Artists are slowly parting ways with the old-school method of record labels and becoming independent and South African artists are joining the trend. In 2015, DJ Bongz started a record label and called it Mabalabala until the Durban jock joined forces with former ANC Youth League treasurer general Mzwakhe Reginald Nkabinde, and it was renamed Mabala Noise. In 2015, Ambitiouz Entertainment, an independent record label owned and founded by Kgosi Mahumapelo was also formed and signed some of the top game-changers in the hip hop music industry. This year, Ambitiouz was reported to have closed down due to alleged artist exploitation and financial issues. This year, Makhathes Productions, owned by Phillip Makhate is set to rectify the wrongs made by labels.

MAKING MUSIC

Makhathes Productions label owner and IT consultant, Phillip Makhate tells ZiMoja that he has always had a passion for music and helping to build the music industry. "Music is in my blood and I have heard many horror stories of artists being mistreated and exploited and I wanted to do things right," he said. Founded from his own pocket and savings, Phillip says, the label was launched about four months ago. "But it has been a work in progress for a few years. The company talks started early this year and we officially launched it in June 2023. My motive behind this was just pure love for music and have interacted with a number of big artists in the industry big names. But my worry was that all these artists' success was only on paper and in reality it's a different story," he says. "That pushed me more to want to jump and correct a lot of wrongs that I saw the other companies doing."

THE TALENT

Philip says all the artists signed under his label resonated with him first. "We didn't just take any artist on because they are talented. Each artist has a beautiful story to tell. Romeo ThaGreatWhite is one of the best singers SA has and he already has the recognition from international artists like DAX and others. Simefree is pure talent. Gondi Boy is one of the best that Xitsonga music has to offer. He was inspired by the likes of Benny Mayengani and Solly Makamu when he started and now he is on top of the game. Airburn Sounds is one of the best producers. He comes from Open Mic productions and has worked with big names. Sage is a young vocalist, with unmatched talent, and already has a number of features with established Amapiano artists in the game. 1st Lady K is gifted in so many ways and her spirituality drives her to deliver unmatched music. Nvcely Sings is always compared to Muramba Pitch because of his tone, but he has so much more to offer lastly, Volcano is unique and has a very authentic African style. So everyone is fairly new in the industry and we didn't want to take bad apples from labels that have failed them," Phillip says. "The music industry is very tough and needs one to be resilient." Phillip adds that some artists have been approached by established labels already but chose his due to his work ethic. "We plan to build an environment where artist are allowed to shine and grow more in music without compromising their finances. With an understanding that these are artists, not money-making tools that can be exploited as many did before us," he added.