FEATURING JAE NUUNE

Who is Jae Nuune?

She is the young girl who found a voice through creativity. My best moments have always been while I am writing and story telling so I mostly express both in forms of music and hand crafting.

When did you start doing music?

The moment I saw my voice make other people Feel. The day I saw someone relate to what I had performed, was the day I surrendered to music. My experiences became poetry and I found a companion in the stories hidden through the melody of different sounds, I could not stopped.

Tell us more about your typical day.

I am often up around 4am, out of bed is another story thanks to technology so it's mostly going with the flow. Good morning yoga and meditation, tea and gratitude prayer, adjusting with the day is often dependent on the urgency and time, especially during winter but I am often jotting down and throwing around ideas with people that inspire me to be better, reading( I've recently gotten into reading books I don't usually consider) , making and remaking things to expand and experience my abilities, working on new sounds, gradually mastering my own, collaborating with different producers and finding unique connections as I go. Discovering motivational ways and methods of learning more about manifesting reality, in no particular order.

    Who are your biggest influences?

Creatives that dare to be different. Writers that give the audience something to remember. Performances that take you places, to their places, even if it's for a brief moment. 

Photography that tells a story. Sound that invites different generations. My greatest 

influence is vibration and reciprocation.

    May you tell us a little bit more about EVOLV Works?

EVOLV Works has been designing Hand-crafted Bead accessories and unique statement pieces in and around Johannesburg since 2014. EVOLV Works believes in representing the cultural evolutionary significance of beads with a more modern approach, fusing them with different textures and mediums of material and art form by method of hand work. EVOLV Works was initially called EVOL, which is LOVE spelt backwards. Since LOVE evolves, I was advised by a then close friend and EVOLV Works was born. It was a reminder to Out dream myself. To always be bold enough to manifest my reality and not to be afraid to share love with the rest of the world .

    What are the challenges that you have faced since the lockdown and how are you adjusting?

        I won't lie and say I didn't have any challenges. I will, however, tell you that I chose to focus on other things during the national lockdown. I used this time to my well-being  , attending to things that needed my attention, including myself. Mostly Self. Since I couldn't go outside, I went "inside" removed a lot of weeds. I adjusted well.

  What is the craziest thing you have done to entertain yourself during this lockdown?

I expanded into clothing for EVOLV Works.

 If you could ghost write for anyone, who would it be and why?

Willow Smith, Shekhinah, GreenTea Peng and Kamauu.
I love how Willow and Shekhinah play with their voice ranges and hold their notes. Peng and Kamauu are so soul snatching with their deliverance and presentation, not forgetting their amazing visuals and videos. Just fuego. Also, they would tell the stories in the song with so much Feng Shui. 

What is your favorite holiday spot/food/gadget?

I love the outdoors so anything that's surrounded by trees, open spaces, fresh air and a lot of water
I love food so I'm usually but not always open to anything that is cooked over an open fire, or has cheese,  or is deliciously spicy, definitely greens, nice and creamy. I could go on but I'll stop 

with this few.

    What movie best describes you?

I'm yet to find it.

    What are your favourite childhood memories?

I am not sure If they were dreams or my imagination but I often saw myself taking road trips under the full moon so traveling and seeing different parts of the world has always been on my bucket list.
Father introduced me to different genres of music and artists when I was a youngin so performing my favorite for an audience and entertaining people through laughter, which, til today, I still believe is the best medicine has always made me feel like I've made it in life. Visiting my grandma in the hood used 

to be an adventure because that's where I got to meet a lot of creatives.

    

If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be and why?

Caramel Fruit. And that is all.

    What has been your biggest career highlight?

Hearing my work making a difference in different people's lives. Traveling the country and meeting and learning different ways of making music and expressing Art.

  Vodka or Whiskey?

None of the above

 What’s your shoe size?

It's my foot size

What is the one thing you cannot live without?

All the lessons, heartbreaks and disappointments that taught me to allow things to play out even if it's not how I expected. The Introspection helped me breakdown all of the walls that I had built thinking I was protecting myself, instead I was hardening my shell casing restrictions to my vibration.

If this is our last ever conversation, what words of wisdom would you leave me with?

No matter how chaotic things may seem, give yourself the moment to Accept, Allow, Adjust. Your reaction and deciphering of any situation determines your experience with it. Trust in your process, especially if the nudge is a lot stronger than the logic.

 Do catch Jae Nuune on the socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaenuune/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaenuune?s=09

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jaenuune?igshid=1kp238zs8ypz7

FEATURING SHABZI MADALLION

1.    Who is ShabZi Madallion?

ShabZi Madallion is a rap artist, passionate individual about the craft, about rap, about music. ShabZi Madallion is a sound engineer, very energetic person, I am really about the music, if people want to get to know more they would have to listen to my music, because I speak more about what I am, who I am, what I go through in there.

2.    What sets you apart from the current generation of Hip Hop Artists?

I’m not trying to set myself apart, I am who I am, I am 28, my recent single is titled that and one of the symbolic meaning of me calling it 28 is the revelation that I’m at a place in my life where I am carving a way to be myself and embrace what I have to offer. So, the difference between me and someone else is that I am happy to be myself, I have no yearning to be different intentionally from someone else, I know I am different because of my own story and me being in my own lane.

3.    Tell us more about your style of writing.

What influences my style of writing, is my eagerness to express myself, share my experiences, I am obviously in love with poetry, how I came to it before being on rap music, I was just literally writing my thoughts, what I have been through. So, when I got into music what started influencing the writing was other artists that I respected, that goes from 2pac to William Shakespeare to all the great writers whose work as seen my eyes and ears.

4.    Who are your biggest influences?

Music is my biggest influence, I am at an age where nothing specific can inspire me, anything can inspire me, for me inspiration is about it resonating with your spirit and you being able to relate to that art form. Right now, my biggest influence is music.

5.    What is the best part of your work?

The creation process of it, being free, being lost in it to the point you are able to finish something that you are proud of, something that resonates with you, something that reflects how I felt when I started the process.

6.    How/where do you see yourself/your work in the next 3/5 years from now?

I think with me, I’m at an age where I do not like projecting where I would see myself, for me if I am on the wave of growth, I am happy with my life. In 5 years, I hope to be the best version of myself, the best artist, the best rapper, the best brother to my brothers, the best son to my parents, the best friend to my friends, The best ShabZi Madallion

7.    What marketing tools do you utilize?

I use music distribution platforms, the other would be creating content to put out there on social media on a regular basis, regular could be every day to once every week, whatever works for any artist that is in a situation where they want to market their stuff.

8.    What is your favorite holiday spot/food/gadget?

I don’t really have one, I am not a big fan of holidays, when I do take one it’s with my family. What am I eating right now? I am eating food from Khaya in Ghandi Square. My favorite gadget, it’s my music software, anything that helps me with my music.

9.    What song best describes you?

All my songs describe me, I think that is a hard question for me, because every song is literally who I am, what I am thinking, what I went through, unless I am writing about someone else’s story or me observing something. There is no one song that best describes me, there are many songs that will let people into who I am in my new album that is yet to come titled Nomvula.

10.What are your favorite childhood memories?

There are many, but one that comes to mind is the one where I used to ride my bicycle to school, it was like 20 minutes from home, so if I rode my bike it would take me 35minutes. Those memories are good because they remind me that I enjoy solitude, having some time to myself, and usually those rides to school used to good for my peace, my sanity, my energy and it started my day off well, had so much energy when you riding and getting hit by the wind.

11. If you were a cartoon character, which character would you be and why?

I would be the Madallion, I think people do not know how much of a cartoon Madallion is. Either than that my favorite cartoons growing up were Tom and Jerry and Daxter’s Laboratory.

12.What has been your biggest career highlight?

I think with my journey, that is a hard question, every mile stone is a highlight; that goes from getting the first 10 plays, getting the call from The Hustle, to getting on Back To The City for the first time, having an affiliation with Sportscene. It’s a lot for me, with my journey I will probably have something to say about each part of that journey if i am asked a question that triggers me to respond about certain parts. But every part of my journey has been a big moment for me because I work hard, either if it was just me initially, to when I started having people help me, every part is a great career highlight, having a team is a good career highlight.

13.Sneakers or Formal shoes?

Sneakers over formal shoes any day.

14.Messy or neat freak?

Let’s say I’m an organized mess.

15.If you could throw a parade in the president’s office, what would it be? 

I wouldn’t throw a parade in the president’s office.

16. Which shoe do you wear first when dressing up, left or right?

My left, or my right… I don’t think I pay attention honestly. 

17.If this is our last ever conversation, what words of wisdom would you leave me with?

Be yourself, less fear, be more daring.

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FEATURING 0G_PARLEY

1.    Who is 0G_Parley?

OG Parley is formally known as Palesa Ramafola. Firstly it’s an “O” not the number “0”. However my Instagram is a zero because I represent the 2000s millennial. OG Parley is a YouTuber, Digital Influencer, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Model ,Communications Student and of course an aspiring brand and property developer. I am a self-taught YouTuber and I founded my own line which is currently a Durag line known as OGPARLEYCOUTURE. I have a Non-profit Organization which is gradually developing and I enjoy being in front of the camera.

2.    How do you structure your days?

Weekdays are more of a routine than weekends. Weekdays start with me at the gym. I spend most of my weekdays at the gym, in class, at meetings, photo shoots and lastly shooting YouTube videos, editing and cooking. Most of my free time is dedicated to spending time with my friends or my mom. Weekends include relaxing, studying and planned activities. My weeks are planned and I do everything according to a monthly and weekly planner but things do often change so I don’t exactly have a strict routine.

3.    What tools do you find indispensable for accomplishing tasks?

I cannot go without a bottle of water, tea, cell phone, laptop as most of my work is done digitally and of course my lip gloss ! I travel with all of these items with in arms reach depending on where I am going. Also 8/10 times my camera is always with me because you never know when amazing content will find you. 

4.    How do you solve common problems – productivity, scheduling, marketing and networking?

I stay motivated from the moment I wake up by listening to Podcasts and hydrating with Tea and water. I plan my days well in advance with a monthly and weekly planner and manage this through my phone and ‘notes' on my phone. My mom manages me and helps me manage my time as I do a million and one things. In terms of marketing and networking I do that away from my phone because I use my phone for my business related matters and not my social life unless I give you a phone call. Marketing for me is done digitally. When I need a break I leave my phone alone and find my peace through reading, prayer and talking to certain people.

5.    What would you have done differently if you knew then what you know now?

 Stay true to yourself and let go of toxic people even if it hurts you as these were things that held me back in my past life. Also to stop trying to be like the other girls, God created you to be different and stand out.

6.    What’s the best advice you ever received?

“If opportunity doesn’t knock at your door, Build that door” and “If you don’t ask, the answer will  always be no”.

7.    Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

My mom, my vivid imagination and dreams of my success. The way my mom has sacrificed more than the world for me and helped me get where I am and keep me happy, my only dream is to give her the world and I work towards that every day. I also inspire myself because many people tell me how I’ve inspired them or they look up to me and that’s made me an inspiration to myself too. My role models include: My mom, Hajia  Bola Shagaya, Bonang Matheba and Kylie Jenner 

8.    What is still your biggest challenge?

Managing my time and making time for  my social life. I literally do not leave the house unless I’m working or making money and I make no time for things that don’t benefit me as a whole in terms of happiness, bank account balance, my future etc.

9.What are your favorite movies?

I don’t have 1 but I do have a few, mainly: Dope, The cheetah girls, Brick Mansions, Kingsman: The secret service, The last Mimzy, Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood and anything with Madea.

10.What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

If they’re not criticizing you, you’re not doing anything right. You need haters and people that constantly criticize because they make for good publicity in some cases and also I take it as motivation as you’ll have many people to prove wrong once you get that paper and you’ve made it. Criticizers are jealous because you’re doing something they can’t bring themselves to do. To be successful you need thick skin. 

11.What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?

Friends and family  are either you’re biggest haters or biggest supporters, there are no in-betweens. Also, most of the time you’re going to have to teach yourself almost everything  because people who have made it will not share their secrets, especially if they see your potential, because they want success to themselves.

12.What do you find are your audience’s biggest stumbling blocks and what are the best ways you’ve found to overcome them?

Many people refuse to accept me for being unapologetically authentic and staying true to myself and insist on telling me not to do or say certain things or behave in a certain way. I simply acknowledge what they’re saying and ignore it and keep it moving because I know what’s best for me.

13.What’s next for you?

Stay tuned... I have a lot in store.

14.What do you want your legacy to be? How do you want to be remembered?

My legacy will announce itself once it’s built on established grounds but I want to be remembered as the girl that revolutionized the game, that’s all I’ll divulge for now lol.

15.How do you balance work, school and family demands?

Prioritize. There’s a time and season for everything. When school season is on the focus is more on school But I’ve divided my weeks in such a way that School and work get most of my attention. I see my mother almost every day even though I don’t stay with her and phone calls make for good communication in terms of balancing social life.

16.If you could throw a parade in the president’s office, what would it be? 

I would have a Gatsby themed champagne party with South African YouTubers  celebrating the ‘YouTube Takeover' in South Africa lol. Where we run the country for 24hours and create amazing content from that.

17. Which shoe do you wear first when dressing up, left or right?

Definitely my right because I’m right footed. I don’t know if that makes sense but that’s my dominant foot. My left foot always messes up and trips me and I always check myself out from the right side. 

18.What is your most embarrassing moment?

I do not recall any at the moment. However, this one time my card declined in the midst of people but luckily I had cash because lol.

29.If this is our last ever conversation, what words of wisdom would you leave me with?

Remember me .. you’ll see me somewhere big.

Catch up with 0G Parley on the socials.

Instagram: @its.0g.parley

Twitter: @0gParley 

YouTube: 0G Parley

Snapchat: itsParley

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FEATURING BADMILK

1.    Who is BadMilk and why the name?

Badmilk is a outgoing, laid back yet very open minded young lady. I love reading and upping my facts cos debates are my thing.

I get this question ALL THE TIIIIIME! Here's the formula thick + rich + creamy + totally bad = Badmilk.

2.    How would you describe your music style?

It’s really versatile. I love exploring depending on my mood & who I'm recording with. I’d also describe it as very relatable too. I make music which is suitable for most types of ambiances and age groups.

3.    Tell us more about your typical day.

Wow! That switches almost every day there's just a different venture. I can either spend the whole day in bed (cos of fatigue) or be out and about all day. It usually starts with me going through my schedule for the day. A jay before I shower lol then I take on whatever I need to attend to. I'm usually in meetings or am shooting if not I like to kick it with my boyfriend and just feed off his energy.

4.    Who are your biggest influences?

My mom! My mom is my everything all I do is in the hopes of her approval & validation. She’s really supportive which just makes me go harder. I also feel as if I have a similar journey to Miley Cyrus cos she a daddy’s girl who had to go through a lot of changes to be who she is now. Style wise Riri & Ella Mai take it for me. Musically Rico Nasty, IAMDDB, Sho Majdozi, Cardi B, Kehlani & Alicia Keys. Businesswise has to be the Kardashian clan & Jay Z.

5.    Why did you choose this genre?

Well I guess I'm sick with the flows like that so I couldn't put them to waste rather even contain them they just ooze out of me. The rnb side is where I can kinda chill out and tap into my feels and reflect on my life and all that I've overcome.

6.    How/where do you see yourself/your work in the next 3/5 years from now?

I see myself as a graduate firstly. Secondly it'd be great for my NPO (Lifestyle Training) to be recognised and be helping people make better choices for themselves & those around them. I hope to also have kickstarted my tour of my first album and lastly I’m tryna see myself on that Forbes 30 under 30.

7.    What are the challenges that you face on a daily?

Really has to be whether or not the route I'm taking is what I truly want in my life. Well I have made up my mind about it, it’s just that having myself on blast like that gets me really shaky. It’s also really easy to doubt yourself if the team or rather the people you work with don't meet the standard you are going for. Its a mission juggling school, music, a job and a social life all at once too.  Networking is a big part of the industry so sometimes my time management takes a plunge cos I end up sacrificing study time to mingle with fellow creatives. #TeamNoRegretsThough

I'm just constantly stuck in a position of do I or don't I but I end up doing it.

8.    Do you think female rappers are collaborating enough in the industry?

Yeah but amongst themselves which sucks. Most collabs are really predictable and it’s become really stale if you ask me. I feel as if the platform should broaden a bit just so we all get a chance at least. The topic of opening up the industry is a tricky one cos I know how hard they worked to get to where they are and we can't take that from them. It’s just that with this music thing it’s unlikely for all your records to sell at the same rate so the industry ultimately has to open up. I mean look at the New Wave and how much it’s been a put on for guys now imagine a female centred New Wave movement? We preach girl power but struggle to live it. Sad.

9.    What sets you apart from the rest?

I have this unexplainable vibe man. It makes people just always want to be around me which I think is my big W. I’m just so easy going and spontaneous you might learn a thing or two if you roll with me. Its undeniable too that I can easily adjust to any kind of scenario or situation. I keep a cool head with all I do and try my best not to ever be bias cos all my life I feel like I've always had to pick sides.

10. What is your favourite holiday spot/food/gadget? 

It used to be Durban till I started living there at the moment I'm on the quest for a new spot. My favourite food is anything spicy that is also cheesy & meaty. My favourite gadget would be an iPod cos I can listen to music without having any social media disturbances.

11. What movie best describes you?

Has to be LOL staring Miley Cyrus.

12. What are your favourite childhood memories?

My grandad was a photographer so any moment I spent in front of the camera posing even when I didn't expect it defs has to be one of my favourite memories. My other has to be my 8th birthday which was the day my awesome younger brother was born. That had to be the best birthday gift of my life till date.

13. If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be and why?

I'd be a litchi cos I'm rough on the exterior but sweet and juicy as you enter only to find that I have a hardcore personality. (Pulp)

14. What has been your biggest career highlight?

It’s had to be that I was afforded to work with my producer (Champ Tile) was part of Hypes Freshmen 2017 which sets a standard for me whenever I make a record. I fell into his hands fatefully so because he's been able to groom and challenge me towards being the best that I can. Also opening for J Molley at Durban Denim Day was quiet a big deal for me.

15. Vodka or Whiskey?

None. I'm a beer and cognac girl.

16. What’s your shoe size?

5 n a half and 6. I hope I get sneaks after this interview.

17.If you could dine with anybody who would it be?

Definitely Sho Madjozi I really dig her vibe. I know even if we had steak or ama kota it wouldn't be a biggie cos she's so down to Earth. 

18. What is the one thing you cannot live without?

Money. 

19.What is your most embarrassing moment?

Realizing that I was getting played by a dude throughout our whole relationship.

20.If this is our last ever conversation, what words of wisdom would you leave me with?

If you really think you can pull something off don't stop until you do. We live in a time if endless opportunities its only right you get what you think you are entitled to.

Catch up with Badmilk on the socials on the links below.

Instagram: @imbadmilk.drinkit

Twitter: @NtombiM99

Download or stream her single Tryna on the link below:

https://www.slikouronlife.co.za/song/68749/tryna

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