Blaqbonez releases ‘Everlasting Taker’ single

Aug 29, 2025 | New Release, Music

Nigerian Afrobeats star, rapper and singer songwriter Blaqbonez has released his single “Everlasting Taker”, an anthem from his forthcoming album “No Excuses” set to be released in September 2025. 

Blaqbonez is known for his creativity and fearless persona, He uses “Everlasting Taker” to reaffirm his consistency and resilience in the ever-evolving music industry. This single is a statement that allows listeners to understand that Blaqbonez is not just passing through.

The song captures his journey of evolution, persistence and dedication, spotlighting not only his hard work but also his refusal to back down in the face of challenges. The track flips from the taker/ giver narrative and reminds fans that nothing is promised, people need to work hard and move like everlasting takers.

With his signature blend of rap and Afrobeats energy, Blaqbonez once again proves why he remains one of the most compelling voices in the new wave of Hip-Hop and African music at large. Speaking on the single, Blaqbonez shares, “‘Everlasting Taker’ is me telling the world that I’m not going anywhere. I’ve worked hard, I’ve stayed consistent and this is only the beginning. I’m here to take it all and give No Excuses.”

“Everlasting Taker” is the first taste of what fans can expect from his forthcoming album “No Excuses”, a project set to make a statement and also showcase Blaqbonez’s growth, versatility and fearless artistry.

Listen to ‘Everlasting Taker’ here

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Press release courtesy of Warner Music

Ornamentation as Consecration with Katherine-Mary Pichulik

Aug 28, 2025 | Interviews, Fashion

PICHULIK is in the business of ornamentation as a practice; that ancient-as-bones thing that consecrates the body, its location on the earth, within the wellspring of life. When you purchase a piece from PICHULIK, you are participating in its sacrament — an object imbued with the very energies it evokes, because its very making honoured those energies in process as much as in its form. This, given this conversation with Katherine-Mary Pichulik, I know to be true. 

As the existentialists would say, this is authenticity; when something is truly true to its origin or essence rather than just a representation. A necklace marketed as “sacred feminine” is just a symbolic signifier on an idea, but if its making process actually honours sacred femininity, then the object carries authenticity — it is being rather than merely appearing. As Walter Benjamin pointed out in his seminal, critical essay nearly a hundred years ago, in “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”, such a piece carries its aura — the singular, unrepeatable presence that lingers when origin, ritual, and intention remain intact throughout its creation. This is no easy feat in the mechanised world of today. 

You see, PICHULIK is in the business of ornamentation as consecration; and consecration is a tricky thing to hold without diluting, or to practise without slipping into mere symbolism. Kat and her team take their roles as keepers of this knowledge seriously, ensuring that each piece is equally a gesture towards meaning and an artefact infused with it; an object carrying its own aura, its own sacred presence. 

This, as Katherine shares in our conversation, is her responsibility as a jeweller and artist.

PICHULIK x Matteo Cibic Collaboration, photographed by Alix Rose Cowie @alixrosephoto

PICHULIK x Matteo Cibic Collaboration, photographed by Alix Rose Cowie @alixrosephoto

aruba bracelet photographed by JDee Allin @jdee_allin

Kat’s creative journey has always been guided by her hands, and is rooted in a restless curiosity. “I studied fine arts and then trained as a pastry chef,” she recalls. “I worked in a bakery in London, interned at Art Review, and when I came back to South Africa I was doing many things — writing for art journals, running a food stand at a market, bottling peppers. I’ve always made things with my hands — pastry, art, craft — I’m a tactile person.” That tactile instinct, a need to shape and touch, eventually led her into jewellery almost by accident, sharing that “in the evenings I would craft just to steady my mind. My ex-boyfriend’s dad owned a rope shop and would give me scraps of rope and thread. I started making pieces, wore them, and people wanted to buy them off my neck. That was the end of 2012.”

Katherine’s work soon caught the attention of others. A friend, Alix-Rose Cowie, photographed her pieces in the Company Gardens, and the images were picked up by the blog Miss Moss, the iconic journal of fashion’s blogging heyday, self-described by its writer, Diana, as a ‘Compendium of Radness’. Shortly after, ethical Kenyan brand Laleso invited her to accessorise their Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week runway show. “Suddenly, what was just a random hobby became a business,” Kat says. The early days of PICHULIK retained an intimate, communal energy — a principle that remains present at PICHULIK’s atelier, today. “I’d have girlfriends come over in the evenings, I’d cook for them, and we’d sit in a circle while I taught them how to make pieces so we could fulfil orders. Very quickly, it evolved into a brand.” 

For Kat, jewellery has always been inseparable from heritage and storytelling, and her own heritage points to the North African tradition of intricate ornamentation and textile embellishment as a women’s pathway through identity and social connection. “My grandmother was born in Algeria and there’s a strong lineage of ornamentation, especially textiles,” she explains, and that growing up in a single working-mom household in the early ’90s, Kat was surrounded by costume jewellery, unconsciously absorbing its language; “I unconsciously linked big sculptural jewellery with agency and power,” she says, “In my family, jewellery has always been a storytelling mechanism. Not big diamond pieces, but keepsakes — objects with meaning and intention that are passed down.” Though PICHULIK intersects between the delicate and nimble, to the big and bold, the voice retained is always a declaration of womanhood and femininity as a pronouncement of strength. 

This is Goddess work, true to its meaning of omniscience. 

Of her design philosophy, Kat notes that, “I’m fascinated by alchemy — taking materials that aren’t considered precious and, through intention, design, and handcraft, transforming them into something valuable,” she explains. 

Kat’s conscious choice to work with materials sourced in Southern Africa renders PICHULIK wholly dedicated to local craft, and has given the brand its distinctive aesthetic and material quality across rope and hardware, and semi-precious stones from Southern Africa; materials not often associated with the decadence of jewellery-making, though through Katherine’s eyes and hands, even the most industrial or humble components are imbued with elegance. “I always see each collection as an episode of a female protagonist’s journey. I can look back at each one and know what I was going through at that time — what the medicine of that collection was. These objects are the medicine I’ve needed, the wisdom consolidated into form.” 

shimenawa earrings photographed by JDee Allin @jdee_allin

PICHULIK x Matteo Cibic Collaboration, photographed by Alix Rose Cowie @alixrosephoto

wave earrings photographed by JDee Allin @jdee_allin

Her creative process is both deliberate and exploratory, a practice she likens to foraging, with forensic intent. “I’m gathering information; from history, from philosophy, from whatever I’m reading, and then a word usually emerges. For this next collection, it was ‘Lacuna.’ It means a pregnant pause, where absence is incredibly full. That idea then starts to shape everything — the stones, the colours, the forms.”

“We work predominantly with industrial materials and hardy Southern African stones like jasper and tiger’s eye. Over time the work has become more refined. In the beginning it was all embellishment and beading, but as the brand and I matured, restraint came in and with restraint, comes depth.” This commitment extends beyond aesthetics into ethical practice: “We don’t do gold plating because it would have to be produced overseas. We’re committed to local job creation and handcraft. Our ropes are manufactured here or in Durban. Procurement decisions streamline our aesthetic. At the core, I’m interested in transformation — helping women reflect on their lives and ask: with what I’ve been given, can I make gold? Can I make magic?”

Kat has always approached PICHULIK with a commitment to integrity and intentionality, building a brand that is uncompromising in both practice and principle. This is what I referred to in terms of production authentically matching its outcome, and as Katherine shares with me, I’m all the more convinced PICHULIK is a blueprint for what is possible, ethically. “We’re a completely vertical business. Everything happens in-house — procurement, design, collateral, retail, wholesale. That’s allowed us to grow intentionally,” she explains. Central to this ethos is a refusal to compromise value: “One of our commitments is we never discount. When COVID hit, our revenues dropped to 10%. We took out debt to keep our staff employed, but we would not discount. To do so would devalue both the maker and the woman who wears the piece.”

Kat contrasts this approach with the broader industry, noting that many jewellery brands outsource and call it “curated jewellery” — essentially buying off Alibaba catalogues. “There’s little commitment to Southern Africa, to people, or to skill development. We’ve always done the opposite.” This ethical framework is similarly grounded in how the team itself is supported, in a way that is true to a practice of cultural sensitivity within South Africa’s context; “Our team is majority Xhosa speaking. Language is power, so we bring in a facilitator to support contract signings and performance reviews. Agency is fair wages, yes, but it’s ensuring people can advocate for themselves, and express themselves, as fully as possible.”

For Kat, culture, care, and integrity are inseparable from the work of PICHULIK. “A few years ago, two of my longest-standing employees were found to be stealing materials and reproducing work to sell at markets. It was the rest of the team who identified it, stood by the brand, and protected our team culture.

Written by Holly Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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Roger Ballen Photography Centre Opens in Joburg with a new exhibition ‘PSYCHOPOMP!’

Aug 26, 2025 | Creatives, Community

A new chapter for photography in Africa begins this September with the opening of the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography in Forest Town, Johannesburg. Founded by internationally acclaimed photographer Roger Ballen, and designed by award-winning architect Joe van Rooyen, the space is one of the few institutions on the continent dedicated entirely to photography. Across three halls, and including an extensive photographic bookstore, the new Centre offers space for reflection, experimentation, and critical engagement — from the archival to the avant-garde.

“It’s always been my goal to create a dedicated space for photography in South Africa. I founded the Roger Ballen Foundation almost 20 years ago to support local photographers, but the missing piece was always a venue. With this Centre, I hope to provide a platform for powerful photographic voices, both African and international, and to engage the public in a deeper reflection on image-making today.”— Roger Ballen

The Centre launches with PSYCHOPOMP! — a provocative new exhibition curated by Berlin-based artist and theorist Boris Eldagsen, realised with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), that explores the evolving role of AI-generated images as a mirror to the unconscious mind.

Eldagsen is an award-winning photomedia artist and philosopher whose practice blends photography, painting, theatre, and film to delve into the hidden corners of the psyche. His career spans major exhibitions and festivals across Europe, Asia, and Australia, and he is internationally recognised for igniting a global debate on AI and art when he declined the 2023 Sony World Photography Award for an AI-generated image.

All imagery courtesy of Roger Ballen Centre for Photography
In support of the exhibition’s timely themes, Inge Herbert, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, notes: “We believe in the power of creativity, innovation, and the free exchange of ideas. At a time when AI technologies are rapidly transforming how images are created, shared, and understood, it is vital to foster education that equips audiences and artists alike to navigate this new landscape. By encouraging freedom of expression and critical engagement, we can help build a vibrant, sustainable creative ecosystem in which African voices contribute meaningfully to the global conversation on art and photography.”

Opening Events

Public Opening: Wednesday, 03 September 2025

Opening Hours: Monday–Friday: 10:00–16:00, Saturday: 09:00–12:00

Featured Public Programmes:

  • 03 September: 11:00 – Educational lecture: Ethics of AI in Art (Boris Eldagsen)
  • 03 September: 18:00 – Public lecture: Ethics of AI in Art (Boris Eldagsen)
  • 04 September: 11:00 & 14:00 – Educational lecture: AI & Creativity (Boris Eldagsen)
  • 05 September: 11:00 – Educational Lecture: The Future of Artistic Process(Boris Eldagsen)
  • 06 September: 10:00 Open day artist walkabout | 13:00 AI & Creativity (Boris Eldagsen)

Debut Exhibition: PSYCHOPOMP!

PSYCHOPOMP!, the Centre’s inaugural exhibition curated by Boris Eldagsen, brings together artists from around the world who explore AI as a tool for self-exploration rather than spectacle. In Eldagsen’s view, the exhibition draws on Jungian psychology to examine the “shadow” — those hidden aspects of the self we often deny. Featuring over 20 artists including Arminda da Silva (SA), Ian Haig (Australia), Rosemberg (Spain), Infrarouge (France), and Crudguts (Brazil), the show uses surreal, uncanny and often unsettling imagery to challenge perceptions of both photography and identity.

“The artists in PSYCHOPOMP! don’t ask AI for answers. They use it to interrogate their fears, their shame, their psychic leftovers. What you see is what the machine sees in them—and, maybe, in you too.”— Boris Eldagsen, Curator

In his own words, Ballen describes AI as an expanding frontier:“AI is transforming photography and many other fields, raising urgent creative and ethical questions. That’s why we’re launching with this show. We want to confront these issues head-on—and set a tone of relevance and reflection from the start.”

A New Centre for a Changing Medium

The Roger Ballen Centre for Photography is the latest initiative of the Inside Out Foundation, a non-profit organisation established to support cultural and educational projects in South Africa. It stands alongside its partner institution, the Inside Out Centre for the Arts, with which it shares a mission to spark public engagement through the image. While the Inside Out Centre continues to host multidisciplinary exhibitions like End of The Game, along with music, poetry, lectures and film, the new Photography Centre offers a dedicated space focused solely on photography — expanding the Foundation’s vision with an emphasis on both local and international image-making.

“Art is not just a form of expression — it’s a mirror to the times. This Centre exists to ask questions, raise standards, and grow new audiences for photography and the visual arts in South Africa and beyond.” — Roger Ballen

Coming Next: October 2025

Opening on 20 October 2025, the next exhibition at the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography coincides with the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) Conference, taking place at the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre, our neighbouring cultural institution. The accompanying exhibition will spotlight global photographic responses to genocide and historical trauma. Featured artists include Marcelo Brodsky, Linda Paganelli, and Amy Fagin. Alongside this powerful group show, visitors will also experience Roger Ballen’s new body of colour work, drawn from his latest monograph by Thames & Hudson entitled Spirits and Spaces that will be launched at the centre for the opening of the exhibition. Curated by Marguerite Rossouw, Roger Ballen’s Artistic Director, the exhibition explores visual expressions of chaos, memory, and the afterlife.

All imagery courtesy of Roger Ballen Centre for Photography

Contact & Visit

Roger Ballen Centre for Photography

2 Duncombe Road, Forest Town, Johannesburg

+27 87 700 5998

insideoutfoundation.co.za

Follow: @rogerballencentre

 

Admission

General admission to the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography is R50. A combined ticket granting access to both the Photography Centre and the Inside Out Centre for the Arts is available for R150. Entry is free to the public on Saturday, 6 September 2025.

 

Press release courtesy of Roger Ballen 

All imagery courtesy of Roger Ballen Centre for Photography
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Upcycling Alchemy: Introducing Kemet Apparel

Aug 25, 2025 | Fashion, Community

Born in the heart of the Vaal Triangle, this South African label, Kemet Apparel, is a movement rooted in memory, history and forward-thinking design.

Founded in 2018 by long-time friends and creative collaborators Sipho Mnune and Michael Cindi, Kemet Apparel began with a simple yet revolutionary intent: to create clothing that reflected their identities, beliefs and dreams in a world where fast fashion reigned supreme. Unable to find pieces they connected with in mainstream stores, and working within tight financial means, the duo chose to create their own path—literally cutting, stitching and building garments from scratch with the tools and knowledge passed down by their families.

“We started designing clothes for ourselves because we couldn’t find what we wanted. That’s when we realized—we weren’t just making clothes, we were making statements,” says Sipho.

Raised in a home shaped by a mother who was a designer and fabric specialist, Sipho absorbed the art of garment construction from a young age. Meanwhile, Michael’s fashion sense was honed by his grandmother’s flair for styling, a consistent display of elegance that left an indelible impression. Together, they are embedding their Zulu and Xhosa heritage into each piece with distinctive zig-zag stitches that celebrate a deep cultural fusion.

KEMET stands for ‘Kreative Entrepreneurs Making Exclusive Threads’, but its roots dig much deeper. The name was inspired by an ancient African civilization—Kemet, known to many as the  architects of Egypt’s great pyramids. This connection to a civilization that was innovative and African to its core, felt like a natural alignment to the founders. By adopting this name, the duo positioned themselves as the modern-day builders of something equally timeless.

All imagery courtesy of Kemet Apparel

One of Kemet’s most powerful moments came with the transformation of a 25-year-old pair of Levi’s jeans, a family heirloom, into a unique bucket hat. It wasn’t just resourceful, it was symbolic. The act of unpicking, repurposing, and recreating the denim into something fresh marked their conscious commitment to upcycling. “We realized that if a piece of clothing can be passed down for generations, then what we create now must also be made to last.”

That ethos runs through all their creations. Whether they’re merging contrasting tones of denim or embellishing garments with vibrant cultural stitching, every decision is intentional. Kemet Apparel’s commitment to sustainability recently earned them recognition from the very brand they once upcycled—Levi’s Strauss—who invited them to their Cape Town factory. There, they witnessed firsthand the global standards required for quality, longevity, and circularity in fashion.

At the same time, their appearance at Twyg’s Africa Textile Talks 2025 proved a turning point. Engaging in urgent conversations about fashion’s environmental impact, the duo walked away energized, informed, and deeply inspired by one key takeaway: collaboration is essential. “We realized it’s not circular if it’s not a circle. To truly make an impact, we need to work together.”

Sipho and Michael have also taken on the role of educators, spreading awareness of the dangers posed by fast fashion—particularly in communities new to the language of sustainability.mTheir approach is inclusive, accessible, and deeply human. Whether breaking down complex issues like climate change and textile waste or simply showing someone how an old shirt can become something new, they’re changing the narrative.

“Sometimes someone just loves a piece and doesn’t know the story behind it. When they find out it’s upcycled—it changes how they see fashion altogether.”

All imagery courtesy of Kemet Apparel

Currently, Kemet Apparel is preparing to launch a deeply personal Spring/Summer collection titled “Virginia”, named in honor of Sipho’s late mother—whose early guidance continues to shape the label’s DNA. This collection promises boundary-pushing creativity while paying homage to the values that started it all.

Looking ahead, the team is exploring retail partnerships with major names like Mr Price and H&M, along with potential collaborations with local sustainability champions including Rethread, Broke, Blondmilk and Levi’s.

They’re also gearing up for pop-up events in Johannesburg and Cape Town this November, aiming to create spaces where style meets dialogue, where communities can come together to share and celebrate fashion with meaning.

By 2026, they plan to open Kemet Apparel’s first official retail store.

In their threads lie stories of mothers, grandmothers, old jeans and a shared determination to create a world where style and sustainability exist as one.

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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Nasty C drops ‘Leftie’ with Blxckie

Aug 22, 2025 | New Release, Music

The South African rap heavyweight, whose name is synonymous with global hip hop innovation, has just dropped “Leftie” with Blxckie. It was born out of real fan demand, previewed at his Pass The Aux sessions and whispered about in packed rooms across the country. Now it’s here.
Over a brooding, bass-heavy beat, Nasty C and Blxckie tap into their duality. Gritty street ambition collides with spiritual gratitude. “Take it from Park to Drive, take off like a Leftie,” Nasty spits, setting the tone for a song that is both metaphor and mission. 

“Leftie” is the gateway drug to FREE, Nasty C’s much-anticipated new album, set to drop 12 September 2025 and now available for pre-add. A sonic declaration of independence, FREE is a project that reflects the rapper’s journey not just as an artist but as a man reclaiming his voice, his time, and his truth.
“FREE is basically just me feeling like I’m free from external pressures,” Nasty C explains. “Free to create whatever I want and be whoever I want for however long I want to be that person.” That same liberation can be felt in every bar of “Leftie.” From lyrical acrobatics to emotional snapshots, like watching his newborn being breastfed, the record grounds the superstar in something deeply human.
 

While the music is blazing, so is the man behind it. In recent weeks, Nasty C has been spotted bagging groceries at Spar, fixing engines in a mechanic’s shop, and giving fades at a local barbershop. These “odd jobs,” as the internet calls them, are no gimmick. They are part of a living experiment, one that mirrors the mindset of FREE. “I wanted to experience normal people’s version of working hard,” he says. “It helps me connect, it keeps me grounded, and honestly, I just love it.”
This is an artist who is not only redefining his sound but also his reach. He is connecting with fans in queues, at workshops, and on the streets. Whether in a music video or behind a counter, Nasty C is giving his audience something real. Something they can hold onto.
With “Leftie,” he is doing the same. It is a record that cuts deep and punches hard, offering vulnerability and bravado in the same breath. Blxckie slides through with charisma, luxury, and lyrical flexes that match Nasty C’s introspection line-for-line. “Leftie” hits like a checkpoint in the evolution of South African hip hop and will be a track that bookmarks a chapter in both artists’ journeys.

Connect with Nasty C:
Facebook: @nastyczzle
X: @nasty_csa
Instagram: @nasty_csa
TikTok: @nasty_csa
YouTube: @NastyC

 

Listen to ‘Leftie’ here

 

Press release courtesy of Sheila Afari PR

Nanette releases ‘Abazali’, the second track from her upcoming album

Aug 22, 2025 | New Release, Music

Following the cinematic edge of her Harley Quinn-inspired single ‘I’m Not Psycho’, South African singer-songwriter Nanette returns with ‘Abazali’, the second release from her forthcoming album ‘Painfully Happy’, out globally on 29 August 2025. The single also marks the official pre-add of the album, inviting fans to step into Nanette’s world of nostalgia, family and musical heritage.

Where ‘I’m Not Psycho’ explored defiance and emotional intensity, ‘Abazali’ offers a heartfelt pivot. The nostalgic Afropop track is Nanette’s love letter to her parents and a sonic homage to the elders of South Africa. Infused with the Soweto funk and jazz textures of the 1980s, the song connects past and present, inviting listeners into her most personal musical space yet.

 

“Abazali is centered around celebrating the parents who’ve raised me. I wanted to make a song I could take back to my mom and dad and they’d feel like it was something made for their generation. The Soweto funk and jazz sounds of 1980s South Africa are very dear to me. Abazali is my love letter to South Africa, her elders and her children. I wanted to sing this song specifically in my home language because it was important to make it 100% connected to Mzansi,” says Nanette.

The Durban-born artist, whose rise has been powered by genre-blending collaborations and a SAMA-nominated project, continues to carve a global space for contemporary South African R&B. With Painfully Happy, Nanette promises a journey of nostalgia, self-expression, and cultural celebration.

Connect with Nanette:

TikTok: @officialnanette

Instagram: @officiallynanette

X: @officialnanette

YouTube: @nanetteofficial

ABOUT NANETTE

Nanette Mbili is a Durban-born R&B singer-songwriter whose soul-baring lyricism and velvety vocals have cemented her as one of South Africa’s most compelling voices. After launching her career post-matric in 2020 while studying law, her lockdown-produced debut Bad Weather (2022) hit #10 on Apple Music Africa and scored a SAMA nomination for Best R&B Album—a feat she eclipsed with 2024’s The Waiting Room, blending R&B, hip-hop and Amapiano in collaborations with Nasty C, Blxckie, and Tellaman. Her 2022 features on Kelvin Momo’s Amukelani (“Imfula,” “Fool Me”) dominated streaming charts, proving her genre-fluid appeal. Now, with 2025’s Painfully Happy, Nanette sharpens her signature cocktail of vulnerability and provocation, offering an elevated take on the stories that made fans fall for her: equal parts therapy session and cinematic rebellion.

Listen to ‘Abazal’i here

Press release courtesy of Sheila Afari PR

GRAMMY Award-winning Artist Cardi B releases ‘Imaginary Playerz’

Aug 22, 2025 | New Release, Music

GRAMMY® Award-winning, multi-diamond selling superstar Cardi B releases “Imaginary Playerz”, the second offering from her highly anticipated upcoming sophomore album, ‘Am I The Drama?’. The track is produced by DJ SwanQo, Sean Island, and OctaneThisThatGas, with a companion video directed by Cardi B and Patience Foster. 

Fresh off the heels of her showstopping WWE hosting debut at SummerSlam on August 2nd, Cardi hit the stage previewing new music from her forthcoming album, furthering the anticipation of its upcoming release. To kick off this new era, she dropped her first track “Outside,” available everywhere now. “Outside” debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming her 13th Top 10 hit. In addition, “Outside” peaked at #1 on Apple Music during its release weekend, marking her first #1 since the multi-platinum “Up.” 

The fiery new anthem release follows her appearance at the Cannes Spotify Beach Party on Wednesday, June 18th, where she debuted “Outside” live for the very first time. She also performed at LadyLand Festival in Brooklyn, NY, on Thursday, June 27th, where she was introduced by special guest Scarlet Envy—creating an iconic onstage moment.

“Enough (Miami),” released in March 2024, was a blazing track and the perfect record to kick off the spring break season. “Enough (Miami)” was accompanied by a high-octane companion visual (directed by: Patience Harding) following Cardi’s previous release, “Like What (Freestyle).” Both records served as the follow-up to a groundbreaking collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, “Bongos.” Prior to “Bongos,” the pair released the historic and viral sensation, “WAP.” In 2020, this hit song (Feat. Megan Thee Stallion)” affirmed Cardi B as one of Apple Music’s most popular artists of all time, earning the platform’s highest-ever debut by a female artist as well as the fastest song in Apple Music history by a female artist to peak at #1. It also went #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaked at #1 on rhythmic radio, and rose to #2 on urban radio. “WAP” also won Favorite Song – Rap / Hip-Hop at the American Music Awards and won Best Collaboration and Video of the Year at the BET Awards. It was also nominated for Collaboration of the Year at the American Music Awards, nominated for five categories at the MTV Video Music Awards, and nominated for Best Music Video at the iHeart Music Awards. The visual has now reached over 550M views and the audio now has over 3.7B streams.

ABOUT CARDI B

Cardi B is among the most significant musical artists of all time, regardless of genre, gender, or generation— all accomplished in less than a decade. Among her seemingly unstoppable list of accomplishments, she stands as the highest-certified female rapper on the RIAA’s “Top Artists (Digital Singles)” ranking with over 100 million RIAA-certified units sold, with 3 diamond certifications. Her chart-topping, GRAMMY® Award-winning, 4x RIAA platinum-certified debut album, Invasion of Privacy, continues to be a landmark achievement in female rap streaming history. All 13 tracks on Invasion of Privacy are now certified at least Platinum, and the smash 2018 album also includes the history-making Diamond-certified “Bodak Yellow.” Her extensive list of awards, nominations, and high-profile honors currently includes 10 GRAMMY® nominations and one win for Best Rap Album for her debut album Invasion of Privacy, eight Billboard Music Awards, six Guinness World Records, four Spotify One Billion Streams Awards, two ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Awards, eight ASCAP Pop Music Awards, 23 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, six American Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, three iHeartRadio Titanium Awards, six BET Awards, 14 BET Hip Hop Awards, inclusion on TIME’s “TIME100: The 100 Most Influential People of 2018,” being named Entertainment Weekly’s 2018 “Entertainer of the Year” and Billboard’s 2020 “Woman of the Year,” along with countless other triumphs. She continues to expand her musical legacy in 2025 with new releases, including the tracks “Outside” which marks her 13th top 10 Billboard Hot 100.

Listen to ‘Imaginary Playerz’ here

Press Release courtesy of Warner Music 

Killing Counterculture: How Algorithms and Big Tech Threaten Creative Diversity

Aug 21, 2025 | Lifestyle, Most Read, Community

Looking at the city centres, symptoms of monoculture are everywhere. Straight men don mullets, gorp-core fanatics wear their Solomon’s on the streets instead of hiking trails, and paperback books are just for decoration. As Soutis notes on the smashburger trend as a symbol of conformity, “Our culture is flattening. From our style to our smarts, our consciousness to our creativity, we have grown accustomed to applauding replication and expecting iteration.” Over and over again, online trends are mirrored offline, and suddenly everybody is obsessed with Sambas, protein, and Sabrina Carpenter simultaneously. Evidently, my irritation with Spotify’s increasingly generic algorithm is only symptomatic of a broader frustration with the slow commodification of countercultural movements into brand opportunities, ideas into aesthetics, and meaning into memes.  You have to ask, why do all of our streaming sites rotate the same pop-adjacent mush? And when did ‘cool’ become so cookie-cutter?

The arts have, notoriously, signalled belonging and socio-political alignment. Similarly, counterculture was once about using our clothing, music, and language as a stylistic practice of resistance. Two decades ago, those who felt that traditional politics was insufficient to represent the masses, let alone the disenfranchised, would dissent dominant ideologies by practising creative agency as a political right. This is why the Sex Pistols took over the UK, chanting anti-elitism and punk; why the writers for Drum Magazine pioneered cultural criticism during South Africa’s heightened racial violence and media censorship laws; why the Blues became the sound of the Civil Rights Movement, a world over in Mississippi. 

Imagery courtesy of Pexels, by Camilla Gari
Imagery courtesy of Pexels, by Giona Mason

But, as it always does, digitalisation’s influence now reconstitutes culture so that it can be easily performed, without ever having to engage its origins or meaning. Through the mediated lens, countercultural practices feel more like an outfit to put on, rather than a praxis to live by. You can become Punk with just a simple ‘How To’ video and some black eyeliner, or Indie Sleaze with band t-shirts and ripped stockings. You don’t need to know why you love Aphex Twin. Or why you suddenly have to wear a pair of black loafers with white socks and a silk scarf around your head, you just need to know that it’s in. The songs and symbols and fashion that were once used to project personality, subjectivity, and motivation for a cause now fall short of symbolic meaning beyond ‘cool’ and ‘not cool’, ‘online’ and ‘offline’. And so, instead of countercultural diversity, we’re being subjected to sameness.

But, it isn’t entirely our fault. As the media landscape’s digitalisation continues to shift cultural consumption, so too does it reconfigure cultural creation and visibility. Social media is a key enabler of this shift. The more revenue-focused our platforms become, and the more attention-maximising their mechanisms, the more capable they are of turning the niche into the normative. Between sponsored posts, paid advertisements, influencer content and censorship mandates, it’s rare to stumble on authentic creativity and unfiltered passion projects. 

Top that off with Recommendation Learning systems replacing Editors, and most of us are destined to live in an invariable echo chamber of cash-cow content. As Bea notes in her Substack article, The Death of the Public Intellectual, “The people who do shape culture—the ones who influence what we wear, how we speak, and even how we think—are no longer intellectuals, but influencers… it says something significant about what we value today. We no longer look to those who challenge us intellectually, we look to those who offer us a perfectly packaged lifestyle.” 

The systematic capture of culture by a few large companies and some severely addictive (yet dissatisfying) social media mechanics is enough to make any creative sad. It’s also enough to explain why, on the surface, we seem to severely lack countercultural diversity in fashion, film, art and music. After all, how can radical creativity gain any traction in a context where non-human code curates our feeds, and Big Studios only want to fund money-grabbing sequels? (I’m looking at you, Practical Magic 2, Devil Wears Prada 2, and Freakier Friday. No wonder Matty from The Studio calls the job of Studio Head a “meat grinder” in an office that feels more like “a tomb” than a “temple of cinema”). 

Most might blame our generation for being too dumb and overstimulated to produce work of worth any longer. But rather than blaming the people who, god forbid, own phones and use devices, we can acknowledge the bigger political problem at its core: that somewhere between Big Tech and Big Corporate, culture is dissolving into digitalised content, advertising,  Amazon and IP theft.

As Cory Doctorow so plainly puts it in an interview titled How Big Tech Captured Culture: “Five publishers, four Studios, three labels, two ad-tech companies, and one company that controls all the ebooks and all the audiobooks in the world.” He’s talking about: HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, Hachette, Penguin Random House, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, formerly EMI (now largely integrated into Universal and Warner), Apple, Microsoft and Amazon. And then of course, there are the individual businessmen who control cultural flows through tech, including: Elon Musk (x), Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), Bezos (Amazon) and Ek (Spotify). This handful of people control the bulk of the world’s copyright, and thus the bulk of its music, movies and messaging platforms. 

Imagery courtesy of Pexels, photography by Kamaji Ogino
Imagery courtesy of Pexels, photography by Bleach Carte

Doctorow calls this monopsony or ‘chokepoint capitalism’, a system in which a few key players become overpowered. He says, “These middlemen grow powerful enough to bend markets into hourglass shapes, with audiences at one end, masses of creators at the other, and themselves operating as a chokepoint in the middle. Since everyone has to go through them, they’re able to control the terms on which creative goods and services are exchanged – and extract more than their fair share of value.” Looking at the facts, no wonder everything sounds and looks the same. Big players make the calls while artists and creatives struggle to keep their heads above water. If cultural stagnation happens at the hands of commerce, we’re in some danger. Its warning signs are aestheticisation, performativity, and a confusion between ‘effort’ and ‘cringe’ – all of which are everywhere. Caught in these mass trend cycles that dictate our collective style, it’s no surprise that the Labubu looms large, larger than a sense of cultural meaning or value, diversity or surprise.

But – and this is a big but – if you’re reading this, you probably already know that countercultural work does exist despite digitalisation and labour insecurity. Right now, you’re supporting both me and CEC, reading content curated by and for Africans – in the current landscape, that choice means something. Where you could have doomscrolled, instead you engaged. To answer FKA Twigs, who asked “Where are all the thinkers?”: they’re out there. But like me, they’re probably trapped beneath the weight of nine-to-fives, hustling to keep up with the cost of living and make ends meet, to create out of meaning, not just commerce. But when culture isn’t compensated fairly, and influencers are idealised over intellectuals, we have no choice but to busy ourselves with some corporate gigs now and then. As a comedian joked recently at a Film Club screening, “All the great filmmakers are just waiting for that one chicken commercial.” 

Being a creator in this economy is, in some ways, an inherently political act, something driven by vocational awe rather than profit motives (although we do still like to pay our bills, don’t be fooled). And as much as we can blame poor anti-competition laws, low wages for artists, and rapid corporatisation of Entertainment and Tech (which we really really can), we can also focus on what is working: collaboration and creativity despite it all. When everything starts to blend into itself, and all feels doomed, think of the local bands who put on free shows inside city fringes, the poetry collectives that convene without much more than a poster and a love for spoken word. Better yet, flip through the pages of indie press publications, or chat to the independent bookstore clerks. Buy an EP from an unknown, collect merch at the bar, stay loyal to the illustrator making screen-printed tees. Read MixMag roundups and New Music Fridays instead of relying on Your Discovery Weekly. Subscribe to a substack instead of taking Gemini roundups and TikTok hottakes as gospel. Wear the outfit because it makes you feel something, not because you have to. Exercise your creative agency. Call for the ethical remuneration of artists. Remind yourself that a diverse culture does exist, and its survival stands in opposition to everything bad and scary about the world right now. 

Because that is, at its most essential core, what counterculture does. It defines its political alignment, its moral compass, by its engagements outside the ambit of pure commerce. Person to person, rather than B2B, artist-led communities are always better equipped to translate and trade their works among friends. So, if we can commit to bypassing the overpowered middlemen that sell us stuff on unfair bases, then perhaps we can reclaim creative engagement. And for our own sake, we must significantly reduce time spent on the apps, and reprioritise a commitment to the belief in art’s ability to move us. Because if the current media landscape only rewards speed and virality, then the best we can do is prioritise slowness and depth, assume intricacy and critique dominant ideology. 

Written by Drew Haller

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

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Threading Care: Reflecting on Mohair and Twyg’s African Textile Talks

Aug 19, 2025 | Lifestyle, Community

In a world increasingly defined by fast fashion and fleeting trends, mohair moves at its own pace—quiet, enduring, and profoundly rooted in the land. At the recent African Textile Talks event, hosted by Twyg, as conversations unfolded about care, culture and conscious consumption, one question lingered with me after the discussions ended: How do we share the story of mohair with more people?

Perhaps the answer lies not in statistics or marketing slogans, but in simply tracing its journey—through the hands of devoted farmers, across the dry landscapes of the Eastern Cape and into the wardrobes of designers and consumers who are rethinking luxury and local resources.

South Africa, the world’s leading producer of mohair, holds a fiber that is not only beautifully tactile, but also rich in meaning. It’s a story that begins with the angora goat, but stretches far beyond—to traditions passed down through generations, to communities sustained by the land and to a textile ecosystem built on resilience.

In this piece, we explore that ecosystem through insights shared by industry leaders Lauren Moore (Mohair South Africa), Pierre van der Vyver (House of Fibre), and Jonker Venter (OVK), and reflections from the African Textile Talks and Twyg founder Jackie May, it offers a closer look at how mohair is cultivated, celebrated, and carried—one strand at a time—into a more thoughtful future.

Imagery courtesy of Mohair South Africa

African Textile Talks Photography by The Dollie House. Installation Creative Direction by Tandekile Mkize and stage backdrop art by Leila Walters.

Twyg’s African Textile Talks held its third iteration at The V&A Watershed over the week of 28 July 2025. Reflecting on the event, Jackie May, the founder of Twyg, had this to share on the purpose and impact of African Textile Talks, “We had quite a strong theme on care… being more careful in how we think about textiles, fibers, and fashion. Fashion and textiles are deeply cultural… It’s not just the end product, it’s a whole system you’re buying — a whole ecosystem.” 

Mohair is one such textile which is enduring in quality based on an entire ecosystem. As the world’s leading producer of this luxurious natural fiber, South Africa—together with Lesotho—accounts for nearly 75% of global mohair production. But beyond numbers lies a narrative rich with dedication, craftsmanship, and a deep connection to the land and animals that make it all possible.

The success of today’s mohair industry is rooted in the hard work and vision of previous generations. These pioneers didn’t just develop the industry in South Africa— as Jonker Venter says “They went to Australia, they went to Texas in America, they went to New Zealand and they have established their industry there. And we must say thank you.”

This legacy continues through the unique bond between South Africa and Lesotho, whose farmers contribute significantly to the global supply. Lesotho’s mohair, known for its exceptional length and luster, is often used in high-end products like tweed and velour, and is cultivated under a system that has remained remarkably stable even as global production has declined.

So, what makes mohair so unique? Mohair is renowned for its luster, strength, and smoothness—qualities that enhance other fibers when blended. “They’ve tried to replicate mohair artificially, but they couldn’t achieve it,” explains Jonker. Its natural sheen and wrinkle resistance make it a favorite for fashion houses and sustainable textile brands worldwide.

Pierre van der Vyver shared a simple but powerful example: “I’ve got a mohair jacket on. It was in a suitcase all the way from PE to here. I just took it out and put it on—there’s not a wrinkle in it.” When viewed under a microscope, mohair resembles artificial fiber in its fineness and uniformity—yet it remains 100% natural, biodegradable, and renewable.

As Jackie so aptly puts it, the ecosystem and context in which a product lives is vital, “A drought is going to affect the fiber. A shock is going to affect the fiber. The soil is going to affect the fiber. It’s so interesting to keep bringing everything right back to the origin and the land.” The same sentiment could be shared for South Africa’s natural fibre counterpart, wool.

Modern mohair farming in South Africa blends tradition with technology; from laparoscopic insemination to genetic tracking via barcode ear tags, farmers are investing heavily in improving herd quality and fiber performance. “You can scan an animal and instantly access its fleece weight, fineness, and lineage—from birth to today,” notes Pierre.

Farmers now shampoo and condition goats before shearing, and dip them strategically to ensure optimal fiber quality. These changes have markedly improved fleece consistency and ease of processing. Yet, beneath the tech is honest dedication. During kidding season, when cold fronts sweep through farms, it’s not uncommon to find newborn goat kids being warmed in farmhouse kitchens. “That’s the type of dedication a mohair farmer has to his goats,” shared Pierre.

From blockchain to life-cycle assessments, this push toward transparency is helping brands form deeper partnerships with the mohair supply chain, especially through organisations like Mohair South Africa. But as Lauren Moore emphasises, data alone isn’t enough. “We need to deepen our stories of provenance, to support science with the soul of what makes South African mohair so special.” At every stage of the value chain—from farm to spinning mill—there’s an unmatched level of skill, knowledge, and pride. It’s a craftsmanship that leaves an impression on everyone who visits the industry.

African Textile Talks Photography by The Dollie House. Installation Creative Direction by Tandekile Mkize and stage backdrop art by Leila Walters.

Imagery courtesy of Mohair South Africa

In a world hungry for ethically sourced, high-performance natural fibers, mohair stands out—and we’re leading the way. With its resilient farmers, well-established infrastructure, and ongoing commitment to improvement, the country is set to become a geographic sourcing hub not just for mohair, but for a range of sustainable and luxury raw materials. “We’re not just producing fiber,” says Lauren Moore, “We’re building a legacy—one strand at a time.”

This serves as a constant reminder that objects don’t live in insolation as they present themselves, there’s a whole web of information in that object, which should be appreciated and compensated for. It’s a product born not just from land. It sustains families, nurtures rural economies, and honors the animals whose well-being is central to the industry’s future. Its beauty is not only in its sheen, but in its honesty—in how it respects the earth, values people, and reflects a gentler way of doing business. 

I ask Jackie what consumers often miss in the communication of sustainability and sustainable consumption, to which she replied, “We have to design our solutions for our own context — a country that’s terribly unequal. Donated clothes, done in the right way, can offer people opportunities to start microbusinesses and earn a living.” 

When mohair reaches a boutique or runway, such as with local designers MmusoMaxwell, Judith Atelier or Lukhanyo Mdingi, one can appreciate the long story behind this diamond fibre, but mohair, it’s more than a luxurious textile. Mohair is a symbol of integrity and intention, a reminder that what we wear can connect us to something deeply rooted, authentically made and thoughtfully shared.

 

Find out more about Twyg

Find out more about Mohair South Africa here

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Vans Announces Grammy Winner, SZA, as Artistic Director

Aug 18, 2025 | News, Fashion

Vans has announced a multi-year creative partnership with one of today’s most influential music and style leaders, SZA. As Vans’ newest Artistic Director, SZA will work closely with the brand to reimagine upcoming campaigns and co-create exclusive product collections that fuse her unique vision with the brand’s creative and youthful spirit.

“In Vans, I feel free” says SZA. “I’ve been wearing Knu Skools and other styles for years, they’ve always had an ethos I connect with. As Artistic Director, my mission is to show that joy, community, creativity, and fashion are all still intersectional. That humanity, culture, and connection are still the access points. I’ve learned that bravery and curiosity are the cures for uncertainty, it’s a lifestyle and Vans champions that spirit. They stand where I stand, and I’m honored to invite a whole bunch of people to stand Off the Wall with us.“

 

Photography courtesy of The Bread

The debut campaign is a dreamy ode to expressing vulnerability through self-reflection, art and style, spotlighting one of SZA’s favorite Vans footwear styles, the Knu Skool in Black/White. The campaign was directed and photographed by Sophie Jones and styled by Alejandra Hernandez and can be shopped at vans.com 

The Vans Knu Skool, originally designed in 1997, reimagined the classic Old Skool™ for a new generation in the late ‘90’s. Influenced by skateboarding design, the Knu Skool features modern restyling of the original silhouette and includes a puffed-up tongue and 3D Sidestripe, as well as chunky, oversized laces. 

View the Vans and SZA brand anthem here

ABOUT SZA:

SZA, the five-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, has achieved global prominence with her distinctive musical style and emotionally raw, introspective lyrics. Her major label debut album, Ctrl, was a commercial and critical success, earning five Grammy nominations. RIAA-certified 5x Platinum, Ctrl features the Diamond-certified hit “Love Galore” and several multi-platinum songs.  SZA’s sophomore album, SOS, along with its expanded version SOS Deluxe: LANA, both debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spent thirteen non-consecutive weeks at the top. SOS is currently 8x Platinum and holds a record-breaking streak on the Top R&B Albums chart, remaining at No. 1 for 117 weeks and counting. Across all platforms, SZA has amassed over 70 billion streams worldwide.

SZA’s career is marked by significant accolades, including Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations. She has secured an impressive 77 wins, including a fifth Grammy Award this year for “Saturn” (Best R&B Song), eight Billboard Music Awards, eight BET Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, and three American Music Awards. Her recent co-headlining Grand National Tour with Kendrick Lamar stands as the most successful duo tour in history. Beyond her musical achievements, SZA made her big-screen debut in the 2025 comedy film One of Them Days, which topped the box office at No. 1. SZA continues to exemplify fearless creativity, a testament to her immense popularity and record-shattering achievements.

About Vans

Vans®, a VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, is the leading skateboarding and original action sports footwear, apparel, and accessories brand. Vans® authentic collections are sold in more than 100 countries through a network of subsidiaries, distributors, and international offices. Vans® has more than 2,000 retail locations globally including owned, concession and partnership doors. The Vans® brand inspires and empowers everyone to live “Off the Wall” embodying the youthful spirit of freedom, non-conformity, and relentless drive to push culture across action sports, music, art and design.

Press release courtesy of The Bread

 

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