#MusicUnscripted

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TIPS ON HOW TO PLAN AND ORGANISE YOURSELF FOR THE YEAR

It's a brand new year and with every new year comes the pressure to have your goals, plans and some sort of direction for the year figured out. While "new year's resolutions" or the "new year, new me" slogan may be things of the past, it's important to set key intentions and commit to holding yourself accountable for your growth as the year goes by. We've got 5 major notes, tips and excerpts from the #MusicUnscripted Twitter Space featuring ByLwansta hosted last week to get you started in the right direction.

1. Focus on a key theme for the year

Setting a subject of focus as the year starts will help you streamline what you want to ultimately get out of your year. According to Spokenpriestess, theming your year gives you an overarching rule or mantra to live by. For instance, "the year of execution", which means that your sole focus in the whole year is working on executing your ideas, plans and everything else you usually never see to the finish. ByLwansta mentioned two words he intends to live by in 2022 and those are "intentionality" and "readiness" which will drive how much conviction he puts into everything he does all year round. Things that can help you pick a theme of focus can be reviewing the previous year to see what you were unable to achieve and what is still a burning desire to get right or execute against. We all have ideas, wishes and "what ifs", be honest with yourself and be brave enough to put yourself out there by tackling that one thing you have been putting off for years.

2. Write it down and keep it in sight

It's one thing to decide on what you're going to focus on at the top of the year but it's another to actually see it through. Once you have set your theme for the year, make sure to write it down somewhere where you can see it constantly. While we all believe in different things, it is no secret that there is a special power in writing things down that gets you started with the process of realising your desires. Put down your idea and then put reminders within visible view to keep you motivated to achieve your goal or execute your ideas. The more you see something, the more your mind becomes conditioned to it being your reality. Subconsciously you start to either draw yourself towards that thing or become proactive in achieving it because it's always top of mind. Things you can use to write things down are journals (available at PNA, CNA, Typo or any other stationary store), whiteboards (available at Makro, Parrot, Takealot), light boxes (available at Typo and Takealot) and the Notes App available on every mobile device. A more creative way to visualise what you want is by creating a vision board where you can put together images of what you want to see happening in your life from the car you want to drive to businesses you want to work with, artists you want to collaborate with and so much more. It can be as specific as you want it to be - it is after all your life. Keep that vision board close so that you can always see what you're dreaming of and working towards.

3. Get organised in your thinking

When it comes to creativity or artistry there is always some sort of beautiful chaos involved in the process, but there are benefits in being a little more organised. For instance, keeping track of time is one advantage of being well planned. Deadlines, objectives lists and execution plans are important in making sure that your beautiful work gets the tender love and care it deserves before you share it with the world. We're not saying you need to be as precise as the personal assistant of a CEO but some sort of organisation will help you curb the procrastination, teach you to be productive, and nudge you to celebrate the small wins when you tick off your tasks. Tools you can use to plot out important dates or plan a content calendar throughout the year are readily available to you.

- Consider buying a big block calendar (available at Typo, Parrot or Takealot) that you can keep against the wall to write down dates, ideas and deadlines for each month.

- Set reminders ahead of time on your cellphone calendar so that meetings, appointments and activities pop-up as notifications on your screen. This is one of the easiest ways to stay organised without much effort.

- There is an app that ByLwansta cited called TODOIST (https://todoist.com/). It allows you to set tasks, reminders and also helps you organise your tasks or days.

- Use the Google Drive system to type your documents, create presentations as well as spreadsheets online. These documents are downloadable in the Microsoft Office formats of word doc, excel sheets or powerpoint presentations once you're done. The Google system is also very helpful for collaborating with remote teams through file sharing and direct input on the same documents with trackable changes plus live chats or comments.

- Get the OTTER TRANSCRIPTION APP (https://otter.ai), it's a mobile app you can use to voice your ideas, notes or even record meetings and it will turn then into text paragraphs. You can then categorise or arrange your boards in the app to help you organise your thinking. Just remember to execute on your ideas and follow up on everything you write down okay?

4. Share your goals with trusted friends or family members

Keeping track of your progress goes hand-in-hand with being accountable for the things you said you're going to achieve. We're human, things get blurry every now and then, plus we're still navigating a pandemic so things will definitely go off-track. This is why it's important to appoint "accountability partners" to help you check how far you are with writing that book or recording that EP for example. Having a non-judgemental or neutral friend who will ask, "Did you manage to write that proposal for that brand?" is a good way to keep nudging you in the right direction. Try to take responsibility for your own growth as much as you can without completely relying on your support system to remind you of the things you promised to do for yourself. There's nothing like the victory of keeping the promises we make to ourselves, it encourages us to do better and to continue making ourselves proud. Some ways to connect with your accountability partners are through a regular coffee date - be realistic about how often you can meet, scheduling virtual calls, or setting up celebration dates close to your deadlines to push you to stay within your time frames.

5. Take it easy and look after yourself

When all is said and done, it's important to remember that life happens and with that comes challenges that might throw you off course. Aside from that, it's also okay to miss a personal deadline here or there when things don't go according to plan. What matters most is never giving up on what you're trying to do, no matter how much longer it's taking you. A healthy way to check in with yourself is to always ask these three questions:

a) Did I do my best?

b) Is what's happening out of my control?

c) Can I start over and try again?

If you answer "yes" to all these questions then you allow yourself the grace to move through curveballs without beating yourself up over what ifs and disappointments. In addition to this, you need to to take care of yourself in order to maintain a good amount of energy and strength to give your best all year round. Here are some key strategies for self-care and maintenance:

- Visit your friends or family as often as possible. We often get lost in the rut of hustling, working, creating and securing the bag that we become isolated from our loved ones. It's important to make time to go see that friend that brings out the best in you, visit your parents or your favourite uncle and niece/nephew. We underestimate the power this small gesture has in nurturing us emotionally. These people often remind you of who you are, how great you are and how much they believe in you and this will surely rejuvenate you, boosting your confidence especially when things are tough.

- Eat well and stay active. This is a sore point for many of us but there's no escaping the fact that better eating habits and some exercise contributes to us functioning at our best. All the fatty foods in takeaways added with the sugars in our snacks or the excess caffeine we take to stay energised ultimately affects our moods and health in the long run. You don't need to become a fitness bunny but you can take simple measures like ensuring that you eat fruit and vegetables daily, drink lots of water (there are apps that help you track your intake) and reduce the amount of fast foods you eat in a week. This along with stretching daily or doing some kind of weekly exercise routine will help you feel more energised, giving you better endurance all year long.

- You have to get enough sleep my friend. We know that there'll be peak periods where your deadlines are looming, pitches are demanding or you're trying to wrap up that album. However, running on 3 hours of sleep and high levels of caffeine in your system paired with excessive junk food is not the best way to function at your optimum. A good night's rest has the advantages of improved concentration along with feelings of calmness throughout the day. You won't create your best work from an empty cup. So make sure to plan ahead, give yourself time to do the work you need to do, ask for help so that you're not completely overwhelmed, and then get some good rest after you've given it your all.

We hope that these tips will come in handy with getting yourself all geared up for the year. Above all else, it's important to remember that you are in control so if anything is not working in your favour feel free to try something new. If things are not going the way you want them to, don't feel pressured to press on without reevaluating your strategy and getting yourself back in the swing of things. While we want to be organised, we also need to be kind to ourselves and accommodate any kind of circumstance - no matter what happens, you can always start again at any given time. Stay tuned to the #MusicUnscripted Twitter Spaces happening bi-weekly with @spokenpriestess and @16BarsRELOADED as we will be walking the creative journey with you all year round.

Till the next blog, each one teach one.

[satorievents]

Our day out in #Braam yesterday looked something like this ........ We delivered yet another branding mission for @cottonclubrecords for their Popup and also took care of people’s tastebuds at the #musicunscripted workshop hosted by #16barsreloaded at #hivejohannesburg .................. Do ring us up on 0763477602 or email us for assistance with all your liquid catering needs for your next event/ wedding / birthday / anniversary/ unveiling / office party with our wholesome offering which includes mobile cocktail bars , Draught Tap Rentals, Beverage Cooler Rentals , Slush Puppy Rentals , Drinkware branding which are sure to make your next event memorable and unique in every way imaginable ............ #satorievents #brandedbysatori #cheerstotheweekend #abouttheweekend #Cocktails #LiveFromTheHive #Braam #AllSmiles #Happyclient #Johannesburg #CupBranding #alcoholfunthings #cottonclubrecords #livefromthehive (at Braamfontein)

[iamtrompie]

Had mixed emotions regarding this post: 1. She had been dedicated to a course of bringing you best service, news, music, interviews and even connecting you to other African nations with recent content; BUT 2. Despite her frail bodied deminour, the poor lady had never got much deserved respect and laverage she deserves. From her radio days beginning at Tshwane fm in the late 2000s, blogging, being on 5fm with @clive_dj , doing her own shows on #UJfm, apprentice for #Powerfm, #MusicUnscripted workshops, content journalist on slikouronlife.co.za and recently holding fort for the ladies in hip hop on #mtvtop10mcs ...this lady hinestly deserves more.. Im grateful for yo journey skatie.. be great in everything.. we got you @spokenpriestess

[philchard]

#MusicUnscripted Is Going To Soweto

http://bit.ly/2fUXlcq

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#MusicUnscripted. Monde Dube talking about music videos. Cc @DManiaTPO

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Music Unscripted offers a platform to talk about mental health for creatives! With the rise in conversations about depression and anxiety in the entertainment and creative industries, Music Unscripted is back with the most impactful edition yet. Set to be held on Saturday, 12 October 2019 at the new J&B Hive venue in Braamfontein, this conference will tackle the pressures that creatives face in their respective careers, along with how to handle them constructively. With panelists such as Gigi Lamayne, Catherine Grenfell, Maraza, Tweezy, and a qualified Clinical Psychologist, Sikander Kalla, the team hopes to make speaking up about one’s mental battles a norm with the hope to eradicate the taboo around such issues. “Part of the reason why depression eats away at our artists is because we deem it weak to admit that we’re not okay, and once we do, we can’t seem to find ways to help ourselves,” says one of the organisers Precious “Spokenpriestess” Nkadimeng. This edition aims to share lived experiences with mental issues along with fostering positive ways to deal with the pressure of thriving in a fast-paced industry. As the entertainment and creative industries continue to change at a rapid pace, so do the humans in these worlds undergo challenges in adjusting, coping and growing in environments that seem to work against them. Music Unscripted seeks to create a safe space to express, question and ultimately understand how mental illnesses impact creatives. “Bring a friend, a notebook, wear comfortable clothes and let’s share ways we can deal with our struggles when we’re feeling all alone in moments of weakness” urges Spokenpriestess. Music Unscripted will run from 10:00 to 14:00 at 81 De Korte Street, Braamfontein. There is no fee for this edition, just ensure that you RSVP to musicunscripted16@gmail.com with your full names to be added to the attending list.

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#MusicUnscripted Kicks Off 2019 By Discussing Opposite Sides Of The Artist Career South African hip hop movement, 16BarsRELOADED’s, knowledge exchange initiative called Music Unscripted returns for its fifth year running on Saturday, 11th May 2019 at the J&B Hive in Braamfontein. The conference will kick off the year with an interesting reflection on either side of an artist’s career coin, comparing the benefits and shortfalls of being signed to a major record label versus being an independent artist. With the music industry in constant flux, artists are searching for the balance between a big machine and a hands-on team that knows what their brand really needs. It’s becoming more apparent that one side of the coin does not always completely fulfill an artist’s needs, particularly considering the fact that a lot of major record labels are still functioning under rigid formulas that don’t serve the new age artist who is thriving in a hyper digital world. Event organiser, Precious Nkadimeng – affectionately known as Spokenpriestess - says, “the aim is always to equip upcoming and middle-stream artists with practical and relevant information they can immediately apply in their various hustles to success.” Speakers on this leg of the conference are artists Priddy Ugly, who was previously signed to Ambitiouz Entertainment and has gone on to establish his own imprint, Global African Sounds, and Yanga Chief who has recently signed to Sony Music Entertainment (Africa) after years of being an independent artist. Representing the voice of major record labels are Gavin Gutu, Label Manager of the Urban Division, and Mzwandile Sibanda, Publishing A&R, of Universal Music Group. It would not be a balanced conversation if it did not have a legal representative that will share sound advice on legal issues pertaining to agreements between artists and any other party, acclaimed entertainment lawyer and promoter, Katlego Malatji of TailorMade Legal Solutions will be on hand to add his expertise to the conversation. “We really encourage people to attend ‘cause we bring invaluable information and guidance on matters that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to iron out with the people we have on our panel,” adds 16BarsRELOADED co-director, Mpho Mfolo. The event will kick off at 10:00 AM in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, with a fee of R 100 payable at the door, however, you’re encouraged to RSVP on musicunscripted16@gmail.com to book your spot. In the words of the organising team’s mantra, “Each one, teach one.”

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#MusicUnscripted set to unlock the internet 16BarsRELOADED, a South African hip hop movement formed back in 2012, is set to return with their music education initiative - Music Unscripted - which will take place on Saturday, the 9th of June at the J&B Hive in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The conference is currently in its fourth year since its inception in 2015 was inspired by the founders’ experience with upcoming artists who lacked the professionalism required to pursue their careers more constructively and efficiently. As a result, the conference has seen a diverse array of musicians along with other potential industry professionals, such as publicists and record label owners, attend the conference to gain more guidance and exchange knowledge about the music industry workings. Seeing as the conversation of the power of the internet for musicians has intensified, 16BarsRELOADED saw it fit to accommodate this dynamic shift by addressing ways in which artists can exploit the internet to their best advantage. “It’s one thing to upload your song on SoundCloud and hope for the best, but it’s a whole different ball game to execute an airtight brand strategy online that will propel you in the right direction for your career,” said Precious Nkadimeng, affectionately known as the Spokenpriestess. With this, the conference will tackle matters surrounding brand positioning, music streaming platforms, as well as how to convert your online buzz into sustainable income revenue streams in the long run. The speakers on this leg of the conference are notable members of the entertainment industry who are well versed in the conversation of artist relations in the digital world. Allegro Dinkwanyane is the founder of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 listed multifaceted company, Orgella Media. Lindiwe Dhlamini is a publicist at Geobek Records, along with being an A&R manager for music distribution platform TurnUp Music. Rudzani “Roo” Netshiheni, on the other hand, is the editor of one of South Africa’s most respected hip hop publications of all time, Hype Magazine – which has successfully gone online in the past years. If there was ever a question about how to turn likes, follows, and retweets into something lucrative and sustainable for the artist brand, this conference is the platform to have those discussions and more. Make sure you book yourself a seat by e-mailing musicunscripted16@gmail.com and ready a R 50 entrance fee to pay at the door on the day. The event will be from 10:00 to 14:00 allowing you to go about your day thereafter. See you there!

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#MusicUnscripted is going to Soweto! #16BarsRELOADED's information exchange platform, Music Unscripted, is heading to its first township since its inception in 2015. The music conference is to be held at Soweto Ingress Lounge located at the Irvin Khoza Centre on Chris Hani Drive in Diepkloof Zone 6 on Saturday the 26th of August 2017. This edition will see speakers such as the nationally acclaimed artist, Ma-E; African Star Communications Chief Star Observer, Justine Abrahams; Independent Newspapers Journalist and Touch HD presenter, Helen Herimbi; SAMRO's Duke Scott and CAPASSO's Wiseman Ngubo take to the floor to share knowledge gained through their years in the industry. The booking fee of R 50 is next to nothing for the amount of rich information Music Unscripted brings its audience. With requests from patriots to bring the conference to multiple areas outside of Johannesburg (and Gauteng), the team has started collaborating with like-minded people to achieve this goal. For the Soweto edition - which is the 6th event since inception - the main focus is on revisiting the basics for an artist. These include topics such as, how to write a biography correctly for the media, when it's the right time to get an artist manager, the role of a publicist and music rights collection societies, as well as how to get your foot into the right places. If ever an artist or potential music professional needed guidance on where to start or go next, this is definitely the platform to be at. Make sure you email musicunscripted16@gmail.com to book yourself a seat!

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Spokenpriestess Celebrates Her Decade Mark In The Music Industry! Radio personality, writer, and business woman Precious "Spokenpriestess" Nkadimeng is set to mark her 10th year in the music industry through a decade celebration on Thursday, 25th October 2018 at the J&B Hive in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. From her first audition aged 17 at Tshwane FM (then TUT Top Stereo) to her current role as content manager at Slikour Onlife along with hosting two shows, 16 Bars and Kizosada, on TransAfricaRadio, her journey certainly is one to celebrate. "It's almost as if we are taught not to openly celebrate ourselves, but if we don't do it then who should?" remarks the jubilant personality. In what is considered a cutthroat industry, Spokenpriestess has not only managed to stay afloat but has steadily carved a name for herself in the hip hop and media industry at large. Being an advocate for music education, hosting her coveted information exchange platfrom #MusicUnscripted for the past 4 years, she takes a break to party with her day ones Beatmochini, Dj C-Live, Fifi Cooper, Ginger Trill, N'veigh, PdotO, and Zingah. Adding names like YFM's Dj Zai Maya, rising stars Daniel Rep; Manu WorldStar, Red Button, and Touchline to the bill signals an ocassion not to be missed. The night will also serve as a showcase for the personality who has a special performance on the cards. Spokenpriestess invites all her friends, peers, and supporters to join in on celebrating one's milestones and acknowledging your achievements - big or small - along the way. At R 50 a pop for the brief experience, happening from 18:00 to 22:30, you don't want to wish you had been there! It's a date.

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#MusicUnscripted To Host Special Edition Performance Workshop!

South African Hip Hop Award (2014) winning movement, 16BarsRELOADED, is set to host another of their informative sessions through the Music Unscripted conference on Saturday, the 25th of August 2018, at the J&B Hive in Braamfontein Johannesburg. Being their second conference this year, and the fourth year running overall, the organisation is hosting a performance workshop that will help upcoming artists hone their stage offering and grow their artistic approach to performances. Through the years, Music Unscripted has sought to aid artists with important areas of their career by addressing subjects such as music registration, airplay submissions, professional etiquette, and brand conversations to highlight a few. Most recently, the conference saw a conversation about how to exploit the internet effectively to one’s advantage take place at the J&B Hive. Here, artists got pointers on how to present themselves online, as well as how to earn an income through music in the digital era. As a matter of growth, the next level of an artist’s career is their stage performance which forms an integral part of their income stream and brand growth. It is from this point of departure that the performance workshop was born. “It is not enough to have all your ducks in a row as an artist, but when it comes to the live experience of your art your fans are left dissatisfied,” says 16BarsRELOADED co-director Mpho Mfolo. The aim of this special edition is to assist upcoming artists with their stage presentations by giving constructive criticism to better improve their act. With the guidance of seasoned professionals like Bontle Modiselle, Ms Cosmo, Rouge, Kabelo Moremi, Munya Chanetsa, and Rashid Kay, 5 upcoming acts will be given the platform to showcase their stage act for critique and feedback. The pre-selected 5 acts are artists who previously attended the Music Unscripted conference and were given the platform to submit their music to be considered for the workshop. This workshop is one of the ways in which 16BarsRELOADED intends to give back to artists who attend their conferences, but also seek to better the music industry from the ground level up. Other artists and music professionals alike are encouraged to attend the conference to learn pointers from the panel’s feedback, but to also add their own input on how to better improve one’s stage act. From this edition, topics such as how to ultimately grow your brand through presentation will inevitably be touched on as an artist’s performance is not isolated from everything else they do. Make sure you follow @16BarsReloaded on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates leading up to, and post, the conference to keep up to speed with this exciting movement. To attend, make your reservation via musicunsripted16@gmail.com. At only R 50 a pop for all the knowledge you will be absorbing, this is certainly something you cannot miss!

[iamtrompie]

All artists looking to expand their knowledge of the internet music & entertainment space, you have to come through to #MusicUnscripted. SpokenPriestess and panel will be dropping some invaluable info on the digital game. I have attended #MusicUnscripted, it is an information exchange platform that seeks to bridge the gap between the art of music and the business of music. Come through, this saturday. Its worth it. #BeatmochiniWitse #PutMeOnThursday #HixonaLexo / on Instagram https://ift.tt/2sNSVXB

[iamtrompie]

Catch @spokenpriestess on @massivmetro this Thursday night between 21:00 and 22:00 on #TheSwitchUp with @djswitchsa @meaghandmacc & @queenazizzar talking #MusicUnscripted. This lady is a reincarnation of all female hip hop activists in ONE. LOVE HER!!! / on Instagram http://ift.tt/2wjfzeB

[iamtrompie]

Catch @spokenpriestess on @massivmetro this Thursday night between 21:00 and 22:00 on #TheSwitchUp with @djswitchsa @meaghandmacc & @queenazizzar talking #MusicUnscripted. This lady is a reincarnation of all female hip hop activists in ONE. LOVE HER!!! / on Instagram http://ift.tt/2wzceb1

[iamtrompie]

Catch @spokenpriestess on @massivmetro this Thursday night between 21:00 and 22:00 on #TheSwitchUp with @djswitchsa @meaghandmacc & @queenazizzar talking #MusicUnscripted. This lady is a reincarnation of all female hip hop activists in ONE. LOVE HER!!! / on Instagram http://ift.tt/2vkmFL5

[iamtrompie]

Had mixed emotions regarding this post: 1. She had been dedicated to a course of bringing you best service, news, music, interviews and even connecting you to other African nations with recent content; BUT 2. Despite her frail bodied deminour, the poor lady had never got much deserved respect and laverage she deserves. From her radio days beginning at Tshwane fm in the late 2000s, blogging, being on 5fm with @clive_dj , doing her own shows on #UJfm, apprentice for #Powerfm, #MusicUnscripted workshops, content journalist on slikouronlife.co.za and recently holding fort for the ladies in hip hop on #mtvtop10mcs ...this lady hinestly deserves more.. Im grateful for yo journey skatie.. be great in everything.. we got you @spokenpriestess / on Instagram http://ift.tt/2joqPQn