
Mohalenyane Phakela
LOCAL rappers, OG S’Killz and Case Closed are set to perform at today’s joint Open Studio and Free State Arts Fusion’s Black Sunday festival for different forms of art.
The event is set for Topaz Lounge in the city of Bloemfontein in neighbouring South Africa.
The two local Hip Hop acts will share the stage with South African rappers, Nalzee, Nex, Thembile Thembile, GeezEus, El Fez, Grand Hooper, SgarBling, Beast, RhymeQuake, Abnormal Lehlanya, Mavellas Mreppa, BlaqZicco & Spandex and Coby Cyclone.
There will also be poetry performances by Jerry Molutsi, JahRose, Preacher, Tshiamo, Blaqchild, Alexandro, Q, IamLimit, Blessing, Flloyd, Thulo the Maverick, Thuthukani and June Autumn. DJs Mo, Mellow B and Dr Nova will hold it down behind the booth with crafts exhibitions from Leather Empire, Gratitude, Dead President and Modeas Projects.
Open Studio in Lesotho and Free State Art Fusion in South Africa are dedicated to providing platforms for artistic expression from different sectors.
Open Studio Creatives Director, Relebohile Manosa recently told Xpress People that their collaboration for today’s event would help boost the profiles of the artistes they worked with.
“We post videos and photos of the work we do here in Lesotho so the organisers of the Free State Arts Fusion saw what we do and contacted us to work together,” Manosa said.
“Our agreement is that they feature the artistes we work with during their open studio sessions and we will return the favour at our next show.
“It was an offer we could not turn down for it has always been our dream to see local artistes shine beyond the borders of Lesotho,” she said.
She also revealed that OG S’Killz and Case Closed held a session with Free State artistes yesterday to exchange ideas and explore the possibility of collaborating on tracks.
“Our main focus is to push for collaborative works between their artistes and ours to promote growth through exposure and learning from each other.
“We hope that the partnership will become a long-term project to exchange ideas which will help our initiatives grow even beyond our immediate vicinities,” she said.
Free State Arts Fusion representative, Tshepo “Nitro” Phamotse said that their relationship with Lesotho acts dated back to 2015.
“At our first event we had a young poet from Lesotho called Poetic Rhythmic Mcbeth. This was 2 years ago and from there we had Kt Sello, Nthare, Queen B, Thabo Son of the Soil Marebole.
“We actually follow other movements to be aware of activities around us. So we saw a social media clip of Open Studio and I commented on the video because what I saw there was amazing. Again Open Studio basically has the same fundamentals as we do, which is art.
“Furthermore, Sehlabaka is part of the organising team at Open Studio and he worked with us when we started the Art Fusion.
“Black Sunday is just a concept while Art Fusion is the movement and we have more variety in terms of our contribution to art.
“There is no way this is going to be a once off; we are building a long term relationship where we constantly come to grace art events that side of the border,” he said.