Mr Motswako has been in this game for years. From reopening the Base to bringing us the best in email entertainment he launches a new site Yeahbonet! Peep the interview.

Who is Mr Motswako, what does he do, where does he live, is he approachable in public?

MOTSWAKO IS JUST AN ORDINARY GUY… JUST LIKE YO MAMA…
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MOTSWAKO AND THE OTHER ORDINARY GUYS IS MAYBE THE FACT THAT HE’S BEEN INVOLVED IN ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES SINCE AS FAR BACK AS 1992.. SO TO ANSWER THE WHO PART, I’D SAY MOTSWAKO IS ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S FIRST HIPHOP ENTREPRENEURS. WHAT I DO INVOLVES A SHITLOAD OF STUFF… I’LL GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND
AAIGHT… 

IN 1992 MY BOY CHRIS AND I STARTED OUT SELLING LAMINATED HIPHOP KEYRINGS.. FROM THERE I MOVED ON TO THE DELAGETTO CLOTHING LINE – GARMENTS THAT I DESIGNED MYSELF AND HAD A CMT LADY SEW… WHICH SOLD WELL ON THE CAPE FLATS. 

IN 1994 I REOPENED THE BASE (THE LEGENDARY HIPHOP CLUB IN CAPE TOWN). THAT DID NOT LAST LONG DUE TO SOME FOOL HOSTING A RAP COMPETITION AND NOT GIVING EMCEES THEIR PRIZES. IN 1995 I WENT TO STUDY AT UNIVERSITY AND OPENED UP A SPAZA SHOP, THAT PAID FOR MY STUDIES AND “THE GOOD LIFE”… 

BY 1997 I MANAGED TO GET A CONTRACT FROM A NATIONAL NGO TO SELL THEM COMPUTERS AND TRAIN THEIR STAFF ON PC LITERACY… AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF SURFING PORN ON
THEIR COMPUTERS (I WAS INNOCENT.. A SETUP I TELL YOU) – I LOST THAT CONTRACT… BECAUSE OF MY FLEAMARKET CLOTHING RETAIL INVOLVEMENT I WAS CO-OPTED ONTO A TEAM OF CONSULTANTS WHO STRUCTURED (AND WON) THE TENDER FOR GREENMARKET SQUARE IN CAPE TOWN – ON BEHALF OF THE GUY WHO STILL HAS IT TODAY…

IN ’98 I GOT INVOLVED IN EVENT PROMOTIONS, PUT TOGETHER THE BIGGEST STREETBASHES GUGULETHU AND LANGA HAS EVER EXPERIENCED (WITH MY PARTNER AT THE TIME – MZURA). WE TOOK THE CLUB SCENE BY STORM. I ALSO GOT SERIOUS ABOUT SPINNING VINYL, WHICH I’VE BEEN DABBLING WITH PART-TIME SINCE 1994. I ALSO GOT INVOLVED IN ARTIST MANAGEMENT, CONSULTING FOR AD AGENCIES, NIGHTCLUB MARKETING AND RECRUITMENT FOR FACE OF AFRICA. 

I AM A CAPETONIAN, BORN AND BRED ON THE CAPE FLATS… BEEN LIVING IN PEACE UNTIL SOME FOOL DECIDED TO USE ME AS A TARGET FOR HIS GLOCK 17.. I THEN MOVED TO KENILWORTH AND THEN TO MOWBRAY… FROM THERE I RELOCATED TO DURBAN – AND I BEEN HERE EVER SINCE… NO I’M LYING.. I SPENT 3 MONTHS IN DURBAN IN 2000… BOUNCED BACK TO CAPE TOWN FOR 9 MONTHS… LAUNCHED AND HANDLED MARKETING FOR DAVID NYATHI’S CLUB – GIJIMA
– AND THE BOUNCED BACK TO DURBAN AFTER A NIGHTCLUB OWNERSHIP DEAL WENT SOUR
BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE MUTHAFUKKA THAT WAS FINANCING THE PROJECT. SO HERE I
AM IN GOOD OLD DURBAN… ENJOYING THE (12 MONTHS A YEAR) SUNSHINE..

I AM VERY APPROACHABLE… IN FACT I AM SO APPROACHABLE MY WIFE CALL ME “OPEN”…
WORD OF CAUTION – DON’T BE INTIMIDATED IF YOU RUN INTO ME AND I’M DRESSED IN A SUIT WITH A BIBLE IN MY HAND… IT’S STILL ME..

Congrats on launching this site, what’s the difference between Yeahbo.net and Urbantainment’s website?

WHAT URBANTAINMENT WEBSITE? OH THAT ONE… 
URBANTAINMENT WAS A PROJECT THAT HAD IT’S TIME… IT’S SEASON… BUT TO COME TO THE DIFFERENCE.. URBANTAINMENT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN AN ENTERTAINMENT UPDATE… ONE IN WHICH I WAS VERY.. NO -EXTREMELY OUTSPOKEN AND WAS NOT AFRAID TO CALL A SPADE A SPADE… WE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO LAMPOON CERTAIN PEOPLE OR INSTITUTIONS… AND EVEN CORPORATES.. (GOT A CALL FROM LINDELANI MKHIZE ONCE QUESTIONING STUFF HE HAD NO IDEA HAPPENS IN HIS COMPANY) SOMETIMES I EVEN HAD TO SWALLOW MY SHIT… LIKE THIS ONE TIME A WELL KNOWN CAT ON THE HIPHOP CIRCUIT (CURRENTLY A MEMBER OF MOODPHASE5) SAID SOME NASTY SH!T ABOUT WHITE PEOPLE IN A PRIVATE EMAIL TO ANOTHER WELL KNOWN
HIPHOP DEEJAY… I GOT HOLD OF THAT EMAIL AND BLURTED THAT SHIT ALL OVER THE
ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY VIA URBANTAINMENT… THIS BRU TURNS AROUND AND ASKS ME TO PLEASE RETRACT THAT SHIT… AND OUT OF A SPIRIT OF BROTHERHOOD I TOOK A MAJOR FALL FOR HIS TONGUE.. (THAT LADY AT BRANDWORX IN OBSERVATORY STILL HATE ME FOR THAT SHIT)… 

THAT WAS URBANTAINMENT FOR YOU… LOADS OF FUN TOO… YEAHBO ON THE OTHER HAND IS A MEDIA PLATFORM THAT AIMS TO GIVE A VOICE TO “URBAN CULTURE”… (WASN’T THAT ELOQUENTLY SAID?) THERE’S A LOTTA BULLSHITTING BUZZWORDS OUT THERE TODAY… LIKE
“URBAN”, “STREETSOUL” AND “CONTEMPORARY” – AND ALL THERE IS TO THAT IS BULLSHIT… UNFORTUNATELY THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE AND THE MINDS OF YOUNG CONSUMERS NECESSITATE THAT WE FLOW ALONG WITH ALL THE BULLSHIT… AND PROFESS TO BE AN “URBAN CULTURE” PORTAL…

IN A NUTSHELL YEAHBO ONLINE IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN OUTLET OR PLATFORM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXPRESS… IN ADDITION TO BEING A REFLECTION OF THE EXPERIENCES AND LIFESTYLE OF YOUNG SOUTH AFRICA – ONLINE. OF COURSE WE WILL BE USING BUZZWORDS EVERY NOW AND THEN… BUT THE AIM IS TO REALLY KEEP IT REAL… AND NOT REPORT ON WHAT THEMBI SEETE (OR IS THAT LORCIA COOPER) AND TSEPHO MABONA IS DOING.. AND RATHER FOCUS ON THE CAT IN CARLTON CENTRE SPITTING FLAMES IN THE CIPHER… (WE WILL BE REPORTING O CELEBRITIES THOUGH… BUT THAT’S NOT OUR FOCUS).

Why leave the Urbantainment website format?

IF YOU STUDY MARKETING YOU’LL LEARN THAT EVERYTHING GO THRU STAGES… O ISTHAT PHASES… URBANTAINMENT HAS REACHED MATURITY AND BEYOND… THE URBANTAINMENT BRAND CANNOT REINVENT ITSELF… IN OTHER WORDS IT HAD IT’S TIME TO SHINE…
IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE FORMALISED MY SHIT… REGISTERED A BUSINESS… GOT AN ACCOUNTANT… A LEGAL TEAM.. ALL THAT… AND I JUST HAD TO DO IT GOOD AND PROPER IF I WENT BACK ON THE NET… 

In terms of design and navigation where did you draw your ideas from?

WHAT IDEAS? I DON’T DRAW ANY IDEAS FROM ANYWHERE. I COPY SHIT…

YEAHBO ONLINE’S LAYOUT CAN BE FOUND ON THOUSANDS OF WEBSITES… NAVIGATION TOO IS NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT…I AM NOT A STRONG BELIEVER IN FANCY… IN FACT MY MOTTO IS “NOT FANCY – FUNCTIONAL”… PEOPLE WILL COME TO THE SITE FOR INFORMATION, NOT TO SEE GADGETS FLY ACROSS THE SCREEN AND FLASH INTROS THAT TAKE EONS TO LOAD
AND ANOTHER FEW CENTURIES TO DISPLAY… MY DESIGN AND NAVIGATION IS DRIVEN BY GIVING PEOPLE THE INFORMATION THEY WANT – WHEN THEY WANT IT. A LESSON TO CATS WHO WANNA LAUNCH THEIR OWN SITES: “DON’T MAKE PEOPLE WAIT.. ‘CAUSE THEY WON’T”

What else will you be adding to the site in the next couple of weeks/months/years?

I GOT A CAPETONIAN RASTA PROGRAMMER CAT WORKING ON “IGUBU” – THE YEAHBO MESSAGE BOARD – AS WE SPEAK… WE’RE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING BULK SMS FUNCTIONALITY, A PHOTO GALLERY, INTERACTIVE EVENTS, A SHOUTOUT LINE…

THERE’S A GOOD FEW THINGS THAT WE WON’T MENTION JUST YET….I DON;T WANNA GO OUT LIKE R&B SINGER TK AND OTHERS RUNNING THEIR MOUTHS ABOUT DOING THIS AND GOING HERE & THERE…. THEN NOTHING HAPPENS… BUT… THE END RESULT WILL BE THE TIGHTEST URBAN (THAT BUZZWORD AGAIN) COMMUNITY IN SOUTH AFRICAN CYBERSPACE

What are your thoughts on the current state of the south african urban web?

THE WEB HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SHIZNIZIT… 
YOUNG SOUTH AFRICA IS ONLY LAPPING UP TECHNOLOGY AS PART OF THE URBAN LIFESTYLE NOW… LOOK AT HOW MANY PEOPS KNEW ABOUT AFRICASGATEWAY WHEN YOU WERE WITH
PROHOSTING… AND HOW BUSY THE SITE IS THESE DAYS…

THEN…
WE DON’T HAVE A LOT OF “URBAN” (FUCK) CONTENT PROVIDERS IN SOUTH AFRICAN CYBERSPACE… AND THAT’S PROBABLY THE ONLY THING WE’RE LACKING… CATS ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PUTTING UP A FANCY SITE… NICE GRAPHICS… FLASH ANIMATIONS ALL UP IN YOUR FACE… YOU COME BACK 6 MONTHS LATER AND THAT SHIT IS STILL THERE…
LIKE (I HATE DOING THIS) ON THE RAGE WEBSITE… THERE’S A LINK ABOUT VINNY AND CHRISTOS DOING GOSPEL… CLICK ON THE LINK AND YOU FACE ABSOLUTE NOTHINGNESS… CLICK ON THE EDITORIAL LINK AND THERE’S SOME VERBAL REGURGITATION MARIA HOOKED UP IN HER HURRY TO GO ON HOLIDAY… YET THE SITE IS UP TO DATE ON SHIT ABOUT MZEKEZEKE… 101 POPSTARS AND AL THAT OTHER SHIT WE ALSO READ ABOUT IN WICKED WHISPERS.

How often will the site be updated?

I DOUBT THERE WILL BE A SET FREQUENCY … INFORMATION DOESN’T BECOME AVAILABLE IN INTERVALS OR SEQUENTIALLY… THINGS DON’T HAPPEN ON FRIDAYS ONLY… SO WHY SHOULD WE UPDATE WEEKLY… MONTHLY… BIWEEKLY… THIS IS YEAHBO ONLINE. NOT THE SUNDAY TIMES.

What is the purpose of the site?

TO REFLECT. TO INFORM. TO ENTERTAIN. TO EDUCATE. TO ADVERTISE. TO PROMOTE. TO COMMUNICATE. TO SERVE AS A MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. TO BE A MOUTHPIECE. TO LAMPOON. TO MAKE YOU LAUGH. TO EXPOSE. TO “BREAK ‘EM OFF SOME”. TO “BRING IT ON”… AND TO CLOCK DUCATS !!!!

Do you seek to make money with this site?

YES AND NO. 
NO – IN THE SENSE THAT EVEYTHING IN THE PREVIOUS QUESTION WILL NEED TO BE ACHIEVED BEFORE REVENUE IS GENERATED…

YES – IN THAT I AM A CAPITALIST. I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR. MY BUSINESS MODEL SEES ME MAKING MONEY IN A YEAR ONLY… BUT YES NO DOUBT… LIKE DR. DRE SAYS: “IF MONEY IS THE ROOT I WANT THE WHOLE DAMN TREE” MY GOOD FRIEND SHAMIEL “X” ADAMS ONCE TOLD ME THAT MAKING MONEY SHOULD BE A CONSEQUENCE OF DOING WHAT YOU LOVE DOING… HOW TRUE MAN… THIS HERE YEAHBO ONLINE IS EXACTLY THAT THING I LOVE DOING… 
THE FUNNY PART IS THAT WHEN SHAMIEL TOLD ME THAT HE WAS TRYING TO GET ME TO DESIGN A WEBSITE FOR GHETTO RUFF – FOR FREE…

What are your favourite foods and drinks?

I’M CRAZY ABOUT PASTA… YOU SHOULD SEE MY BLACK ASS NOW… I’M BIG LIKE HUMPTY HUMP’S NOSE… I’M JUST CHOWING PASTA LIKE IT’S GOING OUTTA FASHION… WITH MY WIFE BEING INDIAN I GET MY CHICKEN CURRY ON AS WELL… APART FROM THAT I DO ALL BRAN FLAKES ON A DAILY… RELIGIOUSLY… DRINKS… I USED TO LOVE SOLANTIS HEY…. DO THEY STILL SELL THAT
STUFF IN CLUBS?? NOWADAYS I’M ON H2O (NOT THE RAP GROUP – THE LIQUID) AND PINEAPPLE
FANTA – STRICTLY… OH YESS AND MILK – OVER MY ALL BRAN FLAKES

Who would you die to interview for the site?

HELL NO… I’M NOT DYING FOR ANY INTERVIEWS… BUT I KNOW WHAT U MEAN… 
DAMN THERE’S SO MANY… DR. DRE, MASTERS AT WORK, MADIBA, TIM MODISE, JOE SLOVO, RONNIE KASRILS, AFRIKA BAMBAATA, ATTIE VAN WYK AND MILKDADDY…

What is better for an industry and customer, alliance or competition?

BOTH….
ALLIANCES CREATES HOMOGENEITY/HOMOGENOUSNESS (IF THERE’S SUCH A WORD)…
COMPETITION CREATES DIVERSITY… DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ARE AND WHICH SIDE OF THE LINE YOU’RE ON… EITHER IS BETTER FOR ANY INDUSTRY… 

What other plans do you have in terms of your media ownership ventures?

IF I TELL YOU THAT… I’LL HAVE TO KILL YOU…BUT IN THE SHORT TERM… TWO MORE SITES ARE IN THE PIPELINE FOR 2003/2004…

What would have to happen for you to say “I finally made it”?

ALL 5 MY DAUGHTERS GRADUATING WITH AN MBA – FROM HARVARD… AND RUNNING THE TELEVISION NETWORK, GROUP OF RADIO STATIONS, RECORD COMPANY, PUBLISHING COMPANY, ADVERTISING AGENCIES AND FILM STUDIOS THEIR FATHER HAS CREATED

What experience do you want the people to have when they visit Yeahbo?

THEY MUST FEEL THEY BELONG. 

Yeahbo.net, the name, closely resembles Yebonet, is that intentional? If not how did the name come to you?

YEBONET NEVER CROSSED MY MIND WHEN I THOUGHT OF HOOKING UP YEAHBO ONLINE. I AM USING THE EXPRESSION “YEAHBO YESS” THOUGH “YEBO” IS A ZULU WORD THAT EPITOMISES POSITIVITY… AND I JUST CHANGED THE SPELLING…ALSO… YEAHBO IS EASY TO SPELL, EASY TO REMEMBER, EASY TO TYPE, AND INFRINGES ON NOBODY’S BRAND IMAGE…(READ THAT BOOK ON THE LAWS OF INTERNET BRANDING…)

What gives you inspiration?

PEOPLE… I SPEND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MY FREE TIME “PEOPLE-WATCHING”… 
AND THE CONCLUSIONS THAT I DRAW FROM THAT GETS TRANSLATED AND IMPLEMENT IN ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF BUSINESS I GET INVOLVED IN

What advice would you give to people who are thinking of setting up a website?

FIRSTLY I NEED TO SAY THAT I HAVE A STRONG FLAIR FOR MEDIA, MARKETING AND ENTERTAINMENT… THEREFORE EVERYTHING I DO WILL BE MEDIA, MARKETING OR ENTERTAINMENT-RELATED. 

DO SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU OVE DOING IT… FOR NO OTHER REASON!!!

THE FACT THAT YOU MIGHT SEE THE NAME MOTSWAKO ON A FLYER AS A DEEJAY.. IN A MAGAZINE AS A JOURNALIST, OR ON A WEBSITE MEANS THAT I LOVE DOING ALL THESE THINGS… I DON’T DO IT FOR MONEY… BECAUSE I MIGHT MAKE MONEY DOING SOMETHING DOESN’T MEAN YOU WILL TOO.. 

YOU WILL NEVER DO IT WITH THE SAME PASSION AND ZEAL AS ME… (IF YOU DO IT FOR MONEY)

Thanks Mr Motswako for talking to us, any last words?

TWO THINGS… 
GET YOUR MIND RIGHT… GET YOUR GRIND RIGHT (TAKEN FROM AN ICE CUBE SONG) – AND…
IN ALL YOUR GETTING… GET UNDERSTANDING

PEACE AND BLESSINGS

MOTSWAKO

To visit his site go to www.yeahbo.net and post your comment here and tell us what you think of it.  Peace

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