Mosu Matsie 585 Studios Dedicates To Help Struggling Talent
In 2020 in the middle of a world affecting crisis, one man found this an opportunity to be a servant of hope. Rapula Motlhanka started up a studio that would go on to help young aspiring artists without the means to make it in the industry finance wise. When asked why he named the studio by the name Mosu Matsie 585, he said that it is because of the location to the studio. The studio is in a resident plot numbered 585 and there is a Mosu tree in the compound, the ward or the neighbourhood to the place is known as Matsie and all that give out the names to the studio.
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The studio has more than 20 artists under it who are mostly young and aspiring artists and there are veteran artists as well whom the studio is working with. They have been working on a project as a studio called AFRICA, an album expected to hit the market anytime soon next month. The album has 13 songs in it and has been composed by all the different young artists working with the studio and these also include one South African who once worked with Zahara.
When talking about how he came up with the vision he said that the primary idea for the studio was to start recording artists but the whole idea was diverted to what is now the studio’s norm when the Covid-19 hit. Since people were highly affected by this Covid-19 business wise, he decided to help out those who were extremely disadvantaged and incapable than the rest among musicians. That is how the project to help young artists who are out there struggling got birthed.
He says that he started scouting for young talent and started in Mogoditshane looking for guitarists and those who play folk music, he found them and other musicians. “I found it fit then commit to this as a community based project knowing that it is one thing many may fear to embark on,” said Rapula. He also said they looked into getting out there and locating young under privileged talents outside Gaborone. Although this grand gesture to the community has been good for young people out there and taking them off the streets, they admitted that it is not an easy and simple thing to do especially financial wise.
Motlhanka said that the competition out there is too much and they in the other hand are part of the game yet not gaining financially. He went on to emphasise the need they had with financial assistance from enterprises and local companies out there, the government included too. He also said that most are youngsters without any studio experience and some have talent but not the creativity to compose ideas. Motlhanka finally said that he did call out for helpers out there to also land a hand in the project so that he may also finally be able to manage and carry the project among other parts of the country.
Duncan Sebeso