Mohalenyane Phakela
RAPPER, Juvy, believes that having his song featured as a soundtrack to the South African soap opera, Rhythm City, will afford him and other local acts international recognition.
Since Monday, Juvy’s 2015 smash hit Skipa Se Ntekane has been featuring as a soundtrack to the popular soapie along with South African based J-Cob’s Kea Pusha.
Rhythm City premiered on ETV on 9 July, 2007 and its storyline revolves around the trials and tribulations of those who are trying to break into the music industry. Some of its themes are infidelity, backstabbing, abortion, homosexuality, love and the drug addictions of those who have made it in the business.
According to the South African weekly primetime TV Viewing Figures (TAMS Ratings), Rhythm City is proving to be a winner, garnering an average audience rating of more than two-million viewers, surpassing long-running rivals, 7de Laan and Isidingo which air at the same time on SABC 2 and SABC 3 respectively. The series also airs in Ghana.
Fellow rapper, Jiji F, who features on Skipa Se Ntekane, was the first Mosotho rapper to appear in Rhythm City in August 2015 through his banger Animale.
Juvy (real name, Motebang Nkoko) this week told the Weekender that he was also excited by the fact that his song was timed to feature during Lesotho’s independence celebrations as it was a patriotic song.
“I was contacted early this month by someone from Rhythm City who said they were interested in featuring the song on the soapie,” Juvy said.
“I did not hesitate to send the track as I saw it as a perfect opportunity to spread my popularity to the millions that watch Rhythm City.
“She said it would be played from 2 to 6 October and this is the perfect time given that we are celebrating independence,” he said, adding this showed that Rhythm City’s producers were keen on Lesotho talent and they would showcase more Lesotho songs in future.
He said he will perform in Pretoria on Saturday and he was confident fans would easily identify him through the song.
Although Juvy has released a number of tracks after Skipa Se Ntekane, they have not garnered the same hype.
He is however, confident that that his third album, Starter Pack, which is due next week will hit the big time.
