The
FACE of
RESILIENCE NATHALIE KOAH ISSUE NO.OO5 - FEBRUARY 2019
Editor’s
Note
Editor’s Note. Hello everyone!
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ebangha Njang
Moukouri Ebangha Njang ART DIRECTOR Bine
WRITER/CONTENT CURATOR
Ebangha Njang
CONTRIBUTORS Anyi Asonganyi Claris Baye Emmanuel Mfon Eva Ndumbe
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Nji Asonganyi Pictures
Welcome to the fifth issue of Sa Majesté Magazine. Fifth already??! Wow! Thank you guys so much for the constant support. I am honestly humbled. Let me use this same opportunity to thank anyone who has ever contributed in any of the previous issues, because your devotion has been very essential to the magazine’s continuous success and growth. In this issue, we will focus a little more on cyberbulling. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means and is also known as online bullying. It has become increasingly common, unfortunately especially among grown women. Cyberbullying is when someone, bullies or harasses others on social media sites. Harmful bullying behavior can include posting rumors, threats, sexual remarks, victims’ personal information, or pejorative labels (i.e. hate speech). Cyberbullying can be identified by repeated behavior and an intent to harm, but being a victim of constant cyberbullying myself, I strongly believe the bullies always have lower self-esteem, increased suicidal ideation and a variety of emotional responses, including being scared, frustrated, angry, and depressed at the their lives so they pour the frustration on others LOL We as women should do better. That’s the reason for my choice of this issue’s cover girl. Someone who has been the “poster child” for cyberbullying since 2014. Let’s all learn from her resilience!
Sa Majesté Magazine is published by Sa Majesté Co. Houston, Texas. USA Contact: +1 (832) 584 – 4212 Email: samajestemag@gmail.com
This issue is dedicated to everyone that has ever been a victim of cyberbullying; just know you’re very special and that’s why you are the target of those with no self worth. Be happy and keep doing you. Enjoy this issue and please do let us know if there are any topics you’d like to see covered in the future. Happy reading and happy new year!
1 Cameroonian makeup guru Anyi Asonganyi gives us her 6 amazing beauty products to try in 2019.
8 Life Of A Returnee: Cameroonian OAP Eva Ndumbe continues with her journey as a returnee in the city of Douala.
17 Starting A Blog: UK-based Cameroonian beauty blogger and owner of ClarisLifeStyle, Claris Baye.
25 Focus On: we focus on the Cameroonian producer Drae Boii
CONTENTS
5 The Anonymous Fingers is back this time with an insight on cyberbullying especially amongst grown women.
9 The Face Of Resilience! Cameroonian socialite and business woman talks about her life as a mother and an entrepreneur after going through so much in the media.
21 The Music Business In Cameroon: Music rebel & blogger Emmanuel Mfon gives us an insight into the business part of “showbiz� in the Cameroonian music industry.
31 Hot Spots!
SA MAJESTE MAGAZINE
ANYI’S
SIX
AMAZING BEAUTY PRODUCTS TO TRY. IN 2019.
1. Bold Make Up Highlighter in “Gold Elixir”. 2. K & F Cosmetics Translucent Powder in “Banana”.
This highlighter is universal and looks great on all skin tones and textures. For a lighter look, I go in with a feather brush; If I am going for a major gleam, I lightly mist my buffing brush with a facial water spray before applying the highlighter. This product is buildable and adds the perfect amount of glow on the skin. I usually apply it right after blush so it doesn’t wash out the shade. Places I like to focus on: cheekbones, nose bridge, chin, and right in the middle of the forehead, wherever I want light to reflect. New year, new you, and of course... new makeup! A new year is not just for organizing your home and exercising more — it is time to play with your looks too! There are so many hot beauty releases I cannot wait to try in 2019. I have rounded up my favourite palette, lipstick, powders, false lashes and highlighter for you to test out. Of course, you do not have to be a huge makeup collector to try these trendy beauty products on for sure but it is always beneficial to stay in the loop because makeup brands are constantly coming out with better products every year. With new formulations, new shades, new packaging and designs, there is always a new product to be excited about, you just have to choose the good apples from the bad apples.
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Price: 13,500fcfa Instagram: @bold_make_up
This is by far my favourite setting powder. It leaves your face looking airbrushed and matte all day. It does not clog pores thanks to its fine and thin texture. It sets makeup like a dream and hey! It looks flawless in pictures. Whenever I want to blur lines and imperfections, this does the trick. Price: 3,000fcfa Instagram: @kandfcosmetics
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3. S.Bonie Cosmetics Matte Liquid Lipstick in “Ça Boom”. 4. K & F Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palette in “African Queen”.
5. S.Bonie Cosmetics Eyelashes in “Third Term Holiday Collection”. Looking for full, feathery, dramatic glam? Look no further. 3D mink lashes in 4 different styles; it could not get any better than this! They are expertly hand-crafted from 100% Siberian mink fur, giving them a natural sheen and softness that is exactly like your natural lashes except so much more luxurious. Perfect for those moments when you want to stand out.
6. Bold Make Up Loose Powder in “Expresso”. If you are a fan of powder formulas, this Bold Make Up powder offers a rich dark shade that can easily chisel cheeks. I use it as a contouring powder and it looks amazing. It is dark enough to create shadows on the darkest complexion and easy to blend. It feels like silk going on. You cannot go wrong with it, I promise. Price: 13,000fcfa Instagram: @bold_make_up
Price: 16,000fcfa Instagram: @s.bonie_cosmetics
Out of the bunch, S.Bonie has managed to strike the perfect balance between a long-lasting formula that is also non-drying (yes, really). The lightweight formula is everything you would expect from a traditional matte liquid lipstick, it offers a serious punch of hot-red pigment from the first swipe and dries down quickly and evenly - with barely any transfer. The colour wears well, even when eating and drinking. My favourite red lipstick! Price: 3,500fcfa Instagram: @s.bonie_cosmetics
Warm eyeshadow palettes are having a moment, and this one is one of the best out there - hands down. From burnt orange to bronze shimmers it covers all eyeshadow basics. Oh, and despite having a bunch of shimmery shades, this palette deserves a major shout out as every single shadow blends beautifully on deeper skin tones - without leaving you looking like a crumbled disco ball.
There is no better time than now, so treat yourself to an item or two. Happy New Year!
Price: 3,000frs Instagram: @kandfcosmetics
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Anyi Asonganyi Beauty Consultant OZI INTERNATIONAL Holdings Ltd Instagram: @anyiasonganyi
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THE ANONYMOUS FINGERS
SA MAJESTE MAGAZINE
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a lesbian. This time I got help, and it got taken down. From this day police are still trying to find out who made the account. Stay. Strong.” 13 year-old girl from Tennessee
Make way for the “fingers” lol Let’s take it up a notch and focus on what’s being mostly common amongst millennials right now especially amongst females. CYBER BULLYING. Women, we need to do better! Today, I’m going to talk about cyberbullying that occurs especially on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s start with Instagram. Instagram is minimalistic and intentionally doesn’t provide a lot of features that you might find on Facebook. This also means that various forms of victimization – identity theft, impersonation, intellectual property theft, grooming by sexual predators, private threats, and hate speech going completely viral – are rarely going to happen. In what ways, though, can you bully, mistreat, or humiliate someone on the site? 1. You can post a malicious or embarrassing photo of a target for all of your followers to see. 2. You can caption a gross or disgusting or otherwise insult-
ing or demeaning photo with a target’s username and perhaps a negative sentiment (for example, uploading a picture of a sumo wrestler and then captioning with something like “this reminds me of @hinduja”…I’ll let your mind come up with much more offensive and hurtful examples) 3. You can post cruel comments under a photo that someone posts. 4. Different than adding a username in a caption or a comment, you can tag a user through the new “Add People” feature on the Share screen – where the tag is added to the image itself. If your Instagram profile is public, anyone can see it – and it could go viral. If your profile is private, and the target is not following you, they will not be notified or be able to see the photo, tag(s), caption, comments. Which could be completely awful, where they are humiliated or harassed until a sympathetic friend finally clues them in.
4. You can add hateful hashtags under a photo that you post (in the caption or comments) or that someone else posts (in the comments). For example, #dork or #loser or #fuglyslut or #tryweightwatchers or #crackwhore or #cantbelievesheworethat or #peoplewhoshouldoffthemselves. Once again, I’ll let your mind come up with a million more that are so much worse. 5. You can create a fake account to impersonate someone else, and be cruel through pictures, captions, comments, and hashtags. Here are a few stories from some teens who have talked with us about their experiences on Instagram: “Last year I got an Instagram account made about me. The got pictures off my Instagram and posted it on theirs. I was being called all types of names*. I was so upset, that I self-harmed. But then I realized that I had to stay strong so I stopped. Then on may 2 I got 4 more made about me and doing the same thing except calling me
“I am 18 years old. This year on the 2nd week of school, I parked my car crooked. A girl in my class took a picture of it and put it on Instagram stating that I couldn’t park because I was deaf. That picture circulated. A boy in my class posted on twitter the next day “Tomorrow is national Park like a Retard day. AKA park like “MB day”. The next day 30 cars parked crooked in the school parking lot. I went to the office and told my principal and he put parking tickets on their windows. My name was all over twitter and Facebook and everyone tried to make an a** out of me.” ~ 18 year-old female from Pennsylvania “I posted a picture of myself on Instagram and people started commenting these awful things like “Eww you’re so so ugly” “Why don’t you go kill yourself?” “everyone would be happier that way” And I KNOW these people…they go to my school. I cried for a good 2 hours. But this wasn’t the first time this has happened on all my pictures at least 3 people say something like that. I’m never going on Instagram again. I wish I could disappear so I don’t I have to go to school.” ~ 12 year-old girl from Colorado
ences could have occurred to a youth in any online environment. Instagram is not the problem. Social media is not the problem. Technology is not the problem. It is the underlying issues of peer conflict, immaturity, insecurity, ethics, Socioemotional dysfunctions, and behavioral issues that foster instances of online bullying among individuals. And that is something we must all continue to target, so that we can make further headway in safeguarding, equipping, and empowering our youths ( especially young women) as they navigate the difficult waters of adolescence. Next time we’ll discuss how cyberbullying can be prevented and combated on social media. It’s time we do better as females! Never forget you are a QUEEN, so wear your crown gracefully. It’s no news the Anonymous Fingers is a WOMAN
To be sure, these unfortunate, sad, and frustrating experi-
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SA MAJESTE MAGAZINE
BY EVA NDUMBE
I CONSIDER MYSELF BLESSED WHEN IT COMES TO MY JOB.
I started doing TV and radio in 2005/2006. I had gone for auditions at STV for the search for young VJs and God was good to me. With mentors like Tito Valery on TV and Nabil 4 Real on radio, I had the best start in my career. Fast forward 2015…All I cared about was TV. The projects I had come up with were all for TV then Christian Steve Fonkam hit me up. Fun fact about Steve, we started TV together in 2005. Steve asked me to start a show on radio and I wasn’t feeling it. He did everything in his power to convince me and it worked. I created a show for the summer, pitched it at Sweet FM and got the job. It was supposed to be a summer thing but my boss really liked the show so it became permanent.
MARETAWEST BUEA
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Photography by Olympoos Studio
Doing radio alone is not enough for anyone. We, radio/TV hosts, end up doing voiceovers, hosting gigs etc. Some time in 2017, I got the job of Sony Music rep in Cameroon. I was ecstatic! However, that’s my story and I have been blessed. This is not the same song for many young adults in this country. I know people who have spent months without a job, months at a job that has no relation with their degree, taxi men who have degrees, bike men who have degrees…all competent people who don’t have jobs because they don’t know X, Y, Z in so and so company to “hook” them up.
Young ladies and men, who get asked sexual favours by the recruiter to get hired. Fake companies are being created and young people are used to fuel this scam then abandoned.
LIFE OF A RETURNEE. continued...
EVA NDUMBE A failed system where resumes are recyclables because the receptionist’s friend is “qualified” for the job. Projects are made and companies don’t believe in sponsoring but will pay millions for foreign acts. A company where employees don’t get paid for months but are expected to come to work everyday. The system is messed up and that in turn messes up the mentality of the youths. Nobody believes anything good can be free. The average Cameroonian spends all his money on alcohol.
People say it’s normal, I say it’s not! It’s depression. A young man with a family and a small salary will be seen at a bar drinking. You will say, “can he not give that money to his wife to cook?”. Yes, he can however, how does he explain to his wife that he hasn’t been paid for months. As a provider, he feels incompetent so he drowns himself in alcohol to forget he has let his family down. I know people who have fallen into depression because of joblessness. Mental health is minimized in this country. They think being mentally ill means you are walking naked on the street. It’s deeper than that. There are so many signs and symptoms of mental illness and we need to raise awareness. I speak out of experience when I say mental illness is the worst thing that can happen to a human being. You know what? The next article will be on mental health. The one thing I love about this generation is the attitude of creating solutions. There are many people who have decided to turn their passion into a business. It works out for some and it doesn’t for others. The internet age has made the youths invest in their passion and there is nothing better than doing what you love as a job. It doesn’t feel like work. However, that works out for 4 out of 10 people. What can we do to help? The bare minimum. Share job alerts, support small businesses, use your social media platforms and share. Share, SHARE!! My journey as a returnee in Cameroon. To be continued… Eva Ndumbe Sony Music CIV Representative Cameroon OAP Sweet FM 88.7 endumbe@gmail.com
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Nathalie Koah
The
FACE of
RESILIENCE To read more about Nathalie Koah, her journey and her brands, visit her pages; www.psycheebynk.com Instagram: @psycheebynk Facebook: Nathalie Koah Officiel Instagram: @nathalie_koah Snapchat: nathalie.koah
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H
élène Nathalie Séraphine Koah popular known as Nathalie Koah, is a Cameroonian socialite, influencer and entrepreneur aged 31, who came into the limelight in 2014 due to her tumultuous 7- year long relationship with Cameroonian famous footballer Samuel Eto’o. According to « sources », she walked out of the relationship and the footballer allegedly published nude pictures of her online as a form of revenge. In response, Nathalie wrote a tell-all book titled, “Revenge Porn” to tell her side of the story. And as the relationship ended, a lot of accusations and remarks were made from both lovers about “ill-treatment”, complains for “theft, swindle, breach of trust” and requests for the return of gifts offered to the ex-girlfriend during the seven-year long relationship. Since Nathalie was the lesser known figure, she suffered a media lynching. The cyber bullying was out of this world and being women, we could only feel for her but not knowing much of the truth, (and knowing very well in Africa that sadly women are always blamed more for anything), everyone just watched as the drama unfolded. But after this period, since she wanted to record this sad passage of her life so we get the full story in her book “Revenge Porn” which was unfortunately banned and was never released! Nathalie Koah still never let the public’s perception of her image crush her. She dusted off her mistakes, carried herself with grace and made lemonade from the lemons the whole saga brought. She became a household name (not only for the scandal), but ventured into businesses and mentorship for other younger women so as to direct them away from the trials she witnessed. Nathalie Koah is an example of resilience. Not letting your past define you, not letting cyber bullies define your future, staying true to yourself, admitting your mistakes and making better decisions with life.
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SMM: Thank you so much Nathalie for accepting to be the cover girl for this issue. You’re truly an inspiration! In your own words, please tell us who ‘’Nathalie Koah’’ is. (Vous pouvez répondre en Anglais ou Français. Your fluency in both languages is impeccable!) NK: C’est un plaisir pour moi d’échanger avec vous. Je suis Nathalie Koah, j’ai 31 ans. Je suis maman d’une fille, Beverly Nayla, qui a récemment soufflé sur sa deuxième bougie. Je suis entrepreneur depuis l’âge de 24 ans. J’ai débuté avec une société de prestations de services et aujourd’hui je suis dans plusieurs secteurs: la mode et les cosmétiques, l’audiovisuel, l’événementiel et même l’agriculture. Je suis heureuse de dire que les produits de mes terres nourrissent progressivement les familles au Cameroun ! J’ai une grande plantation de Cacao, arbres fruitiers et plantain.
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Je n’hésite pas à tendre la main lorsque je me sens utile. SMM: Félicitations on all the above achievements. We all have different definitions of your person/brand. One thing we all agree is, you have a huge impact on the modern day young African women. From the horse’s own mouth, what is it about Nathalie Koah that empowers/motivates young women this much?
NK: Les jeunes femmes qui me suivent, d’après les témoignages que je reçois d’elles, apprécient chaque pas que je fais dans mon parcours, chaque projet que j’entreprends. La sombre surmédiatisation autour de ma personne à une certaine époque a éveillé beaucoup de curiosité. Plus encore lorsque j’ai décidé de m’exprimer, j’étais déjà cataloguée et je pense que certains croyaient que je tomberais facilement aux oubliettes. Aujourd’hui les jeunes ont appris à me voir autrement, comme « une femme d’affaires » pour parler en ces termes (lol). Et je pense aussi qu’ils apprécient ma franchise, quand il le faut je dis ce que je pense. Elles aiment aussi mon goût pour la mode! (lol)
SMM: Bien sûr, votre goût pour la mode is on 100! We notice your fashion style is simplicity and elegance. Have you ever felt the pressure to dress like other influencers/public figures? NK: Je ne suis pas de ceux qui suivent aveuglément la mode, les tendances! Je m’y intéresse, je m’en inspire, mais je suis beaucoup plus du « style classique chic ». Mes figures féminines sont ma mère, Oprah Winfrey et Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (écrivaine nigériane), des femmes noires indépendantes et puissantes. Je ne vais pas dire que je m’habille comme elles, mais le car-
actère que je me forge à partir d’elles m’amène à vouloir refléter de l’assurance dans mon style vestimentaire. Et bien sûr, j’y ajoute naturellement ma touche « sexy » et je fais attention à bien équilibrer ma silhouette! SMM: With the unlimited access we have to social media these days, most young girls live their fantasy lives off public figures like you. They want to do all it takes to meet up with the glamor they see, but they ignore the struggles they do not see. How do you use your big platform as an entrepreneur and influencer to sensitize these girls who look up to you about the realities of life? NK: Les quatre entreprises que je gère me permettent de recruter des femmes et des hommes. Des jeunes qui connaissent mon quotidien, le travail à abattre, les obligations, les difficultés. Ce sont les premières personnes que je conseille chaque jour,
en actes ou en paroles. Je n’hésite pas aussi à organiser des rencontres physiques avec mes followers, par exemple dans le cadre de la journée international de la femme et pas que! Aussi, j’étudie et j’accepte les invitations et demandes de parrainages que je reçois, pour apporter mon expérience, ma vision. Enfin, je partage mon parcours avec le public, sur les médias sociaux. Ils le savent bien quand je vis des difficultés dans mes projets, quand je me relève, quand je célèbre. 12
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je n’ai jamais de regrets ! Je pense qu’il ne faut pas s’apitoyer sur son sort, je pense qu’on peut se tromper, mais il faut surtout trouver une opportunité de grandir.
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SMM: And that’s the way to let them know it’s not all about the glamor. We appreciate that! By the way, your daughter is the cutest ever! How has motherhood changed you? How has becoming a mom affected/changed you in private and in public?
(lol)! Il n’y a pas de formules magiques, l’on doit se poser les bonnes questions à chaque fois! En voulant ainsi ce qui est bien pour nos enfants, cela influence aussi nos relations humaines en général. Naturellement on a tendance à être « maternel » avec tout le monde.
NK: Merci beaucoup! Les enfants nous apprennent à être un peu plus patients, plus attentifs. Nous parents voulons faire les bons choix pour leur éducation. Avec ma fille, je dois savoir quand y aller avec douceur, rigueur et même « négocier »
SMM: So tell us, do you plan on running any programs in the future to educate younger women to do better in life? That will be a great initiative! 14
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NK: Je n’hésite pas à tendre la main lorsque je me sens utile. S’il faut penser à un meilleur moyen pour encourager les femmes sur la voie du leadership, évidemment je me préparerai à proposer un projet en fonction des attentes, en plus de ce que je fais déjà à travers mes entreprises et mes collaborations. SMM: Yes, very true. By the way, congratulations on your boutique “Psychee by NK”! What inspired the opening of this boutique? NK: Merci pour vos encouragements! J’ai créé « Psychee by NK » en 2015, dans le domaine de la lingérie fine. C’est le premier projet que j’ai publiquement mis en avant. Ensuite, je me suis accordée du temps pour développer mon offre, pour les femmes, les hommes et les enfants. Je propose un choix de produits de marque aux meilleurs prix. En plus de la lingérie fine de luxe, j’y ai donc associé la commercialisation des cosmétiques, équipements de sport et accessoires. Quand je suis au Cameroun, je suis à ma boutique à Yaoundé, dans un décor jardin et chocolat, agréable pour choisir ses produits. Je prends un plaisir à conseiller les clients, puisque je suis aussi esthéticienne de formation. L’hygiène corporelle est fondamentale! SMM: I really want to commend you on the way you handle cyber bullying! How do you manage cyber bullying and get to be this resilient? NK: On ne s’habitue pas à toute forme d’harcèlement dont on est 15
victime. Cela a été difficile pour moi de gérer tout ce qui a été dit et écrit à mon sujet, il y ‘a quelques années. Recevoir des attaques fait un peu partie de mon quotidien ; je considère même que c’est une autre forme d’amour envers ma personne. Mon état d’esprit a changé depuis que j’ai décidé de raconter mon histoire. SMM: Yes! Et après raconter votre histoire, je pense que les jeunes filles relate more to you now than ever. Very insipiring! Knowing what you know now about life and its mistakes, trials and tribulations, what advice would you give your 21 year old self? NK: 21 ans c’est l’âge de la majorité dans certains pays dont le Cameroun. Je leurs dirai que les actes que l’on pose auront des conséquences, positives ou négatives. Moi personnellement je n’ai jamais de regrets ! Je pense qu’il ne faut pas s’apitoyer sur son sort, je pense qu’on peut se tromper, mais il faut surtout trouver une opportunité de grandir. SMM: ‘’ Trouver une opportunité de grandir’’. Very correct. Thank you so much Nathalie. You’re a breath of fresh air. Any final advice to all the young African women who look up to you so much and want to be like you? NK: Winston Churchill a dit : « Un pessimiste voit la difficulté dans chaque opportunité. Un optimiste voir l’opportunité dans chaque difficulté ». J’ajouterai aussi cette pensée de Robert Heinlein : « L’amour est cette condition dans laquelle le bonheur d’une autre personne est essentiel pour le vôtre » SMM: The quotes have so much meaning I’ll have to re- write them in English for those in the back lol ‘’ A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.’’ “Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential for yours”. Thank you so much Nathalie for taking your time and giving us an insight into the life of such a huge public figure/influencer/celebrity like you. We appreciate and we hope you inspire more young women. NK: De rien and thank you so much for the interview. 16
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How To Start a Blog
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There are a few myths about having your own domain and hosting, so let me set them straight right now.
tarting a blog was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I’ve been blogging for over 2 years now and it’s been a blast. I won’t go into the ins and outs, be here forever . I simply found writing and decided to pour my into creating a blog, where i could anything I wanted.
for I could a flare for knowledge chat about
The money, recognition and standing didn’t do it for me, i really didn’t care about that, i just wanted somewhere i could share my thoughts and advice on a variety of subjects and that’s how i really got into it.
Myth 1: Running your own blog is expensive.
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The Basics
I don’t just do blogging, i also do affiliate marketing, which takes up a lot of my time, however, clarislifestyle is a huge love of mine and i feel like anyone who likes to write and has the time to put into blogging, should give it a whirl. My first few articles are really poor. There are terrible pictures, terrible puns and awful promotion but i would never remove them from my site. I feel like without them, i wouldn’t be where i am now and it’s kinda funny to look back on .
Getting your own domain and hosting is the way to go. This means you’ll have your own site, like clarislifestyle.com
Blogging allowed me to unleash my creativity, connect with awesome like-minded people, and make money in the process. If you’ve ever wondered whether you should have a blog of your own, I’m here to encourage you to do it!
I also strongly recommend blogger.com to build your blog. It’s easy and free. WordPress trumps Blogger/Blogspot. If you don’t know how to install blogger.com don’t worry! I’ll show you exactly how to set it up in this post.
I know there’s something you’re passionate about, whether it’s makeup, fashion, fitness, or whatever else you’re in love with. Follow your creative dreams. You never know where they could take you!
If you already have a blog hosted on Blogspot or Tumblr, making the switch is totally worth it. You get to keep all your existing posts and transfer them.
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Myths & Facts
You can have your own, self-hosted blog for under £10 a year .Don’t go with anything more expensive than that, because it’s unnecessary. BlueHost offers the best prices, and you get a free domain. Score!
Myth 2: It’s hard and confusing to set up! I’m not particularly computer-savvy, and I still managed to do it! I’ll show you how simple it is and guide you through the whole process. Myth 3: It’s impossible to make any money with a small blog. Odds are you’re going to be making more than what you’re paying to run your blog. One of the advantages of having your own, self-hosted blog is having the freedom to monetize it.
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Don’t be disheartened if people don’t read your blog.
It’s important to know specifically what your focus will be. A focused blog makes blogging easier. Here are some examples. Reviews. If you’re a product junkie, you can write helpful reviews. Makeup artistry. If you’ve got skills, you can show off your looks. Swatches. Good swatches can be hard to find. Everybody loves dupes. Budget beauty. You could focus on drugstore and affordable brands. Nails. If you love nail polish and have a talent for nail art,
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you could make it your main focus. Jane-of-all-trades. If you love ALL things beauty, you can figure out your focus as you blog.
Start thinking of a potential domain name by brainstorming and expanding on your subject. Your domain name should be memorable and brandable above all.
My main niche is reviews, I review products I have tried and give the advantages and disadvantages of the products weather a company sends it to me or not and where the products can be bought .
Enter your ideas below to check if they’re available,I chose Clarislifestyle because I did not only want to talk about beauty, but also fashion and lifestyle, reasons I went for that name. So it’s very important you brainstorm before picking a name for your blog .
My main piece of advice here is that you have to love what you write. If you hate makeup but a really nice brand have offered you something, don’t take it. People can tell when you’re being insincere.
A good tip is using your first name as part of your domain. Think of blogs like kinnakasblog.com, lindaikejisblog.com, deliciouslyella.com. Try it with your blog!
Make sure to find your niche and although you can branch out, try not to stray too far.
That’s the end of this article, i really hoped you learned something from it and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me via my instagram or my email which you can find below.
For example if you want your blog to be about makeup but then you suddenly decide you really like fashion, try to incorporate makeup into it. Always be truthful. If you get something and you don’t like it, let your readers know. Don’t be too harsh but don’t let people waste their money. Don’t be disheartened if people don’t read your blog.
Have a great year! • A basic camera. You can use any digital camera, a DSLR, or your iPhone. Some bloggers even use their phone’s camera. • Photoshop or a free alternative. Editing your photos will make them look professional no matter what camera you use.
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What should I blog about ?
You don’t absolutely need any tools to start blogging, but this is what I recommend for a beginner:
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• Natural light. You don’t need photography equipment when starting out. Natural light is the best light to shoot in. You can always buy studio lighting along the way. I do own a professional camera but for the past 2 years I have been using my iPhone 7plus /iPhone 8plus to take most of my pictures you will find on my blog and the key to perfect picture is Editing . The Fun Part: Your Domain Name Once you figure out the topic of your future blog, you’re ready for one of my favorite parts: picking a domain name!
Instagram @clarislifestyle Snapchat @dazyhapsy Twitter @clarislifestyle Blog: www.clarislifestyle.com
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I’m not particularly computer-savvy, and I still managed to do it! I’ll show you how simple it is and guide you through the whole process.
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SA MAJESTE MAGAZINE
The Music Business In Cameroon. Most often when you ask foreigners if they know any Cameroonian artists or music the first name they often call is Petit Pays. In the past Makossa held Cameroon high when it comes to music, it later on had support from other genres such as Bikutsi, Benskin and a lot more.
THE MUSIC BUSINESS IN CAMEROON
Emmanuel Mfon(#MusicRebel) Founder of Website: http://www.237Showbiz.com Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/237showbiz Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/237showbiz Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/237showbiz Private Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmanuel.veranyuy
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Around the 1980, Makossa was making it big in the international stage with artists like Petit Pays, Douleur, Ben Decca, Bebe Manga, Ndedi Eyango and Guy Lobe being some of the very influential artists that made it be recognized for quite a reasonable time at the international scene.
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The music is there but the shows are lagging behind, and most Cameroonian artists make good money when they are on Tour...
As years went by, other genres popped up and there was reasonable success on the international scene with HIT songs like Soul Makossa by Manu Dibango making it big on the international scene. Fast forward to years later, Makossa has lost its grounds as the most popular Cameroonian music genre. What went wrong? Well to say the least the older artists in the game did little setting up structures or an industry that generations later on could benefit from. Since about 2011 the story has been different; the music industry has taken a new route, a route influenced by our daily happening, a new urban lifestyle inspired by traditional and local music. The music has grown to what most people call “Cameroon Urban Music”. The growth over the years has been enormous with songs such as Don 4 Kwat by Jovi and Hein Pere by Stanley Enow being a good foundation on which the Music industry has grown. In recent years, we have seen artists like Daphne , Mr Leo, Locko, Maahlox , Salatiel, Magasco and Tenor grow to quite an impressive influential status and fame. But what is fame without money? Here comes the business part! In Cameroon the penetration rate of home based music is still very low, no restrictions have been put in place to control the amount of foreign music that’s being played. Putting a restriction like an 85% Cameroonian music to 15% for-
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eign music law on all TVs and radios will go a long way to promote home based artists and local music. The music industry is a huge source of income in most countries. The American music industry today is usually used as one of the blueprints when talking about music business in the world. In Cameroon, the music industry is still struggling to catch up, but why is that? Let’s get to the details. Based on the Youtube Statistics from January 1st 2018 – December 1st 2018 only Daphne, Locko and Charlotte Dipanda made the cut of the Top 10 Artists streamed from Cameroon on youtube. With Daphne having the 3rd spot while Locko 4th and Charlotte Dipanda is on the 7th spot. These statistics is just basic proof that the consumption of foreign music is still on an all time high. With all the hitches and with the ongoing unrest in the North West and South West Regions, artists are having a hard time making some Mulla, Guap, Shishi AKA Money from their craft. Most fans are broke, and with streaming still struggling to make its way into Africa, very few can feed off music streams which is actually not much unless the artists are pulling huge numbers in streams which is of course not the case as of now. In Cameroon most A-list artists make money from doing shows, concerts, club performances and weddings. The Afro-pop artists make most of their money from weddings, private shows and concerts which don’t happen too often. Artists like Daphne, Blanche Bailly all demand high for shows with a pay package ranging between 1 Million to 5 Million CFA Francs per show. Rappers in the likes of Tenor, Mink’s, Maahlox are some of the Cameroonian artists who make good money from their craft as they are constantly booked for shows in Cameroon, Africa, and Europe. The males also earn
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SA MAJESTE MAGAZINE
But what is fame without money? Here comes the business part!
somewhere between 1 Million to 5 Million FCFA per show. A-List Francophone Cameroonian artists make most of their money in most French speaking African countries and also in Europe , specifically France where a good number of their fans reside. A-list Anglophone Cameroonian artists most often get booked in Europe, few French speaking African countries and the USA where they have an advantage because of the English speaking population and a high number of Cameroonians residing in the various states either in French speaking countries like Congo, Cote D’ivoire, Benin, Burkina Faso where artists like Daphne, Tenor, Mink’s and Maahlox have a reasonable fan base and have had a couple of successful shows. 2018 was a turning point in shows abroad as we saw the Made In Cameroon Music Festival bring in some of Cameroon’s finests on one stage. With Stanley Enow, Magasco , Mr Leo and Mink’s headlining and making history! In Cameroon, festivals like the Cliq Urban Music Festival and the Douala Hip Hop Festival are also doing a good job promoting the culture even though the pay package is not hefty.
first urban music artist to fill up the Sports Complex, followed by Tenor while Empire’s Golden Boy Magasco is next in line. As it is right now, most of the shows organized both at home and abroad are done by private individuals with their individual investments, and most corporate bodies are still skeptical about organizing shows with strictly Cameroonian artists, for fear of a low ROI. The usual norm is most corporate bodies like MTN and ORANGE will pay huge sums of money and invite Foreign artists and then use home based artists as supporting acts, how disrespectful! So for how long will this continue? Tables need to turn, and for the tables to turn the standards of living of an average citizen in Cameroon needs to improve. A solution to the unrest in the NW and SW regions needs to be found ASAP, and the government needs to support the industry by passing a law increasing the number of airplays of home based music. When all of this is taken care of, the fans will have at least the money to take care of their needs and also support the industry more, at this rate the industry will grow faster, and the raw talents will be motivated that they can make it too. . It is pointless to be famous and broke!
Till date, no urban music artists have been able to Fill Up any Stadium in Cameroon, the current success measurement factor as concerns shows in Cameroon is the PAPOSY (The 5000 Capacity sports complex in Yaoundé). Maahlox was the
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SA MAJESTE MAGAZINE
FOCUS on
Focus On:
This column is to highlight any Cameroonian (artist, actor, producer, entrepreneur, etc) who never relented their efforts no matter what and is at the prime of their career making the country proud! Our pick for this issue is none other than the talented and hardworking producer, DraeBoii.
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raeBoii says: « I’m currently a proud father and one of the names worthy to be mentioned as Top Music Producers in Cameroon. I’ve been nominated a few times for Music Producer of the year for awards like GreenLight, Urban Jamz awards as well as being mentioned twice in the list of top 10 Cameroonian Music Producers on 237Showbiz.com, KamerLink & other platforms.
I’ve been graced to have produced some top songs in Cameroon like Ebako’s Versace and All of Nabila’s songs as well as Crispy’s. I’ve had to work with great people I look up to like Salatiel, Don Jazzy, Locko, Korede Bello, to name a few. » DraeBoii is undoubtedly a force to reckon with in the Cameroonian music scene and we wish him the best in his endeavors.
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DR-DR-DR DR-DR-DR DR-DR-DR DRAEBOI!! 26
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Ma’Sango Edi Mesumbe M. also known as DraeBoii, formerly Edi ‘Ledrae’. First child of three from his father & last of three from his mother. DraeBoii grew up in the streets of Great Soppo – Buea where he did his primary education and hustled before started doing music in the year 2010 at a studio owned by his uncle ‘Stallone’ (Decobra House Recordings) which gave birth to the duo Rythmz, Boy Tag, Nkeng Stephens to name a few. When asked about his life as a teenager, DraeBoii told us, « I was a rapper at first while having side jobs like selling in the market, truck pushing, phone sales etc. I only started doing beats because I wanted to understand how the music worked and most importantly because beats were really expensive and I was being ignored every time I visited the studio. » DraeBoii schooled at BGS Molyko & Frankfils Buea during his secondary & high school days and had his Advanced Levels, then dropped out of school (which his mother didn’t support) for a year and a half. He then traveled to study/work in a music studio abroad then shortly came back to open a studio with some partners which didn’t really work out but he finally did after a year and a half year with Bine Moukouri (graphic designer/ artist) created Thee 808 Nation & MegaMusic Inc.
DraeBoii says: « I’m a proud father and one of the Top Music Producers in Cameroon. I’ve been nominated a few times for Music Producer of the year for awards like GreenLight, Urban Jamz awards as well as being mentioned twice in the list of top 10 Cameroonian Music Producers on influencer platforms: 237Showbiz.com, KamerLink to name a few. I’ve been graced to have produced some of the top songs in Cameroon like Ebako’s Versace, Crispy and Nabila’s discography.
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I’ll count myself blessed to have worked with beautiful souls; people who later on became role models. I look up to like Salatiel, Don Jazzy, Locko, Korede Bello, to name a few. » Drae Boi is undoubtedly a force to reckon with in the Cameroonian music scene and we wish him the best in his endeavors. We did an interview with the humble and amazing producer to know about some random facts in his daily life. Enjoy!
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Be Unique. It’s ok to be very different. If you played TETRIS, you’d understand that fitting in only gets you lost
SMM: Thank you for letting us feature you on this issue. What’s your day like as a music producer/artist? DB: Thank you! My Day? As sad as this would sound, I spend 90% of my days in the studio. I literally don’t have a life outside the studio. Its crazy. SMM: What’s another talent people don’t know you have? DB: If I were not a producer, I probably would have been a chef. I’m a great cook and can sing. (... sometimes LOL) SMM: Do you have any favorite sports? DB: I’ve never really been a sportsperson, but I used to really love basketball & table tennis. All that went into oblivion when I took up music full-time. SMM: What’s your favorite city to live in in Cameroon other than Buea and why? 28
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DB: Definitely Douala. Douala is a really great town let aside the choking heat. Douala makes you hustle. Waking up and realizing that you’ve got people looking up to you and you’re on your own it becomes instinctive. Only Douala does that to you. SMM: Who are your Cameroonian musical influences? DB: I won’t need to think for too long Richard Bona, Petit Pays, Rythmz, Salatiel, to name a few. But ironically the list go turn turn long oo LOL! SMM: Haha I feel you! So what’s your favorite Cameroonian 90s song? DB: “Wuna leave me make I play my life.. na so I dey oh...” that song! You know that song noh? Hahaha! SMM: Haha! I know that song but I don’t know the artist actually. Good one. What’s your favorite Cameroonian song at the moment then? DB: Blanche Bailly: NDOLO Produced by McCoy TWAP & PhillBillBeatz. SMM: Choose one Cameroonian legendary artist you’d like to produce a song for. 29
Dead or alive. And why? DB: Richard Bona. To me, that’s the most unique Cameroonian artist ever! From his chords to his style, melody. Everything! Why produce for him? well, They’ll never be another Uncle Bona. SMM: Of all the songs you have ever produced, what’s your favorite so far? Why? DB: I Can’t say I have a favourite yet. I don’t know. Maybe I do or Do I? LOL. Well, I feel like there’s more. I need to work harder and be better than I am now. There’s this void. I di find sontin wey I no know... SMM: What do you do in your free time? DB: When I’m not doing anything, it’s either I am doing my research on Musical philosophies, YouTube or I watch movies. Movies help me relax. You know what they say about Jack and his dullness. SMM: Movies help all of us relax honestly lol. Thank you so much Drae Boi. Any last words of encouragement/advice to young upcoming music producers? DB: Be unique. It’s ok to be very different. If you played TETRIS you’d understand that fitting in only gets you lost
You can check out DraeBoii Instagram and Twitter: @sangoedi Email: ediledrae@gmail.com
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HOT SPOTS!
L’ATELIER Douala
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L’ATELIER est un bar à cocktail et spiritueux La particularité : des cocktails créés sur mesure rien que pour vous. Notre barman est à votre écoute et vous sert en fonction de vos préférences en terme de liqueurs et de goût. Nous offrons aussi le BBQ, les brochettes de boeuf, porc et les saucisses chaque Vendredi.
Address: En face l’entree d’Energy Club, Bonapriso, Douala Ouvert de mercredi à dimanche de 18h à 2h du matin
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... sey “old school” do how?
90wears2
