MAM ISSUE #2

MEGA ARTIST
Issue no: 02
and It's sad that this campaigns are initiated by artists themselves or organisations that seek to
protect the interest of artists. But why can't artists campaign for excellency and not sympathy?
I'll tell you why… because excellency requires hard work and most are not prepared to put in
the work.
I started experiencing my name being mentioned amongst the best in the country when I
started seeing the best in the country as my direct competition, working hard (if not twice as
hard) as the best in the country, and I'm glad my hard work puts me in a league of the best in the
country. You know that overused line 'it all starts with you' right? It is overly used for a reason.
Like all artists on the planet, I still face the same challenges as “Local artists” but I chose to fight
those challenges on a different level, an upper level. I hear a lot of Ladies saying “I'd rather cry
in a Range Rover than cry in a tazz”, which for me means all levels come with their own
challenges. I chose to face upper level challenges. I chose to wake up and crack my skull over
proposals for endorsements and getting TV Stations to air my videos than waking up to
worrying about where to go if I want to record a demo.
At times I wished “Local artist” could mean our own, something locals could be proud of
because it is locally produced and ready to be sold internationally but the treatment that came
with the term proved otherwise. Being termed a “local artist” means you get to perform even
before “ladies free before 6″ arrive, before the sound and stage have been completely set up,
when people are at computicket queuing to buy tickets you on the other hand you're at the
venue about to perform your last track which is usually your only track for the day because the
mandate is well outlined (“Ke go fa exposure, betha one nyana”) as if performing for an empty
arena is promotion. I see “Local artists” passing halls and saying if this walls could talk, of
course they'd say you are good because you always performing for them, empty walls.
If you are still thinking about starting a career in music or you've already started but trapped in
the “Local artist” maze, this is the best time to free yourself and blossom in this industry. First
realise the boundaries that technology broke and continue to break. Secondly invest in your
dream. Invest time to study the industry. It's YOUR dream! Be the first to invest your money in it,
people have their own dreams too, so don't expect them to have a burning desire to see yours
come true with their money. If you become the first to invest money in it trust me, you're going to
attract investors. And lastly put in the work. Working smart will never replace working hard, so
how about you do both.
For more on Mopedy and his music?..Go to….
www.mopedy.co.za and @Kemopedy (twitter), facebook like page: Mopedy,
Instagram:Mopedy
www.megaartists.co.za NOV-DEC 2014 Page 10