cishet men. Queer men can be just as misogynistic and patriarchal as their cishet counterparts, the only distinction is that it presents differently. As such, when it comes to incidents like these, because certain cishet men don’t view queer men as men, they jump over the fact that the same systems, ideologies and, to a certain extent, privilege afforded to men includes gay men too. Meaning that the problem here isn’t the fact that Bujy is gay, but a man, which is a hard pill to swallow. Coupled with the fact that their courage posts have nothing to do with the wellbeing of Thulo in this scenario, but everything to do with taking this opportunity to have a “gotcha” moment on the LGBQTI+ community by using a woman’s traumatic experience to weaponise your homophobia, under the guise of caring about the victim. This is where a lot of the frustration stems from many queer people, when it’s regarding issues or incidents
that involve queer people, but have nothing to do with their queerness. Not only do they have to bring awareness to, in this case, physical assault, but also have to combat unnecessary queerphobia at the same time. This scenario with Bikwa was another great example of how homophobia will find its way into any situation where queer people are involved, whether it’s applicable or not. The calls from cishet people for the queer community to “cancel” Bikwa was particularly baffling. How do you cancel someone that you don’t support in the first place? Bujy’s, along with many other prominent gay men in South Africa's, entertainment has made it clear that queer people aren’t their audience. Therefore, the onus to cancel him can’t be placed on queer people. It’s the people that still support MacG, and his many spin-off projects, that need to take up that fight. You are the ones watching his podcast giving views and engagement. “Cancelling” someone isn’t a group project, you can decide who you want to support or not. Again, the issue about Bikwa’s physical altercation has got nothing to do with his queerness, but everything to do with him being a man. At the core of why Bikwa felt that he had to power to assault Thulo, without fear of long-lasting consequences, is the fact that in this country men – including queer men – can do the most egregious acts against women, or anyone, and then move one as nothing happened, but still have overwhelming support.
DJ Bujy Bikwa
Why these celebs keep getting dragged on social media
There is a fine line between being outspoken and an attention-seeker and some celebs keep crossing it... DEBASHINE THANGEVELO
WE live in an era where social media is at the epicentre of everything we do. On the mainstream front, apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok keep technosavvy users pretty busy. That’s not taking into account the deluge of less-popular platforms as well. Connecting with others locally and around the globe can be positive in that you get to interact with like-minded people, build your network, learn new things. But the benefits are not without drawbacks. There’s trolling, cyber-bullying, doxing, and attention-seeking to contend with, too. Celebrities, influencers and regular folk are all connected in this new way of life. And this is where things get interesting. In this society, where likes and followers are a sought-after currency, egos soar and, in so doing, the devil-may-care attitude of certain individuals. While cancel culture is a minor deterrent for celebs and influencers, the truth is that it is a terribly short-lived reality and many continue forging ahead in their careers. As such, many fearlessly cross that fine line between being outspoken and attention-seeking. I know I’ve rolled my eyes plenty of times when I stumble across certain posts. The more controversial they are, the more eyeballs they attract, though. Of course, when it is plain insensitive or in poor taste, said individuals get dragged. Should the flak prove
unbearable and/ or costly (as those highfalutin lifestyles don’t pay for themselves), they backtrack and apologise. There are, of course, a few repeat offenders who seem to get off on the attention. Mazwai rules the roost when it comes to finding fault with industry heavyweights. In fact, few have been spared the poet/ musician’s wrath to date. Or maybe their time is yet to come. Her litany of insults – some admittedly bordering on the absurd – go back several years. Remember when she threw shade at Pearl Thusi for trending after she landed a key role in the US series, Quantico? Mazwai felt she overshadowed the late Winnie Mandela’s 80th birthday. She also attacked Die Antwoord for “appropriating Xhosa culture”. This year, she didn’t hold back. She went after DJ Zinhle after she launched Hair Majesty. In her thread of rants, she chastised celebrities for glamorising and selling booze and foreign hair. She also likened the sales of weaves of peddling drugs. Her defamatory comments on embattled former radio personality Thato “DJ Fresh” Sikwane resulted in him obtaining a restraining order against her. She also challenged EFF’s Julius Malema over his lack of leadership in lockdown. More recently, she took a potshot at Queen B. She tweeted: “Rihanna is not self made. She is a character like a Bonang. Where whites inject
money and sell their projects thru them.” Even Thuso Mbedu was criticised for being “over-hyped”. Former radio host and podcaster MacG is guilty of slamming (and shaming) celebrities. Earlier this year, he got heat from the LGBTQI+ community for his transphobic comments. His slut-shaming of Boity Thulo didn’t sit well with the Twitterverse either. And not long after, he infuriated Bonang Matheba with defamatory comments made on his show and she retaliated with a lawsuit. As for rapper Cassper Nyovest, is there anyone he isn’t beefing with? Now that AKA is keeping a low profile since the tragic passing of his fiancé, Nellie Tembe, he has moved on to other artists, Prince Kaybee and Riky Rick being among them, as well as his detractors on social media. No one is spared his clapbacks, which he clearly feels entitled to. Thusi, on the other hand, seems to get into trouble for her bad timing more than anything else. Aside from her twars over colourism, she put her foot in it with a “Happy Lockdown” post and for an inappropriate response to a post on the passing of Khanyi Mbau and Lasizwe’s father. Even popular social media influencer Mihlali Ndamase felt the heat with an insensitive post about “looting Merc” while the country was in the throes of violent pillaging in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
‘Being Bonang' in name but not rights DEBASHINE THANGEVELO WHY are celebrities continuously being short-changed on contracts? The current lawsuit debacle with Bonang Matheba and her former management agency, Celebrity Services (CSA) Global, over the ownership rights of House of BNG has shone a light on this weighty issue. We know that the music industry is rampant with discords between artists and their record labels. Whether it’s a beef over the rights to their masters, or discontent over the actual contract, it usually ends on acrimonious terms. A perfect example is Taylor Swift’s battle with Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun of Big Machine Label Group circa the 2019 American Music Awards. Closer to home, rapper AKA (real name Kiernan Jarryd Forbes) weathered his share of legal battles. Last year, he took to Twitter to address his grievance with Reebok for allegedly not remunerating him for his collaboration on the SneAKA limited-edition sneaker collection. Then in August, AKA took legal action against the stakeholders’ Cake Media and MakhuduCom Media and the state broadcaster, after he was replaced by arch-rival Cassper Nyovest on The Braai Show. Now getting back to Matheba’s tug-of-war, how did it
come to this? In November 2017, she signed up as a client of CSA. They were her official management company, handling her various portfolios in entertainment, fashion and, of course, entrepreneurship. I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Matheba was already a success story when she joined. As one of the biggest stars in Mzansi, she had immense clout, especially on social media. Of course, Matheba signing up with a management company was prudent given that her cup runneth over with opportunities. In the same year that she signed up, she founded Bonang Matheba Entertainment. She has graced more covers than most female icons in the industry. While her autobiography From A to B sullied her flawless achievements, she bounced back with her reality show Being Bonang. Her documentary film Public Figure, got a fair amount of attention. And her prowess as a host is unparalleled. In March 2019, she launched House of BNG amid much fanfare. Anyone who questioned her ownership of the brand was shut down on social media. Two years later, here we are. CSA is accusing Matheba of spreading mistruths, claiming
she was aware of her legal standing with the House of BNG ownership rights. They also allege she neglected to honour her commitments with several brands, including her own. In Matheba’s interview with Sunday Times, she claimed: “I brought that business with me and asked them to facilitate some business activities on my behalf and on behalf of House of BNG.” A statement put out by CSA, read in part: “Ms Matheba and her lawyers are fully familiar with the terms of agreement in which it was stipulated from the onset, prior to joining CSA, that any IP, Trademark, copyright developed by CSA, shall remain in the possession of CSA, especially as we have not been paid to develop such assets, and we are the ones who carry all costs to develop such assets …” Matheba, who is now based in New York, isn’t letting go without a fight. And why should she? Her name, face and clout have been, and continues to be used, to promote the House of BNG. She has worked tirelessly to build her brand, and been exhaustively promoting House of BNG – even in a recent radio interview in the US. If this battle proves anything, it is that celebrities need to really brush up on their business acumen and seek solid legal advice before signing on the dotted line.
Celebrity Gossip
‘The Wife’, a reminder that we need to move away from the soapie genre BUHLE MBONAMBI WHEN the news that Dudu Busani Dube’s cult favourite books, the Hlomu series, were being adapted for screen as The Wife, there was excitement. So when the cast of the Zulu Brothers, the heroes (and villains) of the series, were announced and pictures shared, there was an uproar across all social media platforms. From WhatsApp and Instagram to tweets and Facebook posts, the people were outraged. Comments ranged from “They can keep the show” to “They have ruined my fantasy”, with many others questioning why the casting directors “betrayed” the fans. It was fascinating to watch. No other South African series garnered that much attention over the cast before. Hlomu: The Wife is a romantic drama with comedic moments about a journalist, Hlomu, who meets a taxi driver, Mqhele, falls in love and they quickly get married. But she doesn’t realise that he is not just a driver – he co-owns a taxi empire with his brothers and they are secretly wealthy. But she also soon realises that in order to be in the family, she has to turn a blind eye to many things the brothers need to do to stay ahead in the taxi industry. Busani-Dube, a journalist, wrote and selfpublished the series, which has four follow-up books. Themed after each brother’s wife or lover, the books follow the lives of the eight Zulu brothers, a formidable crime family, through the eyes of the women they love. The book series has become a cult classic, with follow-up books being quickly devoured by fans, and made Busani-Dube one of the most successful self-published authors in the country. The adaptation comes after years of fans asking the author to sell the rights to a production company, and producing a live action series or film. Finally it happened. Showmax commissioned three seasons of 40 episodes each, inspired by Dudu’s books
Hlomu: the Wife, Zandile the Resolute, and Naledi His Love. In the lead up to the show’s adaptation, many fans wanted Muzi Mthabela, Siyabonga Twala, Nay Maps, Siyabonga Radebe and Thembinkosi Mthembu to play some of the brothers. For months they have been doing their dream castings and going into detail about their choices and why the actors would be perfect for the roles. The cast and characters were discussed in great detail by many across social media and many sent their suggestions to Busani-Dube. They had fantasized about Nkosana, Mqhele, Qhawe, Mqoqi and the rest of the brothers for years and had expectations. Fans were expecting tall, dark-skinned actors with bulging “bug eyes”. They expected actors who resembled each other. They expected the image Busani-Dube painted for them in the books. They didn’t get that. Instead these actors have been cast in the series. Bonko Khoza (Necktie Youth) as Mqhele; Kwenzo Ngcobo (Imbewu) as Qhawe; Sipho Ndlovu (Isibaya, The Queen) as Sambulo; Safta winner Abdul Khoza (Isibaya, Kings of Joburg) as Nqoba; Mondli Makhoba (Umkhokha, Generations, Imbewu) as Nkosana; Safta nominee Thulane Nkululeko Shange (Is’thunzi, iNumber Number) as Mqoqi; Ishmauel Songo (Rhythm City, Tsotsi) as Mpande; and Swelihle Luthuli (eHostela) as Ntsika. The lead character, Hlomu, will be played by Mbalenhle Mavimbela, who has starred in Skeem Saam. These casting decisions that did not even go close to what fans of the series were expecting, are a reminder of how our industry’s reliance on the soapie and telenovela genre of TV storytelling, is problematic. Maybe the backlash to the cast of The Wife is what will make the industry realise what it is missing out on – variety for their actors and viewers.
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‘THE HARDER THEY FALL’ CELEBRATED FOR BEING THE CHANGE IN HOLLYWOOD
The cast will also be receiving the Ensemble Tribute at the 2021 Gotham Awards in New York City on November 29 DEBASHINE THANGEVELO HONESTLY, The Harder They Fall, it is deserving of attention as well as praise. The big-budget film is directed by Jeymes Samuel (aka The Bullitts). He also shares the producer credits with Jay-Z, James Lassiter and Lawrence Bender. G Mac Brown wears the hat of executive producer. So why is this film making so much noise ahead of its release? Well, if you look at the film industry’s annals, especially with Western films such as The Quick and the Dead, True Grit and News of the World, there is a preferential pattern with the casting. More often than not, actors of colour are given token parts instead of mainstream roles. And while Denzel Washington and Jamie Fox shifted mindsets as formidable leads in The Magnificent Seven and Django Unchained, respectively, The Harder They Fall has cast aside the problematic issues of the original mould of the genre with its prominent all-black leads: Idris Elba, Regina King, Zazie Beetz, Jonathan Majors, LaKeith Stanfield, Delroy Lindo, Edi Gathegi, Damon Wayans jr and Danielle Deadwyler. The groundbreaking film centres on two outlaws: Nat Love (Majors) and Rufus Buck (Elba). Aside from watching his parents being killed by Rufus as a young boy, Nat was also branded with a cross on his forehead. That seed of vengeance grew over the years and now that Rufus is out, thanks to a carefully
orchestrated jailbreak by his gang, Nat is ready to make him pay for his sins of the past. Aside from its world premiere at the 65th BFI London Film Festival, all eyes were on the recent Los Angeles premiere, which was attended by the likes of Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Seal, Tiffany Haddish, Swizz Beatz and Taraji P Henson. The cast, directors and producers were on cloud nine on the night – and they had every right to be. After all, diversity and inclusivity of women and people of colour have been hot potato issues in Hollywood for the longest time. It has resulted in A-listers boycotting prominent award ceremonies and several stars being vocal about bagging roles where they are typecast or playing second fiddle. Then in 2018, Black Panther came along, and, apart from being celebrated for its black excellence across the globe, it ushered in much-needed change by presenting a black superhero, too. Although Chadwick Boseman is no longer with us, his legacy as the eponymous hero will never be forgotten. Right now, fans are chomping at the bit for the 2022 sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which, according to a recent article on Digital Spy, “will honour the legacy of Chadwick Boseman and won’t recast the role of T’Challa”. Meanwhile, Netflix’s The Harder They Fall carries forward that baton of change.
The highlights of the LA screening included all eyes being on Beyoncé. She turned heads in a plunging black and emerald-green gown designed by Alexander Vauthier. Another moment that caught the world’s attention was Jay-Z’s reaction to former Destiny Child member and his wife’s BFF, Kelly Rowland, on the red carpet. In an Instagram post, the Motivation singer said: “Some things I’ll never understand. I see my big bro all the time but I guess you guys don’t see what we see. “I am not of course paid to say anything about the movie, but this movie is so good, The Harder They Fall, and what’s so dope is it’s directed, written, created by a brilliant black man and produced by a brilliant black man, and it’s so exciting.” Also at the premiere was South African visual artist Nelson Makamo, who is in the US for his solo exhibition, Blue, and cracked an invite to the screening, where he got to rub shoulders with Jay-Z. The Gotham Film & Media Institute also confirmed that The Harder They Fall cast would be receiving the Ensemble Tribute at the 2021 Gotham Awards in New York City on November 29. Even if The Harder They Fall receives mixed reviews when it releases, there’s no taking away the historical strides it has made in the genre. And it is also a firm reminder that when pleas for diversity and inclusivity fall on deaf ears, it is time to be the change that you want to see.
Last Sunday Sessions creates something wonderful from nothing HEATHER DUGMORE >> BRANDSTORIES Creating something wonderful from nothing is the art of the artist and that’s how LwandoSessions was born. ‘It literally started in our back yard where a bunch of neighbourhood musicians got together,” says Cape Town-based musician, poet, activist and cultural entrepreneur Samantha Bekebeke, aka Miss Morena, who brought out her first album this year, titled 2021 The Mixtape. “During the lockdown, we wanted to bring people together safely through music and art and to uplift each other in the entertainment industry, as we were facing a daunting future. We thought: ‘Let’s form a band and make people happy while maintaining social distance’. So
we started holding sessions that we called ‘LwandoSessions’ in our backyard in Observatory and people really enjoyed them. “When the demand increased, we managed to rent an art studio five floors up at InSitu – a creative space at 199 Albert Road in Woodstock with a rooftop that offers incredible sunset views and space to seat people two metres apart.” Living up to the name Lwando, which means “to grow”, and with grant assistance from the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT), funded by Nedbank, the project grew beyond the usual backyard sessions and that's when Lifestyle Explore, a creative production business, came into being. Bekebeke manages the business and Ishmael Khumalo, a businessman and chef by
profession, became the CEO. Khumalo also encouraged Bekebeke to start recording her music in 2015. “We managed to purchase our own musical instruments instead of hiring it. We also established a music production company that shoots music videos and does sound recordings. Soon LwandoSessions became known as Last Sunday Sessions, where we would come together on the last Sunday of every month and create a market hub space in the Woodstock studio, bringing together musicians, chefs, cooks, entrepreneurs, clothing designers, performing artists, writers, jewellery makers, book store owners and more, providing an array of talent with a platform.” To date, they have held 21 Last Sunday Sessions and also started
Creating something wonderf ul from nothing is the art of the artist and tha t’s how LwandoSession s was born...
live-streaming the sessions. The live sessions would start at about 3pm when the markets were all set up and DJs would play while members of the public explored the stalls, met the artists and enjoyed delicious food and drinks. At about 5pm, the musicians would then start playing and invite people inside the studio. Each session was about an hour long and ended at 9pm. “The sessions helped to expand their creative territory by exposing them to a larger, more diverse audience to grow their names,” Bekebeke explains. “We put a lot of effort into finding talent all over Cape Town, including outstanding talent in the townships; real musicians who are not trending every day or appearing on the covers of magazines. We identify artists by the stories they tell – artists with messages that bring people together.” One of the artists is Inkosana, a vocalist, songwriter and performer
living in Langa. “We came across him doing live performances in Langa and it was a wonder to hear and see this man who sings about his community and his manhood as a Xhosa man in an urban world,” Miss Morena says. “We had monthly themes; in August we celebrated Women’s Month with an all-female lineup, including artists like Louise Nicholls, a contestant in Idols SA. She was an amazing inspiration for the whole of Cape Town, especially for the coloured community. Another artist on Idols SA who played with us is Chosi, who sings and plays the uhadi musical instrument – a traditional Xhosa musical bow. We also did a duet, Sisters Miss Moreni featuring Chosi, that celebrates sisterhood and women.” One of the objectives of the LwandoSessions/Last Sunday Sessions project was to increase the musical skills of the participating musicians and
to provide theory and practical training. The sessions were also rich in social, political, economic and cultural currency. As Bekebeke puts it, “everyone gained developmentally by participating and overcoming barriers of cultural, racial and language differences”. The project also offered opportunities for 10 volunteers who offered their time while training and gaining new skills. Bekebeke’s organisational and project management skills have also been critically developed. “Because of Covid-19 and budget constraints, we haven’t had Last Sunday Sessions for a few months now, but are looking forward to bringing the energy back. Making music can’t stop, it has to continue,” she says. For more information on the Nedbank Arts Affinity visit: nedbankarts.co.za and visit LwandoSessions on Instagram for more information.
SHINGAI DARANGWA
Two of the most controversial artists right now
YE: There’s really no other place to start than with Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West. Despite a hugely successful career that includes a whopping 21 Grammys and a billion dollar clothing line. Since he emerged as JAY-Z’s prodigy in the early aughts, he has shown himself to be incredibly unpredictable and hotheaded time and time again. His first major brush with controversy came in 2009 when he infamously stormed the MTV VMAs stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech and proclaimed that Beyoncé was the rightful winner of the award. He’s since made a habit of frequently sparking controversy on social media and in public. Just last week Ye grabbed headlines when images emerged of him sporting a bizarre new hairstyle went public. The sequence of seemingly random patches on his head has had fans joking that he let one of his young children cut his hair. AKA: AKA has never shied away from expressing his adoration for Ye. Musically, the influence has been clear since the days of his critically acclaimed sophomore album, Levels. At times AKA has also taken to Ye's brash persona. A few years ago he allegedly slapped his nemesis Cassper Nyovest across the face and had someone in his entourage flash a gun at the rapper. He’s since maintained a bad boy image feuding with everyone from Julius Malema, Burna Boy to Riky Rick and Black Coffee. There are those who believe AKA’s long-running feud with Nyovest is a carefully orchestrated publicity stunt to keep both artists relevant. Earlier this year, AKA’s fiancée Anele Tembe fell to her death outside Cape Town’s Pepperclub Hotel. The circumstances around Tembe’s death have sparked several conspiracy theories and left a cloud hanging over the embattled rapper that he may never be able to escape.
Reality bites for these shows that got tongues wagging... DEBASHINE THANGEVELO
Love Island South Africa (Showmax) The show first aired on M-Net in March this year, Mzansi was outraged by the lack of diversity on the reality show. And they made their feelings known on social media. Of the initial 10 cast members, there were only two coloured and two black contestants. The shoddy editing and other blunders were also another talking point. Of course, the channel, feeling the fury of viewers, made haste in rectifying the unforgivable oversights. Eventually, the tensions simmered and the show got a fair amount of attention. But it will forever be remembered for falling short on one of the biggest issues plaguing the industry.
Indian Matchmaking (Netflix) I remember shamelessly bingewatching this show after a colleague had mentioned it. Being Indian, it wasn’t a culture shock. Of course, what it did do was highlight the prejudice and sexism that exists within the community, be it in India or the greater Indian diaspora around the world. In this day and age, issues of casteism, colourism and sexism are not taken lightly. While marriage consultant Sima Taparia set out to play matchmaker with the best of intention, her comments like, “They want tall. They want fair. They want from a good family” and “She’s very nice but she’s short. This will not match”, caused a stir. That said, the show was a hit. Streamers couldn’t get enough of the quirks of the cast.
Uyajola 9/9 (Moja Love) Where does one even begin with this Moja Love show? The format is based on the longrunning US series, Cheaters. The local version is not shot with as big a budget though - and it shows. But let’s delve into the umbrage around the series. First, viewers took great exception to it being hosted by Jub Jub (real name Molemo Katleho Maarohanye). Their outrage around him was short-lived as they moved on to raising hell about the show targeting the indigent black community and violating their rights. They also accused the makers of staging some of the cases. All the noise was drowned out by the ratings though. The show outlived the controversy and become a firm favourite.
