The ever-industrious Zeus

Mpho Tlale | Friday September 19, 2014 14:54

 

On one given day he is in Botswana and on the next, he has crossed the border to South Africa.

When Arts & Culture finally caught up with him on Tuesday at Masa, the glow on his face could not go unnoticed.

Clad in black pants, a crisp white shirt with a gym bag in hand, it is obvious that Zeus is somewhat content.

He has also shed a few kilos, which proves the gym bag is not just an accessory or a statement.

Arriving a few minutes late after the scheduled time, he extends his hand, greetings and apologises for being late. For some reason he decides to sit on a chair across from where yours truly is seated.  For convenience I suggest he sits next to me on the couch, which he does with no reservation.

At the moment Zeus is at the peak of his career. A person who could be described as a brave heart for quitting his job to pursue music, he stands to motivate those who are still not where they want to be in life, yet lack the courage to take the plunge.

Zeus was recently nominated for a Channel O award for his song Psych in the Most Gifted Southern Artist category and his album African Time, released last year is doing significantly well, he says.

So far the rapper has won two Channel O awards, one in 2009 for his song Gijima in the Best Hip Hop category.  He won another one last year for Most Gifted Male Video at the 10th annual Channel O awards for the song Dats Wasup featuring AKA and Tumi.

Talking about his recent nomination, the artist says that although he cannot sum up what he feels, he is excited as always. He says every time he is acknowledged he feels like a child with a star stuck on his forehead.

Beyond feelings, his sentiments are that the nomination is good for his brand and product because it pushes and exposes him to a wider audience.

“Year-after-year when the best are mentioned I have always been among them.  I am grateful for that. The Channel O awards have helped build my brand both regionally and internationally.  Though I might not have won in other years, I have been getting nominated in the awards from 2008 and that is all a result of hard work,” he says.

Zeus adds that although this year he has been nominated in a tough category, he has been there before.

He points out that he is nominated against artists behind some of the top 10 songs played in South Africa and it is an honour for him to be sitting at the same table as them.

He, however, states that he is not pleased that he is the only foreigner amongst South Africans in the category.  He emphasises that this should be a challenge to other Southern African artists from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and others to put out material so that they can also compete in the awards.

He asks: “My dissatisfaction is really directed towards artists. Where is the music?”

He adds that he is in no way ‘throwing shade’ at Channel O, but is challenging artists from other countries and Botswana to submit their works.  He says he wants artists to make use of the platform that the awards offer.

He highlights that he has enjoyed a great musical year in both Botswana and South Africa.

He attributes this to juggling work and moving between the two countries on a regular basis.

He, however, acknowledges that the road has not been an easy one, but through determination and hard work he has been able to make it.

“Look at my story. How many people thought I would be here through my music? I only worked for a year after graduation but then quit. Neither the system nor the time will ever be ideal for artists, so instead of thinking like victims they need to see themselves as victors. It’s not about taking a giant leap at once but taking small steps that will eventually open big doors,” he says.

In addition, the rapper says that despite other things, his musical journey has been amazing.  He points out that he believes that the best thing in life is when one is paid to do what they love.

Zeus strongly believes and shares that he has grown up to be the person that he wants to be.  He says it might have seemed like a distant dream that he would at some point be paying bills through Hip Hop, but that is exactly what he is doing.

He says that is what they, as artists in general, should be aiming for.  He adds  the government systems also need to look into creating that.

His view is that it is high time artists stop dying broke while having a lot to offer.

He cites Stampore’s Re Batswana as an example saying that he deserved to have died and been buried with dignity with the acknowledgement of his contributions to music in this country.

His stance is that music bodies such as Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU) should be fighting for artists to have things like medical aid and pension plans as a basic form of survival mechanisms.

“We need to respect, acknowledge and reward talent. It’s much bigger than trivial things like fame. Artists want to enjoy the economic freedom that comes with their talent. Sometimes people don’t understand why we quote the way we do, but it stems from a lot of issues,” says the rapper.

Away from the music, Zeus believes that he is not his profession.  His take is that everyone is passionate about different subject matters and that is what makes them who they are.  He says he cannot divorce himself from music as it is about stories and one gets content from interactions such as reading and watching TV amongst others.