Mash-O overhauling the local music scene
As part of our endeavor to celebrate and highlight young talent in Tembisa, The Tembisan goes out to identify young people who want inspire and be an example to the youth.
As part of our endeavor to celebrate and highlight young talent in Tembisa, The Tembisan goes out to identify young people who want to inspire and be an example to the youth.
This week we are featuring Mash-O.
Tembisan: Briefly tell us about Mash-O. Who he is?
Mash-O: My real name is Mashoto Lucky Mokobane. I’m 23. I love music and I’m a movie freak. When I’m not doing music, I watch movies with friends or my girlfriend. I love talking. I’m a bit shy, actually I think everyone is shy.
Tembisan: Were you born in Tembisa?
Mash-O: I was born in Limpopo and I relocated to Johannesburg. I attended Ntshe kgopu Primary School and New Academy, also a primary school. My high school was Rhodes Field Technical High School.
Tembisan: How did you get into music?
Mash-O: I have always loved playing around. My mother worked in Johannesburg and when she came back home, she would ask what I loved to do. My cousin would tell her that I love music. As result, she bought me a piano with seven keys. I broke it and fixed it myself. Then I connected it to a wireless radio. I would then record the sounds I played on the piano.
Tembisan: Was there any other person in your family who was into music?
Mash-O: My uncle loved music and he performed with a group called “New School”. He was a dancer and a singer. He was the only person, in my family, involved in music besides me.
Tembisan: And what are you?
Mash-O : I’m a musician. That’s what I want people to know me as. But breaking it down, I’m a composer and a producer at the same time.
Tembisan: Which genre of music do you perform?
Mash-O: I fall into a lot of genres. I try to make as much music as I can to accommodate different artists. I’m a producer. Learning is the key.
Tembisan: What inspires you?
Mash-O: Life inspires me. If you can put me in a box you will never get anything out of me, but if you put me among people, that is when I get inspired – life lessons, experiences. If I’m sad, I produce a sad song. When I’m happy, I produce a happy song. People tell me stories and I put them into music.
Tembisan: What contribution do you have in the society as musicians?
Mash-O: We don’t entertain the youth only. We contribute to everyone who listens to our music. Parents must know that we set a leading example to their children to show that it is possible to make a living out of music. Parents think that musicians are drug addicts and party animals. I’m not a drug addict, in fact, I don’t do drugs. I live off music. Music is my job, my career and my food on the table.
Tembisan: The music industry is a tough industry. What is your advice to any youngster struggling to make it in the industry?
Mash-O: I find it hard to believe when a musician says they struggle. There are so many things one can do within the music industry. Discover what you are good at within the industry and and pursue it.
Tembisan; Tell us about any of your popular projects.
Mash-O: My popular projects are the hit songs from my one and only album titled The Drum Herbalist. Songs titled The Village, Zwamuka featuring Kwabatsha and Ngeke Ngivume featuring Ma-V. I also performed a song with Professor, featuring Speedy titled “Baphi”. I made a Vodaphone theme song featuring Spoek Mathambo and DJ Spoko. I also did international work with Phuz’ekhemisi, the “mi-Mandela” film by Idris Elba.
Tembisan: Any future projects?
Mash-O: I’m currently working on an album and it is going to be a heavy, solid, rock album. I will be featuring new, raw, local talent and some of the heavyweights of the industry. I’m also on the verge of starting my own record label, which is going to be a platform for the youth to showcase local talent.
Listen to a sample of his new music:
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