By Kabelo Mollo
This past weekend something magical happened. The South African music awards recognised “Stimela” the 2.1 track featuring Ntate Stunna as two things.
First was best music video of the year and second as song of the year. The award is determined by number of overall spins. It means a track featuring a Mosotho artist rapping in Sesotho was the most played song in the last calendar year in Mzansi. A milestone feat if ever there was one! I remember hearing the song playing when I was in the US earlier in the year and thinking “wow, global appeal!”
Something special happened on that track and it can’t be overstated just how popular that song was. Every social media platform was abuzz with it. It was a lot like Mandoza’s Nkalakatha when it was first released. That song spread like wildfire. This one too. And for all the plaudits that I’m going to lay at both Stunna and 2.1’s door, there is one thing bugging me and it’s this.
Basotho are going to continue to refuse to recognise SAMA award winning muso Ntate Stunna as a celebrity. In the same way SAMA award winning Jazz muso Bhudaza Mapefane isn’t. Just like we refused to treat “BT” and Frank Leepa like celebrities and so on and so forth.
There are still corporates and promoters who will want to pay the guy M1500 citing that now tired chapter and verse of “ke Lesotho mona”. There are still people who will minimise his achievement and try to convince us that this wasn’t a huge deal. Our tall poppy syndrome as a society is quite a thing to behold.
Be all of that as it may, last Sunday should have been life changing for Ntate Stunna. It should begin the unadulterated rise (and I mean financially) of the Penya Play empire! I was sitting at the infamous coffee spot during the week and agreeing with my fellow patrons that from now on he should only charge R100k and above per performance!
And because he doesn’t have an overly elaborate performance style he should be doing three or four gigs a night. This festive should see Ntate Stunner become a millionaire and “over night sensation”. If Shebeshxt and the other funny character who’s name I don’t even know can make a million a weekend, then it should be a cinch for him.
Lesotho’s government shouldn’t miss the opportunity to get in on the action! As far as good news stories go, this is definitely One, and so let’s see the government and institutions reward the chap for his positive PR.
He really has made Sesotho fashionable. The number of texts I received from my Zulu speaking friends talking about one or other Stunner lyric is both amusing and heart warming. The Zulu nation is famous (or infamous) for not pandering to the needs of others when it comes to communication, so the fact that many of them have tried to learn the Sesotho lyrics is no mean feat! Lesotho corporates should also be looking at lucrative endorsement deals that feature Ntate Stunna’s likeness.
The guy must be “rich rich” as the kids say by Easter next year. He’s such a hard working and talented guy, it’s time he was rewarded accordingly by his country of birth too!
I was at a wedding recently where ‘M’e Puseletso Seema was performing. I was shocked to learn that she doesn’t charge M100k+ for a performance. Years in the game, number of hits produced, representation of the culture should have earned her the right, but nope. The legend is out her charging a quite meagre amount. I hope that changes for her too!
Stunner has made us all proud. Ever since that weather forecast video it’s been clear to everyone that dude has genuine star power. This song however, has propelled him to the next level. Let’s hope he will ride the crest of this wave in perpetuity! Akha man, WOZA!
