Let's Get Native

Native Rhythms Records and EMI Music / CCP Records recently announced that they've entered into a joint venture agreement with the longterm vision of nurturing new South African talent.

Sithole - former Gallo Deputy CEO - resigned from the label in September 2005 to form his own, all-encompassing company, Native Rhythms, which houses a record company, a publishing wing, an events arm and a film and documentary division! [Native Rhythms Productions]

Sithole’s successes are outstanding. By the time he parted ways with Gallo Record Company in 2005, the company had recorded its first profit since 1998 and  he had turned the local division around completely, including launching Thandiswa Mazwai's solo career. Thandiswa has created a distinctly Afro-Soul sound that has earned her numerous awards and international acclaim. Having nurtured Simphiwe Dana, and catapulting Afro-Centric Hip-Hop to centre stage through his work with Skwatta Kamp and Pro Kid, Sithole has identified genres with the potential for breaking international boundaries.

"Afro-Soul and an Afro-Centric Hip-Hop as the strongest calling card we have on the international market – and the success of artists like Skwatta Kamp, Simphiwe Dana and Thandiswa Mazwai here in South Africa means that homegrown audiences, who are an extremely important part of vision, have connected with these genres too," explains Sithole.

As head of Native Rhythms, and through the joint venture with EMI/CCP, the next step for Sithole is to extend this visionary approach to the rest of the industry and ensure suitable collaborations between producers, composers and song writers with the artists signed to the label.

"It’s my belief that identifying genres that can make the leap internationally and matching young and gifted artists with the right producer is the next step in the right direction," says Sithole.

On the 16.05.2006 Native Rhythms Records, together with EMI Music and CCP Records hosted an exclusive showcase of recent signings to the Native Rhythms label, owned by the former Deputy CEO of Gallo Records.

The showcase featured the debut public performances from Afro-Soul specialists Musa Mashiane, Siphokazi and Afro-Centric Hip Hop artists ZuluBoy and Maggz. The artists will be amongst the first to be released through the groundbreaking joint venture between Native Rhythms and EMI / CCP, with a view to penetrating the global music scene.

Music Industry Online caught up with the visionary - Sipho Sithole - and asked him a few Native related questions ...

Tell us a bit about yourself, what does it entail being the CEO of Native Rhythm Records [NRR]?

A CEO needs to possess an understanding of the music business and music administration as well as have adept insight and understanding of artists’ needs, potential and the ability to develop that potential. My position requires me to network with music industry role players, such as retail, media, promoters, producers, song writers, and technical experts and ensure that artists, the company and business partners [retail and joint venture partners] are rewarded with profits. It is ultimately about discovering good artists to deliver a successful product to the market, both locally and abroad.

What was the motivation for the formation of NRR and what are its objectives?
Native Rhythms Records was formed with a clear objective to occupy a significant space in the recording industry and to identity, nurture and present local talent whose music is unique and appeals to a global audience.

Tell us a bit more about the NR / EMI / CCP partnership?
The partnership is both a commercial and cultural partnership in the sense that the commercial deal is supposed to bring financial benefit to Native Rhythms Records and EMI/CCP.  The partnership is both a Joint Venture and a Distribution Deal, the implications being that certain artists and products will be categorised as part of the joint venture, whilst others will fall under the Distribution Deal.

It is a cultural partnership in the sense that both parties share the same vision and belief in the development of South African music and presenting it to the local and global market.

How does Native Rhythms differ from other record labels in SA?
Native Rhythms Records differs from the rest in terms of its product offering:  it focuses mainly on Afro-Soul and Afro-Centric Hip-Hop.  Both genres have not been fully developed in South Africa and were first given a platform at Gallo Records when I signed artists such as Thandiswa, Simphiwe Dana, as well as hip-hop outfits such as Pro Kid,  Skwatta Kamp and Mr. Selwyn.

Which prominent issues do South African record companies like Native Rhythm Records face?
Piracy and a lack of interest from South Africans in terms of buying local music.

How many artists are currently signed to your label?
Four!

Name at least three key standards aspiring artists need to meet in order to be signed by NR?
All artists need to have talent but above and beyong this Native Rythyms looks for artists possessing passion and a willingness to be nurtured and developed to their full potential.

How and where can artists submit material to you for consideration?
We make a point of actively identifying and recruiting talent at events.We're actually not taking on any material for the duration of this year

Tell us some of your thoughts on the South African music industry?
We need to improve on legislation dealing with piracy, provide medical aid and insurance for professional artists and musicians, create synergies between independent record companies and the Recording Industries of South Africa, settle the debate on issues such as needle time and finally - capaitalise on our artists potential!

Native Rhythms Productions has previously organised the African Hip Hop Summit, what major events can we expect from the production company this year?

• B-Connected Global Festival 2006
• Hip-Hop Boot Camp 2006
• Young Heroes: International Bhambatha Youth Concert

Thanks Sipho !

Sipho Sithole is a leading corporate executive in South Africa and sits on various boards of companies, including Airports Company of South Africa [the leading airport authority which owns and operates the country’s 9 airports], Momentum Group [a subsidiary of First Rand Limited – one of the 4 major banking groups in South Africa].

Sipho Sithole studied Politics and International Relations in America at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, and completed a M.Sc. Degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations in England, at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Sipho is an accomplished record company executive, music composer, award winning music producer [Best Producer at the 2005 South African Music Awards] and music director, documentaries producer and director, concerts and events organiser and producer.

Sipho Sithole is a Director and founder of Native Rhythms Productions.  Native Rhythms Productions is a fully integrated entertainment company, formed in 1998 to offer value-oriented services across the entire entertainment industry’s value chain.   

The company’s strategic thrust is music publishing, music production, music marketing and promotion, licensing and distribution.  Native Rhythms has also built capacity project management, events planning and production, such as concerts and big corporate and public functions. Recently, the company has entered the film industry through the production of niche documentaries focusing on cultural related rituals, as well as popular youth-oriented cultural events, such urban extreme games and popular urban music.

The company was founded on the belief that entertainment, through music and other forms of artistic expression, it is possible to communicate with people of all races and cultures and that that competing ideologies could be brought together whilst bridging cultural and racial divides.

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROJECTS COMPLETED BY NATIVE RHYTHMS

In all of the above events, Native Rhythms Productions has developed the following techniques with regard to project management and event production:

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

EVENT PLANNING

Apart from running his own company, Native Rhythms Productions, Sipho Sithole was until September 2005, Deputy CEO of Gallo Music Group – South Africa’s only major record label.  As Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Gallo Music Group, Sipho was instrumental in the financial turn around of Gallo Records within two years of joining the group in 2003, after an aggressive investment in the development of local content.

Physical and Postal Address

137 – 12th Street
Parkhurst
Johannesburg
2193
Tel/Fax +27 11 447 1947
Mobile:  +27 83 299 5550
sipho@iafrica.com
www.nativerhythms.co.za

 

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