Chronicle Editor
Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
THIS other Saturday morning, I just decided to tune into the radio and the frequency 95.0 caught my ear. It was Khulumani FM. Bars, metaphors and rhymes serenaded my eardrums and in anticipation, I waited to hear the name of the show and the voice behind the microphone.
Before long, the host of the show reintroduced himself as Thorne Laroq and the show was The Rap Lab, a lyrical and sound laboratory for lovers of the hip-hop genre. In this laboratory, one would not find your everyday apparatuses in form of stethoscopes, syringes, cubes and all things medical. Rather, the only thing one needed was their A-game, confidence and lyrics. The artiste of the day was Iminyela resident and upcoming rapper, Scarrah.
So, during the session, the host mentioned a regional hip-hop initiative called Livewires Connect. This week, he shared the hip-hop initiative’s vision and future plans.
Bekithemba Sibanda aka Thorne Laroq is a hip-hop advocate/award-winning hip-hop DJ and radio personality/lyricist/sound engineer/producer/actor/writer and father.
Recently, Thorne was appointed as Head of Operations at the Zimbabwe Hip Hop Awards and his work ethic in the hip-hop industry dates back many years.
Thorne Laroq said the idea behind Livewires Connect was to connect several rappers within the Southern Region of Africa to appreciate diversity.
“Live Wires Connect is a not-for-profit and non-political organisation with passion for excellence to bring unity, change and development in the entertainment business within the Southern African Region in the Hip-Hop Culture. We promote creativity, innovation, peace, harmony and inclusive unity, change and development. Live Wires Connect is focused on providing a platform for entertainment, business and networking development within seven SADC countries namely South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland, ” he said.
According to Thorne, Live Wires Connect aims to, “connect various hip-hop musical artistes to work together for a better future and this started as a collaborative effort between South Africa and Zimbabwe, initiated by South African hip-hop promoter, activist, film director Que Sithole (Quepid Mgigo) who is founder of Regenerated Enterprise of Hip Hop’s Evolutionary Revolutionary Business (REHERB), Raw Skills Uncut, Hip-Hop Bootcamp Festival, Executive Director at Buyblak Ink and Zimbabwe Hip Hop Awards Head of Operation, Award-winning Radio DJ and TV Personality Thorne Laroq of Khulumani Hip Hop Radio Show Rap Lab, co-founder of Hip Hop Capital, Bigger than Hip Hop and Ghetto 2 Ghetto.”
“The idea was trying to break barriers in the Southern African region and make a mark in the hip-hop industry, contributing in the hip-hop culture and becoming the centre of the hip-hop entertainment hub for corporates to look in our direction and invest in the hip-hop music industry which some say it’s a dream but wanting to make it a reality based on the value and services Live Wires Connect is bringing to the hip hop industry in Southern Africa. The intention of “Live Wires Connect” is encapsulated in its name – to explore how the various hip-hop cultures of Southern Africa and Internationals engage artistically to address historic and present contemporary social issues,” said Thorne Laroq.
Live Wires Connect also offers the SADC hip-hop culture the opportunity to be united, networking musical business opportunities, and to share experiences and skills that matter today in the Southern African Region.
Live Wires Connect is does not work in isolation but is currently partnering with seven Southern African radio stations at the moment providing a platform for their radio airplay.
These include DJ Sbue’s very own MassivMetro Radio, EK FM, Theta FM, Alex FM based in Johannesburg, South Africa and Khulumani FM based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Sky Alpha HD Radio, MXXL Space Age Radio based in Maseru, Lesotho.
The latest instalment of Live Wires Connect Season 3 saw a quartet of rappers battle it out for bragging rights and these were Tu Kav (United States of America), Psychotic (South Africa), Hymphatic Thabs (Lesotho) and our very own Syko Tek.
A stickler for musical excellence and professionalism, Thorne Laroq is flanked by a regional team of dedicated men who include Que Sithole, Papi Kgasi, Thapelo Patji, Bafokeng Maile and they vouch for impeccable management, absolute transparency, complete dedication and sincerity. The team anticipates an optimistic collaboration and hopes its initiative interests their clientele and everyone involved in the hip-hop business.
Thorne Laroq said that exciting times awaits lovers of hip hop as Live Wires Connect is set to immensely expand with massive plans laid out.
“Besides launching a podcast and hip-hop blog along with completing the official Live Wires Connect website and Versus magazine, we’re also planning on hosting Live performances later on in the year. A Live Wires Connect festival around October is on the cards and based on its success, we plan to make it an annual event featuring MC’s from our battle cypher platform flexing their muscles on stage. We are hosting five countries on the current season of our battle cypher segment. We have four more countries itching to join season four of the instalment, including yet another overseas challenger.
“Our aim is to bring unity in Hip-hop while showcasing the diversity in each of our homelands. A world cup of lyrical skills and musicality to prove that it’s not only a select few who can compete professionally in the hip-hop sphere.
“Livewires Connect is not just a competition. It is a springboard for creatives who are not afraid to dream. Who understand the power of influence and are willing to use that power to enlighten and make a living out of their craft, ” he said.
The hip-hop genre is widely known as one that breeds hooligans and irresponsible youths and is usually marred with hate speech, misbehaviour, substance abuse and delinquency but according to Thorne Laroq, Live Wires Connect is a game-changer and aims to bring a positive twist to the regional hip hop fraternity
“On the other side of battle cyphers and performances, we also hope to mould African hip-hop ambassadors out of the experience, men and women who can speak on behalf of the youth. We also want to address social ills like unemployment, drug abuse, mental health, human trafficking and child marriages. We want to do all of this while still continuing to entertain and educate.
In the future, the organisers are planning to host Live Wires Connect on visual broadcasting platforms (television) as we are busy setting up the platforms to be launched soon.
Zimbabwe won the first Live Wires Connect cypher and some of Zimbabwe’s rappers to represent the country in lyrical battle in seasons past include MUSE, Spliffah Ray and Big Tee just to name a few. – @eMKlass_49
Online Reporter