1060 Hip Hop Uncut

The Meteoric Rise and Controversial Fall of South African Record Labels The landscape of the South African music industry has seen its share of seismic shifts, but few stories are as captivating and cautionary as the simultaneous rise and spectacular fall of two independent record labels: Ambitiouz Entertainment and Mabala Noise. Both emerged with a bang, signed some of the biggest names in local music, and seemed poised for long-term dominance. Yet, within a few short years, a series of controversies and artist departures left them as shadows of their former selves. This is an exploration of their journey, a tale of ambition, a clash of business and artistry, and the changing dynamics of the digital era. The Dawn of a New Era: 2015-2016 Before Ambitiouz and Mabala Noise, the South African music scene was largely dominated by a handful of major labels like Sony and Universal. Independent artists struggled to gain traction without a big-name backer. T...

 Back to the City Festival: A Deep Dive into South Africa's Premier Hip Hop Event The Back to the City festival is not just an annual event; it's a pilgrimage for hip-hop enthusiasts across Africa. Held annually in the vibrant Newtown precinct of Johannesburg, it has cemented its reputation as the largest and most influential hip-hop and street culture festival on the continent. This article explores the origins of this iconic event, the visionary who brought it to life, and the major brands that have helped it grow from a niche gathering into a cultural phenomenon. The Visionary Behind the Beat: Who Started Back to the City? The mastermind and founder of the Back to the City festival is Osmic Menoe. A true custodian of South African hip-hop culture, Menoe is a multifaceted figure whose dedication goes far beyond just organizing a festival. He founded Back to the City in 2007 with a clear mission: to create a space that would ...

Jub Jub's Career: From Hip Hop Star to Incarceration and Redemption Molemo "Jub Jub" Maarohanye is a name that evokes a wide range of emotions in South Africa. From his meteoric rise as a hip-hop artist to his devastating fall from grace and subsequent re-emergence as a television personality, his story is a complex tapestry of success, tragedy, and a remarkable, if controversial, comeback. This article delves into the two distinct phases of his career: his life as a celebrated musician before his incarceration and his journey of redemption and reinvention in the years that followed. 🇿🇦 Before the Fall: The Rise of a Hip Hop Icon Before the legal troubles that would define a decade of his life, Jub Jub was a household name and a shining star in the South African music industry. He was a child star, first gaining public recognition in a Coca-Cola TV commercial in 1991. This early exposure paved the way for a career that transcended music, as he went on to hos...