Life Of A Street Kid

Harnessing Music's Power to Equalise the Industry and Reshape the World

One Groove is thrilled to announce a gathering of their artists from Denmark, Cameroon and South Africa, including producers, songwriters, top-liners, and vocalists, at the upcoming Music Imbizo 2024. This reunion follows their groundbreaking inaugural Ama Groove Songwriting Camp earlier this year, designed to foster collaboration and creativity, focusing on mental health, cultural awareness, and artistic interpretation within the realm of music production.

Nexus for Musical Exchange

The Music Imbizo, a crucial gathering of music industry professionals, artists, and enthusiasts, will take place in Durban from August 27 to 31, 2024. This event provides a platform for discussions, collaborations, and innovations that can transform the global music landscape. One Groove's participation underscores its commitment to driving industry equality and fostering a more inclusive musical ecosystem.

Driving industry equality and innovation

Rasmus Allin, Co-founder of One Groove, shares: "Our reunion at the Music Imbizo is a pivotal moment for our mission to drive industry equality and innovation. We believe that our participation in the conference will add more value to charting the future of the African music scene through the workshops, masterclasses, and presentations. We look forward to addressing industry challenges and exploring practical solutions with everyone attending, fostering unprecedented connections and innovation."

Bridging Divides through Music

The Ama Groove Songwriting Camp, a collaboration between One Groove and the Riky Rick Foundation for the Promotion of Artivism, epitomises a collective mission to use music as a bridge to foster unity and illuminate the transformative power of art. In April 2024, 14 Ama Groove Artists from South Africa (7) and Denmark (7) came together for a songwriting camp that produced a collection of powerful new tracks [link to mastered tracks]. The camp showcased artists' and partners' talent and dedication to create music that resonates with a diverse audience and sparks meaningful change. In addition to ample collaborative writing sessions, the intensive program included masterclasses and panel talks, culminating in a final listening session with industry professionals.

Reunion Insights

August 28-29: Writing sessions in Durban hosted by Music Imbizo

August 30: Pitch session with publishers, labels, and radio compilers at Music Imbizo

August 31: Playlist & Cocktails publicity event: at Mamakashaka & Friends

September 1-2: Live rehearsal and writing sessions.

September 3: Live showcase at TUT Arts Festival and the Danish Embassy

Be Part of the Experience

One Groove invites media representatives, music industry professionals, and fans to join them at The Music Imbizo 2024 by purchasing tickets via Webtickets. Together, we can celebrate the power of music to unite, inspire, and create lasting change.

Find Out More

For media inquiries or to explore the music from the Ama Groove artists, contact Bongani at hello@onegroove.world or call 072 675 3372. Learn about the reunion and get updates via Instagram - @onegroove.world

About the Collaborators

About the Artists:

Please see attached or click the link above for a visual presentation (in PDF form) of the artists with links to their social platforms.

About One Groove

One Groove fosters inclusive spaces that transcend cultural boundaries to nurture talent and cultivate belonging within globally interconnected communities where every voice holds value. They facilitate unique connections across diverse cultures, borders, and genres, bypassing conventional gatekeepers. One Groove is committed to co-creating growth and skills-building opportunities to support artists in reshaping social structures and enhancing their creativity and mental well-being.

About The Music Imbizo

The Music Imbizo is an international music business conference and exhibition that includes a film and music festival. Hosted in Durban, South Africa, during the last week of August, The Music Imbizo gathers various music industry stakeholders under one roof to map new and exciting ways for the music industry on the African continent. It is a platform to exhibit, network, and share expertise and knowledge while doing business. For the performing artists, it provides a stage in front of the most influential people in the music business's value chain and creates opportunities to experiment with their audience development.

About Riky Rick Foundation

Shy of a year since its inception, Riky Rick Foundation for the Promotion of Artivism, inspired by the late South African music icon Rikhardo 'Riky Rick' Makhado, stands as a poignant memorialisation and transcendent embodiment of the late artist's life and legacy. Rooted in the profound connection between artivism and mental well-being, the foundation's pillars illuminate art's transformative power as a conduit to wellness.

About the TUT Arts Festival

The Faculty of Arts and Design at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) proudly presents the sixth TUT Arts Festival from 2 to September 4 2024 on the Arts Campus. This year's theme, ARTIVISM, emphasises using creative consciousness to address social challenges and promote responsible citizenship. The Faculty is also excited to partner with the Riky Rick Foundation for the Promotion of Artivism, Community Arts Network (CAN), and the Global Commons Alliance (GCA) for the inaugural Global Artivism Conference from September 5 to 8, 2024.

Call for small businesses to apply to transformative business mentorship programme

The SAB Foundation is pleased to announce the opening of applications for its sought-after Tholoana Enterprise Programme. Based on its continuous success over the years, it stands out as an opportunity for high-potential small business owners who are committed to achieving overall personal and business growth.

This 18-month programme is designed to empower entrepreneurs across all business sectors, and actively seeks participation from women, youth, those living in rural areas and persons with disabilities.

“Our past participants have described their experience as being life-altering, transformational and holistically developmental,” says Itumeleng Dhlamini, Head of Programmes at the SAB Foundation. “Many of these inspiring individuals have seen positive growth in turnover for their businesses and have been able to create more employment opportunities as a result.”

"As one of our flagship programmes, the Tholoana Enterprise Programme aims to support entrepreneurs in becoming successful and resilient business owners through extensive skills development, mentorship, access to markets, finance, and practical business tools,” she adds.

Alumnus, Mampho Sotshongaye, is the founder of civil engineering company Golden Rewards, and was awarded the Tholoana Enterprise Award 2023. “Through the incredible support I received, I was able to improve my company structures and systems, increase the number of my employees from 85 to 132, and grow my turnover by more than 55%.”

Upon acceptance, participants will undergo a comprehensive journey of self-assessment, goal setting, and strategic growth planning tailored to their business needs. The programme provides inclusive wrap-around support, including mental health assistance, to help entrepreneurs achieve their full potential.

“We strive to ensure balanced representation from all nine provinces, including peri-urban and rural areas,” Dhlamini adds. “Successful applicants will receive extensive business skills development, one-on-one mentorship and coaching, which are key to participants' success.

Well-recognised for its significant impact in South African communities, the Tholoana Enterprise Programme has supported over 650 businesses, of which 50% are owned by women, 57% are owned by youth, and 3% are owned by persons with disabilities. These business owners have achieved a combined turnover increase of R475 million since inception.

“We call on entrepreneurs who are committed to success to apply and achieve businesses success,” she concludes. “This will be the start of their journey with us and can look forward to becoming part of a thriving network of opportunities long after completion.”

Eligibility criteria:

· Applicants must be fully operational for at least 12 months.

· The business needs to be 51% black-owned and managed.

· The business must be headquartered in South Africa.

· The business must be managed full-time by the applicant.

· The applicant has the skills and experience necessary for the type of business they are engaged in.

In addition, preference will be given to:

· Enterprises run by or benefitting persons with disabilities.

· Women and youth-owned businesses.

· Peri-urban and rural enterprises.

· Enterprises that create jobs in areas with few other opportunities.

Applications open from 1 August to 9 September 2024 at midday.

Apply here now: https://www.sabfoundation.co.za/tholoana-enterprise-programme.

Here's a glimpse into the kind of insane logistics that go into making a show like House of the Dragon S2, which is now available to binge on Showmax.

The first two seasons of House of the Dragon, the most popular series on IMDb globally right now, are now available to binge on Showmax.

Filmed in England, Wales and Spain, Season 2 required more than 5 400 costumes, a crew of almost 2 500, and more than 100 new sets built across five sound stages and a backlot, over a five-and-a-half-month shoot. Overseeing this all was showrunner and co-creator Ryan Condal, who on any given day was running between two and four crews simultaneously, shooting separate episodes, with separate directors.

“Every day is essentially two days worth of film days,” says Ryan. “For example, you plan your schedule so that Emma [D’Arcy] as Rhaenyra can be shooting scenes at Dragonstone with one director and another director is shooting scenes with Olivia [Cooke] playing Alicent in the Red Keep across the lot. And that’s how we break up the schedule and ensure it doesn’t take a year and a half to film one season.”

House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones, is based on George RR Martin’s bestseller Fire & Blood. Season 1 ended with Aegon [Tom Glynn-Carney] crowned King, to the fury of Rhaenyra, the firstborn of the late King Viserys - and his named successor.

So civil war was brewing even before the murder of Rhaenyra’s son, Lucerys, in the S1 finale, at the hands of Aegon’s brother, Prince Aemond [Ewan Mitchell].

“The murder of Luke at the end of S1 was a seismic event,” says Ryan. “The murder was an act of kin-slaying and treason and it’s upped the stakes because any chance of negotiating terms is now off the table given how horrific that action was.”

Season 2 picks up with both sides bracing for the inevitable fallout. “Certainly, Rhaenyra and her side are mourning and Aegon and Alicent are in defensive mode, worrying where and how the retribution is going to come - because they know it’s going to come,” says Ryan.

“Daemon (Matt Smith) is waiting loyally to execute Rhaenyra’s orders but she has gone off to grieve and no one is quite sure where she’s gone. Daemon is frustrated: he wants to act, he wants vengeance, but he doesn’t have the Queen’s authority.”

Aegon is king now, so Allicent and Rhaenyra’s children play a much more central role this season. “This season is really all about them,” says Ryan. “Yes, it’s still Alicent and Rhaenyra and Daemon’s story, with Rhaenys and the Sea Snake, too, but it’s also passed on to that second generation of kids, who are now waging this war that was started by their parents.”

Condal says that the themes established in S1 are heightened in S2. “This season it becomes very much about how far you are willing to go to win the throne,” says Ryan. “Particularly in an environment, which was not the case in Game of Thrones, where you essentially have nuclear weapons on the table and the threat of mutually assured destruction, which is, of course, what the dragons are.”

Ryan was understandably relieved when he wrapped Season 2. “Every season is a battle,” he says. “It always feels good to finish and this one in particular feels good because Season 2 is so much bigger in scope and ambition. So even though it was eight episodes versus ten in S1, it somehow felt like a bigger accomplishment in the end. You learn an awful lot when you make S1 of a show and, if you’re lucky enough to make it to S2, you get to do it again, but better. And I think, in every objective way, Season 2 is bigger, richer and better.”

Recently named one of IMDb’s 10 Top-Rated Shows of 2024 So Far, House of the Dragon S2 has an 89% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with its jaw-dropping fourth episode the highest rated yet on IMDb, earning a 9.5/10 rating and widespread comparisons to the Red Wedding episode of Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones became the most awarded show in the Emmys history, with six entries in The Guinness Book of World Records, but House of the Dragon is living up to that legacy. The Emmy-winning first season was named Best TV Series - Drama at the 2023 Golden Globes and the best-reviewed series of 2022 at Rotten Tomatoes’ Golden Tomato Awards. As Seattle Times says of S2, “House of the Dragon evolves into such smart, thrilling and heartbreaking storytelling that it threatens to become the rare prequel that outshines the original.”

After the S2 premiere helped international streaming service Max to its most-watched day yet, House of the Dragon has already been renewed for a third season. So Ryan’s not slowing down any time soon. “It’s sort of neverending - you climb one mountain and then you find another mountain to climb,” he says. “Making this show is like an ultra marathon.”

Watch the trailer for the S2 finale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTAXt2yPfek

Watch the S2 trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN2H_sKcmGw

“Time is your ally.”

After surviving a near-fatal shooting during a hijacking, Vuyo Dabula is finally back on South African screens in The Butcher’s Soul, now streaming on Showmax.

The Butcher’s Soul is directed by Kagiso Samuel Leburu, who won the Made for TV Film SAFTA for his debut feature Okae Molao and also debuted Month End at Durban International Festival last month. 4-time SAFTA winner Adze Ugah (Shaka iLembe) is the stunt director.

After a deadly attack on his family, a butcher (SAFTA winner Melusi Mbele) is granted seven days by the angel of Death to bring her the guilty souls in exchange for his daughter’s life.

Dabula plays Saul, one of those guilty souls, opposite the likes of SAFTA winner Katlego Danke (Gomora), Zinhle Mabena (Shaka iLembe), Bokang Phelane (Blood Psalms) and Tshepo Howza Mosese (co-host of The Ultimatum SA).

Celebrated for his iconic portrayal of Gadaffi in Generations: The Legacy and nominated for an African Movie Academy Award as Tau in Five Fingers for Marseilles, Vuyo sat down with Xabiso Ngqabe to talk about his journey back to what he loves most: storytelling.

Firstly, it's wonderful to see you back on screen. Can you share what you've been up to recently?

I’ve been up to very little professionally as I came across an unfortunate event where I got shot in 2022. Bullets in my shoulder put me on hold and I spent all of 2023 recovering. I might have done Unseen just before the incident, but I can’t remember quite well. The event affected me not only physically but also mentally, as I've been dealing with the aftermath and the frustration of not being able to work and do what I love.

This is a violent film. How did that experience influence you on this shoot?

Holding a gun on set didn’t make me feel weird. I know a bit about guns, and as long as I knew they were empty, I could handle them without any issues. Even the detective, played by Howza, walks around with a gun. I would pick up his gun, provided it was safe. Maybe if I play a character who gets shot, I might experience flashbacks or feel shaken. In this project, I was given the role of the aggressor. I’m the one causing pain, so there wasn’t any room for fear.

Tell us about the character you’re playing.

At his core, Saul is a capitalist. There’s always a thin line between a capitalist and a gangster. Capitalists can be soulless and money-driven and can easily trample upon other people. That's just the reality. Initially, Saul starts as a good guy, who believes in a product, but this lands himself and his team in trouble. To save himself, he needs to protect his name, leading him deeper into darker places. I don't think he's a gangster; he just goes to great lengths to protect his name and life. This situation brings him closer to the story's protagonist, culminating in a showdown between the two.

What was your preparation like for the role?

I embraced the idea that, ‘You can be a hero or live long enough to be a villain.' A very good part of me will subscribe to goodness, being nice and kind. However, my life experiences have shown me the darkness in people. Sometimes, situations force you to save yourself.

While I haven't been responsible for losing a life, I’ve found myself in situations where I’ve had to make tough decisions. Life teaches you that you can end up in precarious situations, and people make mistakes.

This helped me understand what Saul was going through, allowing him to make mistakes and reflect on how it feels to be on the other side, where you never thought you’d be.

In life, we deal with smaller stakes, but the antagonist faces amplified stakes. Nonetheless, I relate to him because I've encountered similar principles in my own life. I’ve struggled with these opposing ideas, holding onto righteousness.

You’re a very versatile actor. Do you find it more difficult preparing for action films, as compared to other films, due to the toll that it takes on your body?

I actually enjoy action scenes. I have a background in martial arts and know the basics of handling a gun. Interestingly, stunts are very similar to boxing; they rely on the same basic principles. On set, they would show me the choreography, and it didn’t take long for me to pick it up. While I am versatile, I believe there’s a significant side of me, particularly in the action genre, that is still yet to be fully explored.

Is there a type of character you haven’t played yet that interests you?

I have a deep love for boxing, a passion my father introduced me to, and it’s one of the things we bonded over. I would love to play a character in a boxing film, like Creed or Rocky. It could be a biopic like Raging Bull or portraying Arthur Mayisela. I’d have to lose a lot of weight, but it would be fascinating to play Arthur Mayisela or one of our great boxers from South Africa. There are many successful boxers from South Africa. We used to compete against the best in the world and were respected internationally. It would be great to portray one of them or a fictional character like Creed. I’d love to explore that because I understand the sport very well.

What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

I think it's Tom Hanks. I even have a video of him on my Instagram saying, “I wish I had known that this too shall pass. You feel bad right now, you feel pissed off, you feel angry—this too shall pass. You feel great, you feel like you know all the answers, you feel like everybody finally gets you—this too shall pass. Time is your ally, and if nothing else, just wait. Just wait it out.” For me, that’s the most powerful advice I've heard.

What got you the most excited about The Butcher’s Soul?

I think because it was done by Leburugraphy. They’ve done a couple of projects but they’re fairly young. You could just feel the youthfulness permeating throughout the set and their approach to shooting, with fresh ideas and enthusiasm, especially for the action scenes. They put their heart into the action scenes, and I really appreciated that because I love filmmaking.

Watch the trailer to The Butcher’s Soul:

https://youtu.be/3aMdEQRFCmU?si=xge4aY8__6ybm84q

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ONE GROOVE'S AMA GROOVE TO REUNITE IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE MUSIC IMBIZO 2024

Applications for the SAB Foundation Tholoana Enterprise Programme are now open

Top 4 SA Idols 2023 Contestant (Nkosikhona Shange) Releases a Debut Single

“Making this show is like an ultra marathon.” Ryan Condal on House of the Dragon

Vuyo Dabula on returning to our screens with The Butcher’s Soul