By Seleoe Nonyane
The HotSpot Cypher is a multi-musical platform that brings together many different artists who no one, including themselves, would have imagined coming together to work on a project.
But now seven rappers have brought their individual talents and styles together to release the fourth HotSpot Cypher episode.
The aim of the Cypher is to connect different artists and their audiences and create a network of dope creatives.
The Hotspot Cypher founder, audio-visual director and editor, Tšeliso Lethaha Thamae, told this publication that the vision of the Cypher is to become a hub of the Hip-Hop genre in the Southern African region.
“Think of it this way, the Hotspot Cypher is a melting pot on the stove, the chef goes out in different markets searching for the right flavour for a three to seven-minute meal.
“For each market the chef finds the best flavour and when he gets home, mixes all different ingredients to cook one hot complete meal; that is how the Cypher was born.
“Our aim is to bring the best out of an artist on a sound one wouldn’t be on due to their preference; most importantly it is an opportunity to work artists one would not have thought of collaborating with,” he said.
He said this kind of combination will surely enable these artists to meet those they did not know, and form a bond of friendship with one another.
Thamae noted this episode has featured seven artists, namely Phoka Ea Boroa, Pure Stainless, Revelation, Kafela, Danie Skae, McDawnA and Deezy LS.
The episode was recorded at Insynct Media Studios and was mixed and mastered by MJ Elphy and Witness the Skill.
He said this fourth episode was sponsored by Enrich Creatives, Shipa, Insynct Media, Doops Art and Design and Filmography Films.
He added that they have seen growth since the first episode, and believes the team is significantly improving.
The platform had brought some optimism that “these are the guys who have done so much in terms of lifting others and are determined to broaden their horizons.
That made it easy for producers to work with them, Thamae said.
“So, hopefully going to more episodes, we will attract more sponsors from companies. A lot has been learned from the previous episodes.
“The first two episodes went smoothly, but we almost lost track of our vision prior to the third episode when we were searching for the right people to take part in the production.
“The criteria for choosing the artists should not be openly known so as to uncover real talent. So, we got a bit tempted to have on board people who are already known and almost lost the purpose of the Cypher. We had to go back to the drawing board and remind ourselves that we are not going for artists who are already established,” he said.
Thamae works with fellow co-founders; Modupe Doops Motšehli from Doops Art and Design, and Neo Shasha from Filmography Films.
