Dear Makhadzi

Dear Makhadzi

 

First of all I want to tell you what a brilliant talent you are. How we have watched your energy sweep over this nation without provocation. How you have set the country alight during probably the most difficult time of our Era. Your fresh and youthful energy has literally drugged the masses of this country. Sisi, you hold a lot of power right now.

 

I do believe that artists have to use their voices and platforms to push forward the agenda of the people.... And not politicians.

You are too powerful to cheapen your brand by aligning it with the Phoenix massacre and the burning of food looted by the poor. You are too powerful to involve yourself in the power plays of old men hanging onto expired power.

 

Unlike Brenda Fassie, who wore the ANC colors at the dawn of democracy... We had never had a black president before. So when Brenda Fassie put on those colors they represented something powerful. The only thing ANC represents right now is poverty, corruption and elitism. Are you sure you want to pick sides so early in your career? ANC used to be a liberation movement, but what has it become today?

 

However this is not just about ANC, none of these parties are worth you prostituting yourself for their campaigns. If it had been EFF you would have gotten backlash from the feminists, as there is certainly a GBV apologist stink in that party. And DA would separate you from your people.

Do you now see that you have a built a brand void of all this trash, now you are being used to mobilize the people with a brand you built from pure creative energy? Why not just take all the gigs and not choose a side? You're the magic.

 

I agree it's very exciting to get a call from the president, and I can assure you ANC was going to post you. By posting before them, you gave them the power and you influenced your people towards them. Yazi, you could have been that girl who just posted a 'thank you for inviting me' replying to THEIR tweet. That way you would have retained your power and taken the money. Doing a social media post for them benefitted them more than it benefited you.

 

They will scream and shout freedom of association but they won't acknowledge that artists and entertainers who have chosen to be mascots for politics don't hold much power any longer. Power changes with the changing administrations. They have given away their voices to their handlers.

 

In a normal world one’s vote should be their secret to avoid all the bullying and to ensure people choose for themselves without influence, but these days, politics lives in the entertainment industry and a lot of it is just PR schemes. Music is a spiritual gift, one which has the ability to connect deeply with people's souls. Music holds the power in connecting with people. Who are you spiritually connecting your people to?

When we say that artists must be political, we don't mean they must choose a t-shirt. We mean they need to be a voice and reflection of the issues people are going through.

When an artist aligns with a political party, then they have to turn a blind eye to the faults of that party. Only the people will suffer. Artists owe their allegiance to the people who made them, not to politicians for the 5yr bag contract.

Over the past few years we have lost so many voices who chose a side, this has taken away from the people as the people no longer have voices who will use their Twitter accounts to express social ills. We have a bunch of political mascots who were mute during the Phoenix massacre.

 

My advice to you is to guard your integrity and influence with your life, don't allow your beautiful gift to be used to sanitize politicians, that's not your role. The politicians must compete in service delivery and stop trying to ride your wave for relevance.

 

Sister you matter right now, in your freedom of association please remember that your fan base spreads across the t-shirts. When you choose a color you alienate the others.

 

Some artists were called for politics and can manoeuvre the dirt and clever games, I guess, but most artists are gifted in spirit and the ability to connect people..... Make sure you're using that gift for greater good.

 

Love and Light