Shaloma Muzik

Shaloma Muzik Recordings (previously known as Shaloma Muzik Underground Recording Brand, simplified as Shaloma Muzik URB) or simply Shaloma Muzik, is an underground record-production scheme, online independent music distribution brand, artist management scheme and netlabel based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Before March 2014, it's operations were based in St Helena Bay, Western Cape. It was founded by Tha Real U in mid-2012, and since then has accumulated more than 1,000 downloads online and 2,000 plays worldwide.

It currently houses the following artists: Tha Real U, Jay King, Khanyi Mjodo, Lil Stewy, Gowty Nikardo, The Essence, and Boss. It's name originates from the Hebrew word "shalom" which means, peace.

Mission
On December 18, 2014, the label released the following mission statement on it's Facebook page:

Shalom means "peace" in Hebrew. We, as a label, won't be boxed into making what is considered "positive music", instead our approach is making truth music, a reflection of ourselves and our vision.

We see music as more than just a sound but an art form of expression. The truth will set you free. It is through expression that we believe in obtaining peace, both through liberation, ethics, enlightenment and consciousness.

Reestablishment
Following the departure of Jempas from the label in March 2014, Shaloma Muzik intialised a process whereby it seeked to reesthablished itself in Cape Town.

This was later followed by a new website, addition of three new artists to it's roster, new management, name change and rebranding.

The first new artist to join was East London based artist, Skinny Joe in April 2014. The label proposed to create it's own collective as LWR Main, with the possible addition of Taffy Mwanza and a third female counterpart but this was unsuccessful.

The second new artist to join was Khanyi Mjodo in October 2014. The label then recreated it's website and appointed Steven Mokopane, founder of Music Generation Apparel as its artist manager.

It then entered into a partnership with Music Generation Apparel, building the bridge between street culture and conscious culture.

The third artist to join was Lil Stewy. Lil Stewy debuted on the label with Break Free, the first single from the newly introduced label project #ShalomaFuture, proposed for release between March and April 2015. The song received excellent reception, accumulating 100 downloads after four hours of release.

It was featured on ten various websites, namely Ghana's 'I Love JC Cafe' and three Nigerian websites, 'O'Storm', '9ja Review' and 'Gospel Centric'.

It was later featured on the CPT Street Mag website. The song is noted to bridge three regions of the Western Cape, namely West Coast, Overberg and South Coast, with the inclusion of Tha Real U and The Essence.

Roster
In 2015, Shaloma Muzik's label management sought the need to expand it's artistry into it's feeder Hip-Hop community, as a result of all it's artists being based across the Western Cape and beyond. In April of the same year, the label would thus welcome, Gowty Nikarado as the first Cape Town-based act, followed by Music Generation Apparel founder, Boss in August.

During the months of late August-November 2015, Shaloma Muzik, through it's A&R/artist manager Stevinhio Wanda, offered Gugulethu rapper, KidNexDoor (KND) and Khayelistha spaza-artist, Lyf Sentence, a three-month trail-run as label artists. Both KND and Lyf Sentence are rap veterans in the Cape Town Hip-Hop community, each having reached notable recognition in their local communities, thus signifying the Wanda's interest in welcoming them as Shaloma artists.

On September 29, 2015 Shaloma Muzik co-released "One Love" by Lyf Sentence, who was at the time still publishing independently. By October label yet sought to reach an agreement with Sentence's production scheme, Nanko Projects. Despite Wanda's efforts however, both artists were unable to reach common-ground with the label and as a result discussions between the parties ceased to continue.

To date, the label roster is comprised of seven artists, namely Tha Real U, Jay King, Khanyi Mjodo, Lil Stewy, Gowty Nikardo, The Essence, and Boss.

Music Generation Apparel
In October 2014, Shaloma Muzik partnered with Music Generation Apparel, a Fish Hoek-based street wear brand with an interest in the Cape Town Hip-Hop scene. It's label management saw partnerships as a strategic co-branding solution that would bring about collective marketing and publicity for it's works and that of it's partners. Through this agreement, Shaloma artists were requested to publicly perform wearing Music Gen SA apparel, although this was not compulsory.

Through Music Gen SA, the label added three additions to it's team, namely, Stevinhio Wanda as artist manager, along with Gowty Nikardo and Boss as label artists. It's "Stay Foolish" clothing range is featured in the Lil Stewy's Break Free music video, yet pending release. Tha Real U, Gowty Nikarado and Boss all appeared as Music Gen SA ambassadors.

The partnership was terminated in January 2016 as a result of Wanda's resignation.

ZAH Creations
In February 2015, Shaloma Muzik partnered with ZAH Creations, then known as DNG Photography. This was one of two partnerships the label had acquired, in it's attempt to attain mutual public support and recognition, with the aid of fellow small and independent brands.

ZAH, was offered the role of fulfilling all Shaloma Muzik's multimedia-related functions as led by Desiree Gumede, the appointed Multimedia Director of the label. In April 2015, ZAH began working on it's first label project, Lil' Stewy's Break Free music video. Shooting took place twice thereafter entering post-production. In August 2015, Desiree Gumede resigned from Shaloma Muzik, terminating the partnership due to limited production capacity, this following it's near-three month delay in the video's completion.

Pre-2014
In November 2012, Shaloma Muzik URB reached it's first 100 download milestone with Tha Real U's That I'm Dreaming. It would later continue to attain success on December 18, 2015 with Real U's Underground Kings reaching 100 downloads in 24 hours, the former milestone having been met after two weeks of it's release.

On March 1, 2013 Shaloma Muzik URB released it's first music video. This would later be followed by that of Jempas' Ransom - a combo-single and video release. Despite not reaching notable figures in it's early days - the scheme received notable praise from fellow Weskus artists Goku of War3 Karakt3z, Big Twist and Em-K for it's creativity and the scheme's continued efforts to attain musical prominence.

On November 27, 2013, the scheme announced via Facebook that it officially reached a total of over 1,000 downloads worldwide, this through the sum of 1,342 downloads (942 on Soundcloud and 400 on KasiMp3).

2014-current
Break Free

On November 28, 2014 Shaloma Muzik Recordings' attained a milestone of 100 downloads after four hours of release, for Lil Stewy's Break Free. This an improvement from it's previous milestone in 2012 which was only attained after 24 hours.

"Break Free" was later featured on ten various websites for download and became the first Shaloma Muzik song to appear on public radio through namely over ten Internet radio stations, Vineway Radio, Venrap Radio, the University of Johannesburg's UJFM, VibeMalawi, Street Dreamz Radio, The Shift Radio Station, Loop Radio‬, Bondfire Radio, MaximumFM Radio and Zone Radio. It is also the largest International release by the label to date, having made radio appearances in Malawi, United Kingdom, and United States along with blogsite appearances in Ghana and Nigeria.

Performances

On October 24, 2015 Shaloma Muzik obtained it's first commercial gig at the Paarl Music Festival. It's female vocalist, Khanyi Mjodo was booked to perform at the festival among the likes of headlining South African Award Winning band, Beatenberg.

2013: Ill Scripts
In January 2013, Shaloma Muzik artists, Tha Real U & Jempas clashed with Saldanha Bay-based Hip-Hop duo, Ill Scripts over a diss record targeted at fellow St Helena Bay-based artist, Major of Wolf Pact. The scheme released it's own diss in response to Ill Scripts as a social activist calling for thoughtful lyricism rather than hate speech. In March 2014, Jempas resigned from Shaloma Muzik, joining Ill Scripts, as a result of their rise in the local community and personal interest.

2015: DNG Photography
In 2015, DNG Photography was offered the task to produce a music video for Lil' Stewy's Break Free, the Shaloma's first single after it's reestablishment. Despite film shootings in April and May, DNG Photography later terminated it's partnership with Shaloma Muzik due to it's limited personal capacity to handle label multimedia projects. The photography brand however through Desiree Gumede promised to continue it's work on the outstanding "Break Free" project. In October 2015, upon shooting for Lyf Sentence's "One Love", Shaloma Muzik's label management reached conflict with DNG for delayed delivery of work. DNG thus vowed to terminate all operation on the video's five-month post-production.

On November 9, 2015, DNG Photography publicly released a statement on it's Facebook page stating that "the following is a Zah Creations music video that is still being edited. Zah is at work. The artist deserves this video and will not suffer at the hands of his disrespectful management." This was accompanied by a screenshot of the music video's post-production process.

2015: Artist Manager
In December 2015, Stevinhio Wanda issued a sudden resignation as Artist Manager. This follows conflicts from neighboring Korporate Kulture EEP, in which four of Shaloma Muzik's team members were involved. Despite disappointment by the label artists - it's management explained the matter as a issue of personal conflict. In January 2016, Shaloma Muzik replaced the position of Artist Manager with a Bookings Agent, whilst delegating certain roles to it's Creative Director. It is yet to determine whether this role will be internal or external as the position yet remains vacant.

As a result of Stevinhio's resignation, the label has terminated it's partnership with Music Generation Apparel - however in it's plans granted artists permission to endorse the brand as two of the label's artists remain Music Gen brand ambassadors.

Music Series

 * Shaloma Friday Special (Released May 2013)
 * #Shalomatober Series (Released October 2013)