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Bruce Ndlovu .
Zimbabwean born rapper Gigi Lamayne became the latest rapper to be lured to the cash rich Mabala Noise music stable, which has also scooped up veteran Kwaito wordsmith Zola 7 in a bid to catapult his career back to the upper echelons of the South African music industry.
Mabala Noise (Emabalabala) is co-owned by Gwaragwara dance originator DJ Bongz and Reginald Nkabinde.
Nkabinde is a flamboyant businessman, politician and philanthropist and the director at Urban Dynamics, a Joburg based construction and housing development firm.
He is also the Treasurer General of The ANCa��s Youth League and is notorious for his lavish parties, having hosted a 31st birthday party that lasted three days.
The label has turned the South African music industry on, in the last few months, signing hip-hop heavyweights Riky Rick, Pro, Major League, Nasty C and Zakwe in addition to Lamayne, Khanyi Mbau and Zola who joined DJ Chynaman and Lvovo who were already on the stable.
According to South African music industry insiders the label seemed to have swayed the likes of Riky Rick and Nasty C who had previously swore they would remain independent by dangling large sums of money in their faces.
In a groundbreaking move, the new label is apparently paying artistes monthly salaries, with Nasty C walking away with 500 000 Rand per month while the more successful Riky Rick takes home 800 000 Rand. The label also reportedly gave them an album budget of 3 million each. Lamayne, who commands a lesser following than the two will probably command lesser monthly figures.
Lamayane however, confirmed that the money being offered by the moneyed record label would go a long way in giving her career a boost.
a�?I was looking for a home. I was looking for a stable that understood the idea of funding, a label that understood the idea of artistes pushing each other and the African child being able to penetrate into other industries and not just being content with international acts coming to South Africa and charging us millions. Ita��s about us being able to go out to the world and show that we are as good as them. The idea of Mabala Noise is just that for the African child,a�? she said.
The 21-year-old Lamayne has previously found herself nesting under the wing of superstar Khuli Chana, who was grooming her as his heir apparent to his Motswako rap throne.
The Zimbabwean rapper, who walked away as the top student from her Wits University Media Studies class earlier this year, now looks bent on forging her own career path.
She added that the label had approached her because of her unique skills.
a�?They were looking for something different from a hip hop artiste and I am kind of established and I was looking for a home,a�? she said.
She however, still acknowledged that it was tough going as a female rapper in the industry.
a�?I think I occupy one of the most difficult spaces and thata��s the female artiste who was so passive for so long just content with being in videos and looking nice and then all of a sudden I take this active role as being a socially conscious voice box for young women, who are on the hustle everyday.
a�?I am in a very male dominated industry so trying to hold my own is difficult and I am constantly reminded of that every single day but I think the rush of female rappers over the last year has been great,a�? she said.
Online Reporter