So, I'm having a conversation with a friend about "support" as a concept and they ask me, "So Jézz, you mean to tell me that I must even support things I don't like? Whether its people or clothes or places or music or drinks, I MUST JUST SUPPORT?"
Well, here's my thoughts and how I answered:
Support is a choice, and a very personal one for that matter.
BUT, support can be a MOVEMENT also. The value is long term and pro-change, growth, opening of doors, building pathways for future us, letting the world know we exist and we have talent to show to the world etc. It also has a sense of fulfilment, especially when you do something good to change future generations.
You see, WE as Cape Townians we've always been in the backfoot of many ecosystems in play; whether in Art, Music, Live Performance, Business, TV, you name it. Our talent is always confined and deemed as not as authentic as that of Joburgers (I stand to be correct), but that talent is here but it needs support.
Support is not you and the rest of CPT (a thousand strong) taking me to the airport when I'm performing outside of Cape Town, NO! Support is about acknowledgement, the Retweets, the comments, the sharing.
For example, you don't have to like Soccer for you to support Umdlali Sizwe Jacques Mbebe for being a presenter on SABC3, he's representing talent from Gugulethu and the Western Cape as whole. When uMshayi is playing on The Lockdown Experience, you might not be a Gqom fan, but he's representing Khayelitsha and the rest of Cape Town. When Aztec plays in Germany, he's representing our talent. When Driemanskap is performing outside of CPT or SA, they representing us. DJ Loyd pushes alot of our talent in his platform, Tumelo Pudumo (TP) has also supported some great local talent in Fashion, Arts and Business. There's ooVincent Ntunja who have basketball courts named after him. There are many more outstand achievements by talented local in hoods and in Cape Town as a whole e.g. Ashton Abels with the UK Radio Station (Injection Radio), Gareth Duncan with a suit empire, Nosipo Louise Tisani breaking the airwaves, Dee from Idols showing flames and talent. You dont have to like Idols, but support is the movment, you might not listen a particular radio station, but supporting the movement is key
Last example; Let me personalise it - You might not drink whisky or exposed to it, BUT that does not take away the FACT that there's a single malt with my finger print on it and it is sold worldwide. You don't support the whisky, but the movement. The fulfilment and the joy it should give you when you say, "He's one us, he's our boy, he's my hommie!", it should give you goosebumps. That whisky represents all of us!!
To summarise, I told my dear friend, don't be genre specific. Some things are not part of your passion points, but they could be your son's, your duaghter's, your brother or sister and sometimes your parent's. So, let's not limit SUPPORT! Let's support talent and make it part of our culture.
PS: Support is NOT me sponsoring your event - Ha a bantase
Hope it's clear to those who were in doubt or holding back!
Now that we here, tell us your talent and how you would love to be support.
Disclaimer: My views and opinions, not to be taken out of context!
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