GAZETTE REPORTER
The year 2018 turned out to be a great one for Botswana’s creative industries with a slew of new talent across various genres making an indelible mark on the entertainment landscape and creating much anticipation for their 2019 follow ups.
Some of the entertainers who put in some really impressive work last year were singer Han C, crooner Motlha, producer Bangu, TV presenter Peelo Mookodi, as well a graffiti artists Rexx Mautle and Fifi Wale. Here’s a rundown of these varied talents and the things that made them buzz worthy.
You can’t talk about last year’s music without mentioning Motlha, the young, soulful vocalist who dropped hit after hit and was one of the most booked artists in the country despite not having a fully fledged album in his repertoire.
“Motlha came into the game with a bang, his style and approach is what made him big. We were so used to English RnB tracks but Motlha made us fall in love with vernacular. He proved that you can make a good RnB song in Setswana!” said Yarona FM radio presenter and music commentator Mdu Tha Party. Motlha is expected to finally drop his debut album this year.
Another artist people are expecting fireworks from in 2019 is Ozi F Teddy. Last year he made a lot of noticeable noise by releasing a number of diss tracks, firing shots at rappers Dramaboi, Frost, ATI and Bang Gae. At the same time he dropped an album titled Lord Summer and more singles than any other rap artist in the country for 2018.
“Ozi F Teddy was brilliant and unapologetic. He released some trail blazing tracks. He was also one of the most hardworking rappers in the country last year, we really have to put some respect on the guy,” added Mdu.
Then there was Han C who stayed topping the charts, whether on his solo tracks or during his features. He dominated the first half of the year with Mafurafura and sealed the rest of the year and festive season with Rejection. One can only wonder what 2019 holds for his features and “happy go lucky” hooks.
Online and on the small screen, television presenters Peelo Mookodi and Rea Kopi spread their wings across the border and broke new ground in the world of broadcast .
Mookodi surprised the country last year when she contested on SABC 3’s Presenter Search which saw her sailing through and finally making it to the the top seven after facing some really tough competition. Upon being eliminated, the young starlet assured Batswana that she will hunt for more opportunities after seeing what she is capable of, especially after garnering her first time experience on an international platform.
Back home, Rea Kopi had a magnificent year when her webisode reality show Rea Online was picked up by Botswana’s youth TV channel “Now” TV, making it one of the few local youthful reality shows on mainstream TV. In the same year Kopi settled in as a radio host at Gabz FM.
Moving on to the world of art, two young creatives who out did themselves in 2018 were painters are Fifi Wale and Rexx Mautle.
The two artists teamed up to paint the ural by Molapo Crossing Mall which is visible from the Western Bypass. They were the youngest in the team which comprised of seasoned artists including graffiti legend Khwezi.
Rexx has gone on to work on some mural art work at the entrance of the newly refurbished Main Deck in the Main Mall.