10 Lessons Learnt From The Zim Hip Hop Summit

Somewhere in everyone’s life, there has been a hip-hop soundtrack. It could have been a quotable quote or that party jam that got you pumped up. While for some reason in Zimbabwe the culture and genre has been overlooked,  hip-hop has a certain influence on pop culture. That’s why when the Zim Hip Hop summit made its way to our very own backyard, it made sense to be there. The one day summit had a high attendance from stakeholders in Zim Hip Hop including the artists themselves, radio personalities, bloggers and promoters. It was a great platform for conversation and to take steps to mapping a way forward. Whilst things slightly got heated none of the real hip hop drama went down (thankfully). Iconic hip-hop artist and businessman Slikour had pearls of wisdom about making hip-hop in the African context. Other panellists from the United States, Brazil and the United Kingdom also shared their stories about the culture in their own home countries. As more hip-hop music keeps rolling in it’s with the hope that everyone took something home. Below are the 10 lessons learnt from the ZimHip-Hopp Summit.

1.Zim hip hop need to make music that speaks to the people the same way that Zim dancehall has

2. Just because a radio personality doesn’t enjoy a particular artist’s music, it doesn’t mean that they are haters. It’s a matter of tastes.

3. Radio is not the only avenue for hip-hop artists to grow their fan base

4. Artists need to have documentation including digital footprints of their works and accomplishments

5. There is need to have a solid team in all facets that support the artists’ vision. This includes public relations, videographers, managers, bloggers etc.

6. There is the need for more action on solving issues faced by artists and the culture as a whole rather than just talking.

7. Artists need to work on their craft and personal brands

8. Sometimes it’s important to focus on making connections rather than making money. Those connections will lead to the money.

9. Build a culture that strong and influential enough for corporates to take notice.

10. There were no female hip-hop artists in attendance at the summit. How do the female artists want to be represented in predominantly male culture?