2022 unwrapped zine

LETTER OF THANKS

We had the pleasure of creating beautiful experiences, working on global campaigns and collaborating with key entities within the creative industry, we think it is safe to say we’ve been on the road to take over the space for a minute and indaba yethu istraight to quote the legendary Brenda Fassie.

We write this letter to simply give thanks to our community and collaborators, who have supported the publication since inception. We are grateful for every single like, ticket purchased, shared post, and article read, we are absolutely nothing without the constant love and support that you have shown us over the years. As we transition into the new year and our 4th year of existence, we aim to continue to be the home of Africa’s creative heroes through the representation and celebration of young emerging talent because this is our calling and core reason for our existence.

Rolivhuwa, Realeboga Pretty Renae Mangena and Anastatia Nkhuna

2022 has been one of the most impactful years for iQHAWE magazine and we think the best way to sum it up is to quote French Romantic writer Victor-Marie Hugo who said “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come” and 2022 was definitely the time for iQhawe Media.

We are two black women from a very specific economic background growing a publication that is built on nothing but our ability to think our ideas into reality. At the beginning of the year we took a huge leap of faith and transitioned our digital publication into a femme led media agency aimed at widening brand reach to audiences by integrating creative solutions to help brands connect with their target market and reach wider demographics, as a way to pivot in the industry and a couple of months down the line, we are on the road to becoming one of Africa’s most influential digital publication/media agency, yes, “you can quote us on this.”

IN COLLABO WITH

UNTITLED BASEMENT

On the 9th of September 2022, we collaborated with Filah Lah Lah and Untitled Basement as amplification partners. Filah Lah Lah was our cover star for our 2021 music issue. We dreamt about this live performance ever since hearing her Debut EP “Filahsofy”. “Filahsofy” offers a sense of rawness and vulnerability which has allowed it to live long beyond its inception and remains a favourite.

and ambient second offering called “Were gonna be just fine”, which cemented her as a lasting voice in the South African live music and new age R&B scene. Filah Lah Lah’s fusion of R&B, hip hop and neo-soul accompanied by her beautiful voice makes her a powerful story teller. She’s also one of the most sought after performers in SA, constantly pursuing an evolution of her sound.

IS FOR SAISON

AISON UNDAYS

Saison Sundays is a live performance event space that aims to give up-and-coming R&B and Alternative performers a vehicle to showcase their music on a semi-consistent basis. We set up a PR partnership with them to spotlight their performing acts at their episodes. We’ve published Mandlin Beams, Archi, The Founder Tom Saison, Ponahalo Mojapelo and Tron Pyre since we’ve started and we hope for many more in the new year. We are proud of everything Team Saison has accomplished.

iQHAWE CONTENT WRAPPED

The celebration and representation of creativity is what makes us who and what we are. We love having conversations that leave us feeling inspired and writing about important aspects of contemporary culture. As we wrap up the year, these are our favourite content pieces of the year so we hope you “enjoyed reading these half as much as we enjoyed creating it for you, because we had a ball.”

CULTURE

Reflections from the Other Side: An Ode to eLokshini

Written by Unam Ntsababa

With its enchanting mountains and magnificent oceans, Cape Town, the city famed for its splendour, is a dream vacation destination for many. Growing up as a creative in this city has been an intriguing journey, battling with the inaccessibility of opportunities for a young self-taught artist from Gugulethu—a place that affords you many questions when you find yourself within the city’s cliquey creative spaces, being bombarded with questions like, “How did you get here?” from your counterparts. Confused by the absurdity, you wonder if it was a bird or a plane that got you here. And the most amusing part was noticing how there’s an air of discomfort with people you were getting along with five minutes ago - up until you mentioned where you’re really from. Yoh ha.a, this is not what Zozibini fought for.

As a child, you’re reminded that you are descended from legends like the Great Brenda Fassie, an icon who rose from the alleys of Langa to carry her voice and finesse to the globe. MaBrr had an unfathomable effect on us, even more so because she didn’t just look like us; she was one of us. I realized at this point that African art had a spiritual quality to it—something raw, untouchable, and magnificent. This city is home to many creative geniuses, whose creative prowess is inspired by many things like the trials and tribulations of growing up ekasi, like Anita Hlazo, the designer of AFROGRUNGE and one of the city’s most creative visionaries, has inspired a great wave for alternative black girls like myself to be audacious. Her brand promotes her black womanhood as well as her love for the grunge aesthetic, which has been previously misunderstood and ridiculed.

Although there is a thin line between romanticizing our harsh childhood in the townships and realizing how much it has influenced our artistic practices, the hood undeniably produces some exceptional practitioners; like GREEK., whose work greatly inspires and impacts the city and larger South Africa’s cultural climate. Being behind songs like RHULUMENTE, RIP R MASHESHA, and CRUCIAL, this is an artist who gives meaning to the phrase “do what you can with what you have and do it well”. GREEK’s sound is an arresting combination of melodies inspired and influenced by his upbringing in Gugulethu, posing a lyrical mastery that pulls together the kids from eKasi, while tipping his hat to the underdogs-amaRhuzu namaGintsaand spreading this culture and wave across the country.

Listening to him feels like you’re reading a love letter to the culture. Much like his musical counterpart, Orish, a musician and producer behind masterpieces like SimulationRxps’ live from elokshini album, is forging the way and putting originality front and centre, with an intrinsic sound that’s an aching reminder of home and tastes like the musical influences we grew up with—you can smell an Orish production from afar. And, while they aren’t the first to do any of this, having been carried the torch by previous legends, there is something unique brewing right here and now.

MUSIC

BeatsByHer: A femme-led sonic experience curated by Mamthug, powered by Untitled Basement

Written by Anastatia Nkhuna

On a Friday evening once a month, Echoed in the Untitled Basement of a modern, art gallery, eatery and bar known as the Artivist in the belly of Braamfontein you will hear Mamthug’s “Yiyo mama yiyo” translated as “that’s the one mama” an affirmation to let the vibe dealers of the night know that they’ve made the perfect song selection.

Pretty and I sat down with Mamthug in a cozy corner near a heater inside Artivist one cold winter evening. We hardly have these intimate moments as most of our interviews are online. We have a chat full of giggles and meme references that you will probably see on her instagram stories if you follow her. This Mamthug interview is a tell all about how the foundation of BeatsByHer was laid by The Untitled Basement, the progression of this sonic femme-led experience and the future manifestations of the entity.

“Mamthug is a connector, curator and a creator, DJ, lover of people, vibe dealer and A GROOVIST. ”

Liziwe studied finance, loves food and watching crime documentaries at home. And there is uVelabahleke and this is the spiritual aspect of who I am. I am a healer, I do bone divinity and tarot cards. With all my intersectional identities the output is always the same. I try to leave people feeling lighter than they are. I believe I was created for a creative output.

“BeatsByHer is a platform to showcase established and emerging alternative DJs, selectors, collectors and music enthusiasts (Beat Dealers) throughout South Africa.”

How did you get to curate BeatsByHer established by Untitled Basement? How did the synergy that we have experienced come about?

It hadn’t been opened yet and the lady that used to be the manager of the space used to be my homie. I used to do the door at Kitcheners in Varsity for extra cash and I used to do it for a friends party. I was quite stern at my job. There was a time when I was still doing my 9 to 5 corporate job and I understood that it didn’t give me the same access to space that I was in, I was cool with doing the door gig because I was meeting the DJ’s, promoters and managers of those times. I had an interest in playing a role in eventing even before I wanted to be a DJ. So, she would call me up to do the door at Untitled Basement for some of their live performances and events and because of how serious I took the door gig it built the relationship from there.

Who is Mumthug?

Mamthug is a connector, curator and a creator, DJ, lover of people, vibe dealer and A GROOVIST. Over the years I’ve become a city mythical creature that nobody knows what exactly I do but simplified I am really just a groovist. But there is Liziwe and uVelabahleke.

Fast forward I am not a DJ and Lerato and I were playing as a duo (LoveAndOtherThugs) at The Dig, that was the first time Kenzhero heard me play and from that time I got booked to play sets at Untitled in between the performances. So when I came back from my initiation there were so many things I had to catch up on including playing sets. My first gig back I was booked for Breakfast @Khujos by The Dig.

I remember speaking to Kenzhero and appreciating what they were doing via the Obrigado Mix on apple music. He came back to me and put me in the coach and my mix went live. So my interactions with Untitled Basement started with the owners of the space and The Dig. So I started being integrated in the space even when I wasn’t around or even when I wasn’t physically in the space.

In March, I was contacted by Sifiso and he told me about an entity that they had created called BeatsByHer And they shared how they wanted to run it. So the initial plan was to have multiple music curators for every event and I was meant to be the first person to curate, the event would be an opportunity to showcase and prioritise women DJs and selectors. Not just lineup fillers or opening acts as they tend to be positioned, but as credible dance floor fillers and the amazing djs they are. I asked a lot of questions about how they would ensure the line up is kept fresh because the problem with an all-female line up is that the women tend to all be the same and recycled from other line ups. Is there a criteria for longevity? Additionally I thought there was a danger in the brief that says “just do you” so that’s when we narrowed it down and it came to BeatsByHer being a femme led Sonic experience that provides space for emerging and established alternative femme DJ’s with the sole purpose of providing visibility, inclusion, skills and growth curated by Mamthug.

Which genres do you focus on playing at BeatsByHer?

Because of how the space had been established it’s more of a live musical experience space and it prioritised a lot of world music nuances. And the less commercial music appeals to a more mature crowd.

So, when BeatsByHer came about we couldn’t compromise on the essence of the space so in terms of alternative, it’s genres that borrow from what the core essence of what this space is. It’s a world sound and variations of it. Such as break beats, New-jazz, deep house, lounge, bossa Nova, Afrobeat and all the alternative styles in between. It’s the more uptempo version of what this space is already.

“BeatsByHer is all about creating a Balance between the typical Artivist community and the extended community.”

What is the future of BeatsByHer?

Firstly I think execution of ideas inspires more ideas and conversation. For instance we have found that a lot of Femme DJ’s are great djs however there’s a lack of understanding of equipment and how to troubleshoot, how to navigate the ecosystem as a professional brand and using your social media to increase your visibility and profile, brand partnership and how to showcase yourself for potential bookings.

Eventually we are trying to get to a point where we can have skill transfers and have our own equipment and space for DJ’s to record their mixes or practice. We want the space to avail itself and provide that offering. We want to enroll all the DJ’s we have gathered into our community. We don’t want to only provide the technical skills and release them to fend for themselves, we want to be there every step of their journey and make things easier for them.

Another conversation is monetary support, we need to pay people for the value that they are. We have made a budget for our DJ’s but of course we know we can give them more than what we currently have therefore we need to work harder to gain sponsorship from brands that share the same synergy.

amaQHAWEkazi

On the 16th of April 2022 we hosted amaQHAWEkazi: Ode to Summer (Women in music party) the 1st of 4 events that aimed at spotlighting emerging creative Women in music.

It took place at 281 Commissioner street, the Museum of African Design in the heart of the culturally vibrant Maboneng. The aim for this event was to explore this part of the city as a place of cultural expression and inclusivity featuring an electrifying line up: Kat Upendi (DJ), Neo Sanchezz (DJ), Char (DJ), Kazi Ya Sanaa (Live Performance band), Black (DJ), Benzo (Live Performance).

On the 28th of May 2022 we hosted amaQHAWEkazi: The Art Exhibition the 2nd of 4 events that aims to spotlight emerging creative Women who use different mediums of visual art. The art Exhibition featured a cross between visual art and music to entertain guests.

It took place at 99 Juta Street, a design-focused development in the heart of culturally vibrant Braamfontein. Home to various events and exhibitions.

Exhibiting Artists: Amogelang Montjane, Aza Mbovane, Basetsana Maluleka, Boemo Diale, Bontle Juku, Cindi Tshabalala, Fundiswa Ntoyi, Maxine Naidoo, Mvelo Midoli Mahlangu, Ofentse Netshivangane, Thalente Khomo.

On the 27th of November 2022 iQHAWE MAGAZINE hosted the third instalment of the amaQHAWEkazi creative women’s showcase titled “not a film festival” which was aimed at showcasing young emerging and established women filmmakers. The experience spoke to the importance of inclusion and recognition of talent.

The screenings were accompanied by a discussion facilitated by the Girls in Film ambassadors represented by Godisamang Khonou alongside a panel of talented industry practitioners Neo Twala , Thina Zibi, Gcobisa Gee Yako and Ndivhuwo Mushanganyisi to get insight into the industry’s challenges and projection. The films screened fell into diverse themes that touch on identity (gender, race, sexuality and socio-political commentary).