Music Pulse might be exactly what SA music needed

The South African music industry has, in recent years, struggled with a lack of structured platforms for artist development, credible critique and cultural accountability. Then a lifesaver in the form of Music Pulse emerged.

This may be a controversial take, but if we assess the situation objectively, the majority will likely agree that there is a solid point here. For now, let us shift focus away from the villain that everybody loves to hate that being Podcast and Chill with Mac G and onto the much-needed addition it has introduced on its network, the Music Pulse podcast.

Its panel is made up of Nhlamulo ‘Nota’ Baloyi, Sfiso ‘Mafitsotso’ Ndlovu, Khanyi Mars, and Maesela ‘Thakgi’ Ledwa. This is a carefully balanced mix of two seasoned music executives, an A-grade interviewer and a qualified journalist. It is difficult to think of a more well-rounded panel to not only comment on the South African music industry, but also facilitate meaningful conversations that push both artists and behind-the-scenes professionals to perform at the level consumers expect.

In Nota and Mafitsotso, we have individuals with decades of experience in the industry. While both have had their share of controversies, they now sit in a position to offer constructive criticism and insight. Their presence also creates an opportunity for knowledge exchange within the panel itself. This strengthens the overall quality of discourse, something the industry desperately needs.

Allow us to use South African Hip-Hop as a case study. We are living in a time where platforms such as such as Vuzu’s The Hustle (which produced stars such as Shane Eagle and Big Star Johnson), Sportscene’s Put Me On (which gave us Blxckie and LucasRaps), e.tv’s Shiz Niz (which helped us discover the likes of eMtee, A-Reece, Fifi Cooper, you name them). We can roll back the years even further when we were introduced to the late ProKid, ProVerb, Tumi, Skwatta Kamp, and Optical Illusion, via Yfm’s iconic Rap Activity Jam. We mentioned the latter for the sake of bringing groups, or the lack thereof these days, into the conversation – another problem.

A music channel such as MTV Base, which played a huge role in promoting the best the genre has to offer during its golden years, is now defunct. Now, with all the aforementioned highlighted, can someone at the back tell us, how can we properly develop our artists? Without all these, is there one rapper you can single out and honestly trust in possibly representing South Africa on international platforms such as Sway in the Morning in this day and age? Right, we do not think so as well.

Some may argue that social media is all an artist needs to thrive in this era. That perspective is worth challenging. Social media has democratised opinion, but not expertise, and in music, that distinction matters.

There is also simply too much noise for meaningful artistic development to consistently break through. In this context, Music Pulse begins to position itself as something more than just another podcast.

The numbers the show has generated with only three episodes could be seen as a reflection of the frustrations long felt by local music audiences. Introduced alongside several other shows on the same network, it is already outperforming most of them, trailing only behind the main show, Podcast and Chill with MacG.

If the industry were functioning optimally, would there be such urgency to engage with a platform built around critiquing and fixing it? It is a question worth considering.

Of course, not everyone will agree with the tone or the personalities involved. That discomfort is part of the conversation.

What is clear, however, is that Music Pulse is not just content. It is a correction. For the first time in a long time, the industry is being forced to listen to itself.

Music Pulse airs 3 PM every Tuesday on the Podcast and Chill Network YouTube channel.