South African genre-bending artist Money Badoo, signed under Paradise Sound System, the label renowned for fostering cross-continental collaborations, is set to launch an electrifying brand-new live set in conjunction with the release of her latest album. The live set, created in collaboration with the cutting-edge creative agency Bad Weather, promises an immersive, boundary-pushing experience that will captivate audiences and showcase Money Badoo’s innovative artistry. This exciting project will debut as a two-part series, supported by Concerts SA, on March 6th in Cape Town and March 7th in Johannesburg.

 

The new live set represents Money Badoo’s commitment to redefining the music experience in South Africa, blending striking visuals, dynamic performance elements, and her genre-defying sound. With a reputation for being one of the most vibrant voices in South Africa’s contemporary music scene, Money Badoo has continually pushed the envelope with her music, style, and live performances.

This latest endeavor further cements her position as a trailblazer in the African music landscape. Additionally, the South African tour serves as a preliminary to Money Badoo’s first international tour, supported by Africa Rising Music Conference. Set for July 2025, this upcoming international tour will see her performing across Benelux, expanding her reach to global audiences.

M$RYLUVSCMPNY, is more than a project—it’s a journey of self-discovery, transformation, and resilience. Through music, visuals, and fashion, it tells a deeply personal story of navigating heartbreak, battling inner demons, and confronting the complexities of mental health. At its core, the project is about alchemy—turning pain into power, sadness into art, and isolation into connection. Led by Money Badoo, also known as ZAAK, M$RYLUVSCMPNY blends alternative hip-hop, R&B, and experimental sounds to create a world where vulnerability meets strength. It’s an open invitation to embrace the beauty in struggle and the light that comes from within, even in the darkest moments.

Produced by the finest names in South African hip-hop, including multi-award-winning pH Raw X, award-nominated MashBeatz, platinum-certified gTbeats, and the versatile NOTBENJAMIN, M$RYLUV$CMPNY delivers genre-defying beats infused with the vibrant energy of South African culture.

Money Badoo’s recent singles have made significant waves, with her breakout track “Don’t Call Me” debuting on 5FM’s Dance Chart in its first week, gaining airplay on YFM and Jacaranda FM, and amassing over 2 million playlist streams across 29 editorial and third-party playlists. Her exclusive video for “Don’t Call Me”, hailed by Texx and the City as one of the best indie videos of 2024, premiered on TRACE and captivated audiences with its vibrant, nostalgic visuals.

Her rise continues with over 750,000 playlist listeners for her latest releases and a growing international presence. A rework of “Don’t Call Me” features global stars Boban Marjanovic (Serbia), Haftbefehl, Gringo, and Dribbla (Germany), produced by Paradise AI Kitchen. This groundbreaking track combines cutting-edge AI-driven music creation with a global reach of over 4 million fans.

 

Bad Weather, known for their expertise in crafting avant-garde creative concepts and brand experiences, has played an integral role in curating the aesthetic and technical elements of the live set. Together, they have designed an experience that transcends a traditional live show, incorporating state-of-the-art stage design, lighting, and audiovisual storytelling.

Tour Details: 

Cape Town: March 6th, 2025, in collaboration with renowned streetwear brand BROKE, Klubhouse.

Johannesburg: March 7th in collaboration with Rockets Music & 8th in collaboration with SEALAND store at 44 Stanley. 

Supported by: Concerts SA

Speaking about the upcoming live set, Money Badoo shared: “This project has been a long time coming, and I’m beyond excited to finally share it with my supporters. Partnering with Bad Weather and being supported by Concerts SA has allowed me to create something truly special. This is more than just a live show—it’s a celebration of the journey I’ve been on and a taste of what’s to come.”

Supporters can expect a thrilling blend of old favorites and new material, with each performance offering a unique and unforgettable experience.

 

Money Badoo is signed under Paradise Sound System, a label renowned for fostering cross-continental collaborations and elevating African talent on a global stage. Known for their out-of-the-box thinking and ability to craft memorable experiences, they have worked with some of the biggest names in the industry to bring visionary concepts to life.

The post MONEY BADOO SET TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM M$RYLUVSCMPNY WITH SUPPORT OF BRAND NEW LIVE SET, IN COLLABORATION WITH BAD WEATHER, PARADISE SOUND SYSTEM & CONCERTS SA appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Money Badoo is about to set the music world on fire in 2025 her new single “Heartbreak Hotel”. But that’s not all – on January 17th, 2025, the music video for her explosive single “WAKE UP” premiered, taking fans even deeper into the artist’s captivating universe. These two exciting releases lead up to the grand unveiling of her much-awaited album M$RYLUV$CMPNY, set to drop on March 7th, 2025.

“Heartbreak Hotel” offers a poignant glimpse into the emotional depth of Money Badoo’s upcoming album M$RYLUV$CMPNY, where themes of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery come to life. This ‘80s pop-inspired track, featuring Una Rams and produced by Select Play, touches on the theme of heartbreak and explores the emotional chaos of toxic relationships. With its moody synths and reflective lyrics, it highlights the cyclical nature of heartbreak, it paints a vivid picture of love’s darker side, setting the tone for an album that explores heartbreak, self-discovery, and empowerment.

Lines like: “To tell the truth / I’m just a fool / I keep falling for your lies,” capture the emotional conflict of a protagonist caught in a cycle of love and betrayal. The titular refrain – “Heartbreak Hotel” – symbolizes a place of emotional chaos, where the protagonist checks in repeatedly, unable to escape the destructive pull of unrequited love.

 

“Heartbreak Hotel” marks a new sonic chapter for Money Badoo, who expertly blends nostalgia with fresh contemporary energy, pushing her musical boundaries while staying true to her storytelling roots. In addition to the release of “Heartbreak Hotel,” Money Badoo premiered the music video for her recent hit single “WAKE UP” on January 17th, 2025, exclusively on Trace TV. The explosive visuals release helped amplify the success of the track, which had already garnered significant traction on digital streaming platforms and playlists. Since its release, the video has accumulated over 30,000 streams on YouTube.

 

Short and directed by No.Ordinary.Human in Braamfontein, the vibrant heart of Johannesburg, the music video for “WAKE UP” promises to be a reflection of Money Badoo’s creative vision, blending bold visuals with her unique narrative style. Directed to capture the raw energy and determination behind the track, this music video is sure to further solidify Money Badoo as a multi-dimensional artist who seamlessly blends music, fashion, and storytelling.

Money Badoo’s forthcoming album M$RYLUV$CMPNY is set to be one of 2025’s most anticipated releases. The 12-track project showcases a powerful evolution of Money Badoo’s artistry, blending her trademark emotive storytelling with cutting-edge production and an ever-expanding creative vision.

In addition to these monumental releases, Money Badoo is preparing to take her music to the stage. Following the release of M$RYLUV$CMPNY, she will embark on a highly anticipated tour, bringing her electrifying live performances to fans in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The M$RYLUV$CMPNY tour will showcase the evolution of her artistry, taking South African audiences on a journey through her emotional and musical growth. Developed in collaboration with the Bad Weather team, renowned for their work on major South African events like RAGE Festival, this tour promises to set new standards for live performances in the country.

With the release of “Heartbreak Hotel”, the “Wake Up” music video, and M$RYLUV$CMPNY, Money Badoo is redefining the soundscape of contemporary music. Her fearless exploration of love, heartbreak, and empowerment is set to make a lasting mark on the global music scene. As she continues to evolve, Money Badoo is not just an artist but a cultural force poised to change the game in 2025 and beyond.

Stay tuned for the release of “Heartbreak Hotel” on January 24th, the “Wake Up” music video on January 17th, and the arrival of M$RYLUV$CMPNY on March 7th, 2025.

The post Money Badoo Sets the Stage for 2025 with the Release of “Heartbreak Hotel” appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

After achieving massive milestones with his music and the success of his album, P2: The Big Hearted Bad Guy; A-Reece began touring South Africa with Reece-Effect last year and will see its culmination for this national phase, on Saturday featuring the best of SA Hip Hop and entertainment.

 

Keeping with Reece Effect; A-Reece together with Revenge Club Records, have carefully curated a line-up that is set to bring Pretoria to a standstill – giving fans an extraordinary daytime experience filled with pop-up stores; great live music; and a range of exciting activities to spend the day at Reece Effect. Hosted by Moozlie, the Reece Effect at Botanical Gardens will see Sjava, Lady Du, Jay Jody, Leodaleo, Kaydence, ROIII, 25k, Loatinoverpounds, NotBenjamin, Venom, Uncle Vinny, Nadia Nakai, Maraza, Herc Cut The Lights, Slim Dumpie, Scumie, Kiddo CSA, MoneyBadoo, Rarri, DJ Nix, XXC Legacy, Reece Madlisa, K Keed and The Qwellers all take on the stage in Pretoria. 

The Reece Effect in Pretoria takes place this Saturday, 30 March 2024 at Botanical Gardens. Tickets are available for purchase starting at R180 each from Webtickets, be sure to get yours today to celebrate A-Reece’s Birthday!

Doors open at 12 PM – so come early for a day of SA Hip Hop!

The post A-Reece is bringing Reece Effect to his home city Pretoria appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Written by: Boitumelo Molamu, Images: courtesy of MAMAKASHAKA

Feature image: courtesy of @gee_msft 

Feel Good Series and Pantone Sundays, events curated by the company MAMAKASHAKA, have become staples on the Joburg party scene. And now they are expanding to Cape Town. Feel Good Series launched in Joburg in 2017 as a live performance event with the ideology of shining the light on up-and-coming and alternative musicians. Feel Good Series has hosted artists such as MoneyBadoo (Left), Muzi and Ricky Tyler (Middle).

A year later, MAMAKASHAKA introduced another in-house event called Pantone Sundays, a colour-themed fashion event. Intending to celebrate contemporary African fashion and style, Pantone Sundays has not only hosted some of the most stylish people in the country but has also opened events where local brands can pop in and also occasionally collaborate with them.

We caught up with Nandi Dlepu, the founder of MAMAKASHAKA, to chat about these events and the business she’s grown over the past six years.

“I LOVE MUSIC MORE THAN JUST THE CONSUMPTION OF IT, AND I WANTED A WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO IT”

How would you introduce yourself to someone who has never met you?

First, hiii! (laughs). I’m Nandi, I’m an entrepreneur and a mother, the business owner of MAMAKASHAKA. I usually just introduce myself using those two nouns, simply because a lot of my life’s energy is split between those two, trying to be the best parent and the best in my business.

MAMAKASHAKA is responsible for some of the best events in Joburg. Tell us how MAMAKASHAKA came about and what exactly it is.

Funnily enough, MAMAKASHAKA, started as a nickname I got in high school, I was going through a Black Consciousness phase at the time, and my friends would tease me and call me ‘Mama ka Shaka’ (Shaka’s mother).Before starting the business, I used to run an event called The Weekend Social with five other women, while we all had our nine-to-fives. Ever since we curated the first one, I was bitten by the eventing bug. I always felt fulfilled by the events we’d host, and although I loved my job at the time, the fulfilment was not the same. I then started MAKASHAKA.

For the last six years, we’ve operated as a studio that runs in two parts, one being our brands such as Feel Good Series, Pantone Sundays and Bloom, and the other being our agency, which is more client service.

The events you just mentioned – Feel Good Series, Pantone Sundays and Bloom – are some of the best out there. How did they all come about?

When I was deciding the “why” of the business, I wanted to inspire, empower and entertain. I was also very specific about “where”, which was arts, culture and lifestyle. They are our brands, so they are all based on personal interests and passions.

For starters, I love fashion, and I’m very passionate about the fashion industry and seeing it grow – that’s where Pantone Sundays started. It’s a colour-themed fashion event, and as much as it is fun to dress in all the colour themes, it’s also a space where we celebrate and showcase local brands; we even collaborate and have them pop up at the events, furthermore introducing them to our community.

Then we have the Feel Good Series; you need to understand, I love music more than just the consumption of it, and I wanted a way to contribute to it. I thought long and hard about it and figured all over the world there are always platforms for the big artists but not enough for those coming up. I wanted to create that platform for the up-and-coming, and I also wanted it to force me to search for those artists. Lastly, you have Bloom, which is our oldest platform. This is our platform, created by creative women for creative women, and the intention is to empower and nurture one another. It was a platform that was meant to feed and  celebrate a creative woman.

I think it’s safe to say that your brands have contributed immensely to attracting some of your clients, such as Archive, Shelflife and Nike. Besides your work speaking for itself, how have you also been able to build and nurture relationships with those clients?

We’ve built the business by believing in ourselves and the work we put out. Our work does speak for itself because we’ve had clients say, “Could you do something similar to Pantone Sundays?” Clients usually do reference from our events, and how we usually keep those relationships is by putting out what they expect and beyond; trust also makes those relationships, and this also applies to the brands we work with for our brands.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending one of your events, and I can distinctly remember the feeling of creativity, safety, fun and care evident throughout the event. Is that intentional?

Very much! What people usually don’t pay attention to or perhaps miss is everyone and everything else involved, from the security to the well-staffed bar to the project manager. I never want the success of the event to be based on whether people see me or not, because there is a whole team behind this.

With about six years of you doing events, from pre- COVID days, during and post-COVID, what have you learnt so far, and what do you think might be the next era of events?

I learnt that you’ve got to start with “why” in marketing, and it might sound clichéd, but because all our properties have a strong why, when COVID started, we didn’t pack it up but asked ourselves how we could communicate our why beyond gathering in person.

Then, if we are going to talk about the future, I think we are going to be more innovative. We are going to have to consider the relationships between different things, to create more integrated and immersive experiences; just having someone perform is going to get vanilla at some point. We need to look at the things available and see how we can make it work.

The post Nandi Dlepu on running some of Joburg’s freshest events appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Following the successful Cape Town edition, the highly anticipated Cotton Fest returns to Johannesburg next month, and today confirmed this years’ line-up.

Taking place in the inner city on Saturday, the 4th of February, the festival will once again merge both established and young emerging local talents performing live across three energy packed stages.

CHECK OUT: Cotton Fest University’s UFC Sports club is putting young artists on

Founded to showcase the diversities in various popular music genres with the aim of fusing the gaps within the different local movements, the event platform also celebrates fashion and sport.

The almost sold out urban music and fashion explosion will this year feature over 160 of South Africa’s finest young musical talent including:

• A REECE
• ABIDOZA
• AMAROTO
• ANATII
• ANELE ZONDO
• ASVNTE
• AUDIOMARC
• AUTHENTIC
• BEAST
• BELO SALO
• BENNY CHILL
• BIG ZULU
• BLAQ DIAMOND
• BLEACHRS
• BLXCKIE
• BOIBIZZA
• BRAVO LE ROUX
• BUZZI LEE
• CANDII
• CASEKLOWZED
• CASSPER NYOVEST
• CHAMPURU MAKHENZO
• COSTA TITCH
• CYE
• DA CAPO
• DBN GOGO
• DEE KOALA
• DISTRUCTION BOYZ
• DJ BANQUES
• DJ HARVEY
• DJ KAYMOWORLD
• DJ KYOTIC
• DJ MAPHORISA
• DJ MEECH
• DJ PH
• DJ SLIQE
• DJ YUNGSERUNO
• DON DELICIOUS
• DOOWAP
• DR PEPPA
• EDDIESOUL
• ELAINE
• EMTEE
• ESPIQUET
• FELO LE TEE
• FIF_LAAA
• FLOW JONES Jr
• FLVME
• FRANK CASINO
• FRESH TY
• GABA CANNAL
• GGOLDIE
• GOODGUYSTYLES
• HENNYBELIT
• HERCCUTTHELIGHTS
• HOLY ALPHA
• HOPEMASTA
• HORRIDTHEMESSIAH
• HYPE
• JÄGERMEISTER BRASS CARTEL
• JAY JODY
• JAY KATANA
• K KEED
• K.O
• K1LLBRADY
• KASH CPT
• KAYGEE THE VIBE
• KEVI KEV
• KIDDO SA
• KINDLYNXSH
• KING DEETOY
• KING KY
• KING OUMAR
• KMAT
• LASH T
• LE SOUL
• LEBZA THE VILLIAN
• LEEZY LINDOKUHLE
• LEGENDARY CRISP
• LEODALEO
• LESEDITHEDJ
• LIL NOSEBLEED
• LOKI
• LOOKATUPS
• LORD SCRIPT
• LUCASRAPS
• LULA ODIBA
• LUUDADEEJAY
• LVEE
• MAGLERA DOE BOY
• MAJOR STEEZ
• MAS MUSIQ
• MASHBEATZ
• MASHUDU
• MAWHOO
• MDU AKA TRP + SEMI TEE + MALEMON
• MELLOW & SLEAZY
• MONEYBADOO
• MOOZLIE
• MÖRDO
• MS COSMO
• MUSA KEYS
• MUSTBEDUBZ
• NADIA NAKAI
• NASTY C
• NOTBENJAMIN
• NVCHO
• OKMALUMKOOLKAT
• OSCAR MBO
• PATRICKXXLEE
• PHANTOM STEEZE
• PRIDDY UGLY
• PSL (FOCALISTIC, CH’CCO, MJ, PABI COOPER)
• RARRI
• REA DA SOUL
• ROBOT BOII
• ROII
• SAM DEEP
• SANDISO + INFINIX
• SCUMIE
• SHANE EAGLE
• SHISHILIZA
• SHOULDBEYUANG
• SINO MSOLO
• SIZWE ALAKINE
• SJAVA
• SKOLLEYWOOD
• SLADE
• SOA MATTRIX
• SONA
• SOUL JAM
• SOULPHOBIC
• SHISHILIZA
• STILO MAGOLIDE
• STINO LE THWENNY
• STOMPIE
• STOPPER
• TAURA MONTANA
• TBO
• TDK MACCASSETE
• TEDDY GOODFELLA
• THATO SAUL
• TOSS
• TOUCHLINE
• TRUSTED SLK
• TSHEGO
• TWO SHORT
• TYLER ICU
• TYSON SYBATELI
• UNCLE VINNY
• UNCLE WAFFLES
• UNCLEPARTYTIME
• UNCOOL MC
• VENOM
• WILLY CARDIAC
• YOUNG STUNNA
• YOUNGSTACPT
• YUMBS
• YUNGKIDREEZY
• ZADOK
• 031 CHOPPA
• 25K
• 2SHOES
• 2WOSHORT
• 808SALLIE

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Money Badoo has finally released her debut album titled PORN$TAR. The album opens with an intro by Money’s homie Maglera Doe Boy. Lordkez makes an appearance on “g2g”, a song about letting go. Money connects with Ricky Tyler on the album’s lead single “47K$”, which was released in December last year, a month after Money Badoo became a HYPE cover star.

Don’t let the title mislead you, though, PORN$TAR isn’t just about sex as, in most of the songs, Money Badoo and her collaborators — including Yanga Chief and Sliqe in addition to the aforementioned — address existential life issues such as heartbreak, hustling (“100 DAYS”) and believing in oneself (“Gone Girl”) over music she created with a list of producers including NotBenjamin, Mars Baby, Kimish and Sliqe among a few others.

PORN$TAR is a fun listen that will ensure that you know the rapper and singer better when the album finishes. At 10 tracks long, PORN$TAR is punchy and comes with no wasted moments, and is free of tautology as can be the case with some albums (no names mentioned). Listen with caution, though, this album has the ability to unleash your inner baddie.

Stream PORN$TAR by Money Badoo on Apple Music and Spotify.

The post Money Badoo’s debut album ‘PORN$TAR’ isn’t just about sex appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

So, this other time I was thinking about life in general which the inspired thoughts about belief and how much of it I have for myself because you have to be your biggest fan in a word that tends to test us all… How much do you believe in yourself? That’s a question you should ask yourself at least once in your life and if the answer is “not that much” that I urge you to self-introspect and get that self-trust up there. With that poorly said [laughs], here we are with our new and 13^th issue that finds music and culture trailblazer, Money Badoo, gracing our final 2021 cover. This issue finds us conversating with the artist that eventually leads to discussions about her journey, thoughts on the game and upcoming debut album in a cover story I’ve titled “Money Badoo – Stepping into her power” because sh*t is about to get real…

IN THIS ISSUE

Bigger Than Hip Hop | Issue 13

The post New #HYPExMoneyBadoo Issue Is out! appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

This project is an introduction of himself as well as the brand of hip-hop he’s come to love over the years. It was a labour of love, but more than that a work created with the hope of triumph.

Listen Below:

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