Vantage Vu Magazine Volume 57

VANTAGE VU

Y, VIBRATING ON A HIGH FREQUENCY

Y, South Africa’s trailblazing commercial radio station known for its commitment to showcasing emerging talent and pushing the boundaries of conventional broadcasting, is thrilled to announce its 2024 lineup, effective from today

With its bold moves in the last year, Y continues to maintain its success in the market seeing not just listenership increases but a remarkably positive brand perception

Reflecting on the journey thus far, Y’s MD Haseena Cassim stated, “Staying true to Y’s daring nature, we transformed the line-up last year and it sure paid off. The 2024/2025 lineup is an amplification of the station’s winning formula and this year we are adding the perfect new voices to our platforms.”

Kickstarting weekday mornings, Nia Brown, Mthaux and Okay Wasabi return with The Way Up from 05:00 to 09:00 Xtremme continues to entertain and empower listeners on Morning Break between 09:00 and 12:00 The Lunch League hosted by Lula Odiba and Caddy will remain dominating the 12:00 - 15:00 slot The station is excited to have Ayanda MVP remaining in the driver’s seat for the afternoon drive, weekdays 15:00-18:00 on Home Run Supta keeps listeners Unlocked Monday to Thursday from 19:00-22:00 and adds more dimension to the 8pm talk hour this year

Tulz Madala, who’s no stranger to the station takes the leading role on weekend breakfast, with Kickstart Café from 06:00 -10:00 on Saturdays and Sunday Feels from

06:00 -10:00 on Saturdays and Sunday Feels from 06:00 - 10:00 on Sundays He will also be hosting weekday pre-breakfast from 03:00 –05:00 Monday to Wednesday on Breaking Dawn

Joining the Y weekend lineup is TV presenter, model and now radio broadcaster Shamiso Mosaka with The Rizz on Saturday afternoons from 17:00 to 18:00 The Rizz is set to give listeners global music magic where “borders blur and music unites” says Y’s music curator, Codi Dinca

Y also welcomes innovator and events tastemaker, Cesare “Hype” Morey to the family Hype will be hosting Hype Factory on Friday evenings 21:00 – 00:00 showcasing the best of the global dance music scene

In addition, runner up of #BeTheNext Season 2, Sizwe Mngomezulu puts his name to the Saturday and Sunday 00:00 – 02:00 timeslot on The Wave. Listeners will be overjoyed to hear more of Majorsteez On The Streets as the culture show extends to two-hours on Thursday nights from 22:00 – 00:00.

The station bids farewell this year to OG Samke, who has been a valuable member of the Y family for a number of years. We wish OG Samke only the best in his future endeavors and trust that he will always be a part of the Y DNA

Y, staying true to its promise, continues to unearth new talent and provide broadcast opportunities to aspiring on-air personalities on the Playground slot Thursday and Friday mornings from 03:00-05:00 and Saturday and Sunday mornings from 02:00 – 06:00

The additions bring fresh energy to the station, enriching the listening experience for Y’s dedicated and new audiences

“Listeners can expect the line-up to deliver entertaining, thought provoking, engaging, experiential and actionable content that continues to match listeners’ needs and elevate their energy to a higher frequency” affirms Y’s Content Manager Phindi Ziqubu

In 2024 Y vibrates with the frequency that asks 'Y NOT?’

Listen to Y via streaming on the YFM App, yfmcoza, OpenView HD, DStv Channel 859 or on FM 992

Y 2024 / 2025 LINE UP (starts on 2 April)

22:00 – 00:00 On The Streets - Majorsteez

FRIDAY

MONDAY - WEDNESDAY

03:00–05:00 Breaking Dawn – Tulz Madala

MONDAY - FRIDAY

05:00-09:00 The Way Up – Nia Brown, Mthaux & Okay Wasabi

09:00-12:00 Morning Break - Xtremme

12:00-15:00 The Lunch League – Lula

Odiba & Caddy

15:00-18:00 Home Run - Ayanda MVP

18:00-19:00 YTKO

MONDAY – Legendary Crisp

TUESDAY – Just Mo & Dj Zan-D

WEDNESDAY – KMAT

THURSDAY – Venom

FRIDAY - Supta

MONDAY - THURSDAY

19:00-22:00 Unlocked – Supta

SUNDAY & MONDAY

22:00-00:00 Xtra Nights – Thabo X

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY

22:00 – 00:00 Nights Like This – Yvette Floss

19:00–21:00 The A-Class Experience – Supta

21:00–00:00 Hype Factory - Hype

SATURDAY

00:00-02:00 The Wave – Sizwe

Mngomezulu

06:00-10:00 Kickstart Café – Tulz Madala

10:00-14:00 The D-Spot – Dimpho

Mokgotho

14:00-17:00 Supreme Saturdays – Thabo X

17:00-18:00 The Rizz - Shamiso

18:00-20:00 All Girls On Deck – Dj Fae Fae

20:00–00:00 In The Ring - Just Mo & Dj

Zan-D

00:00-02:00 The Wave – Sizwe

Mngomezulu

SUNDAY

06:00-10:00 Sunday Feels – Tulz Madala

10:00–14:00 Sunday Feels – Dimpho

Mokgotho

14:00-18:00 The Global Experience – Just

Mo

18:00-22:00 Sundaze – Fif Laaa

Breaking Brazil

Wait, This Is Not A Spin Off Of Breaking Bad, This Is Break Dancing At It's Best.

I know my headline sounds more Netflix than Break Dancing, but I needed to grab your attention...

The Red Bull BC One break dancing competition has concluded in South Africa, and we have back-to-back champions in both the men's and women's categories... This is starting to feel like Formula 1, it is Red Bull after all.

Courtney Paul, thee ultimate B-Girl in Africa has once again taken the crown as the South African champion Last year she was coming from a serious injury that kept her out of the 2022 competition, but as the champion that she is, came back and dominated 2023 and represented South Africa in Paris and gave her all This year (2024, she continued her dominance in the local scene and has booked her spot in Brazil for later this year

Another person blowing up the break dance scene in SA is B-Boy Toufeeq who reigned as champion in 2023 and made it to the top 16 in Paris We saw him pull off some really daring stunts at the 2024 BC One SA finals, and his moment of "emergency" straight after the finals demonstrated how hard he went in and how badly he wanted the win

With Brazil set in stone for Courtney and Toufeeq, it is now up to them to fly the flag high once again. Having to represent a country that has had an amazing 12 months on the international scene might come in as motivation, from winning the rugby world cup, to reaching the semi finals in the cricket world cup and Afcon, to fighting for justice in international courts, and literally creating dance challenges that have taken the social platforms by storm, there is no better time to be South African than right now, and Brazil is about to get some Mzansi flavour

An Uncomfortable Truth Is The Real Truth With Yamoria Sunsets And Converse.

We currently live in a society that does not handle the truth quite well, and it is not because the truth is wrong to tell, but because society has become so complex to a point where a room filled with 5 people does not necessarily mean there are only 5 opinions in the room, but more, yes that might not make sense now, but let's talk through it

Poetry has a way of making the uncomfortable truth more acceptable, and this is what Yamoria Sunsets brought to the Joburg Theater on the Sunday of 24 April 2024

From beautiful sounds and melodies that take you on a journey without many words being said, but curated and harmonized so deliberately to make you think about that what is happening inside you

There is something deeply emotional about a dark room echoing with harmonies of something you have never heard before, but it feels so familiar that it brings you close to tears because whether you believe it or not, that is and has always been the sound of your life merely from circumstances of the generations that came before you.

It is nothing new to listen to women speak about their pain and their struggles, that has become the identity of our nation in many ways because we are that nation known for killing it's women. Usually there is some guy, granted he does not hit or kill women, and he tries to speak up for others like him, only to be labeled a sympathizer for all the bad, and that always muddies the waters and puts the breaks on any progress we could be making in that conversation It is never just a time where just sit and listen and accept that this is happening, and yes some of us might not be part of the people doing it, but we need to take stock and try to help the people in pain figure out how the pain can be stopped without trying to clean our own image first because the truth is that our own are the ones hurting people, and as much we may want to distance ourselves from them, we may be the only ones who can stop them

The trivialization of the black male experience in South Africa has because the biggest painful joke that the men themselves end up laughing at themselves while crying and dying inside Listening to a woman say to you "you look like you give great broke n***a sex" is not a compliment, but a profiling because we live in this world that has labeled a man as a person with money, which is why when these words echoed on stage, I didn't hear them, but felt them "we have mastered the art of disappearing as a form of black boy magic it is the art of concealing demons Black boy magic means his wand is big, and might his only trick to keep you around What if he fails though, because other men have land, other men have oil, black men have d*cks "

Understanding how deep those words go might the beginning of a fruitful conversation that believe it or has a huge impact in the pain the women live with. Yamoria Sunsets simply connected the dots that are the sources of pain in both worlds. How these dots connect are simple matters of expression from both sides, and this is not a justification of anything, but a point of observation from this intense session.

Women have a great power in their words and bodies A woman has the power to drive a man to his death through words alone by making him feels worthless and less of a man, because women know a man's weakness, and they know where to hit with their words to completely destroy a man, and I will not even go any deeper with their bodies On the other side, no matter how mentally strong man is, by birth and is physical, and that is why so many women are in pain and are dying, because those men are reacting to certain things and takes things too far, and yes it not a woman's fault when a man hits her or kills her because as much as we are physical beings as men, we need to practice the art of disappearing more before things become physical

For an iconic brand like Converse to puts it's name, brand and reputation behind such a heavy conversation shows a human side of the brand that many brands fail to show The involvement of such a brand shows that business is not run by robots, but by people with emotions, people who deal with human problems and difficulties like all of us do. Just like the MC said, when we grew up, we knew Converse as a shoe for thugs, and I did mention this in one of my articles in 2023 when I was telling stories of receiving my first pair Converse All-Stars. With year and the growth of the brand, it has shown us how it become one of the most iconic and most fashionable brands not only in South Africa, but all over the world You can then interprete Converse's involvement in the Yamoria Sunsets show a sign of hope, because if we were able to be changed from thinking this a brand producing shows for thugs and now celebrate it as one of the most stylish brands in the world; with enough conversations, interventions and understanding, South Africa can be a safe place for women again, and men might feel real love again

This has been my opinion on what Yamoria Sunsets presented to me as a South African man

The

Colourful Rebel Child Of The Johnnie Walker Family Is Blonde.

Getting a drink right is one of the most important, yet underrated things we see The right balance between your whiskey and ice (the rocks for the fancy people) determines how long you will have that drink in your hand, and at what stages or intervals your drink will release those different notes and aromas that make the drink what it truly is.

It is a totally different game when you add water to your drink because unlike the ice process, you release all the notes and aromas at once, and also determine how long and how you will enjoy that drink... Then siyadesha, a process mostly hated by true whiskey lovers (I'm not saying we are fake), adding a mixer to your whiskey is a world of its own because everyone has their own taste of a mixer they feel elevates the whiskey, and that argument has the potential of starting world war 5

Johnnie Walker, as one of the premium whiskey brands in the world have been known for staying true to their blends for decades, and yes from time to time they play on the wild side and introduce something new, and the last time they threw a curve ball at us was during the Game of Thrones era where they introduced House of Ice and House of Fire bottles, and obviously I was in the House of Ice with their white snowy bottle because since day 1 I was House Stark all the way, because just like Jon Snow, I know nothing sometimes Game of Thrones lovers know what I mean

Not calling this a curve ball, but Johnnie Walker has introduced a new rebel child to the family, and colourfully bright, the Blonde is definitely a stand out.

If you followed a brand like I have followed Johnnie Walker, you will understand that every bottle that Johnnie Walker puts out is intentional in how it feels and tastes, and you know that when you buy a bottle of Johnnie Walker you are buying an experience. You know how we pour one for the fallen on the ground everytime we open a bottle we purchased, with Johnnie Walker you tend to ask first if the fallen are really thirsty, or maybe you take that one on their behalf Now the Blonde made me

say "are you sure I can't taste the whole bottle before you mix me a drink"

23 April 2024 saw Johnnie Walker brighten up Monte casino, and bring their rebel child "Johnnie Walker Blonde "to life, which by the way is only available in South Africa... Because we are that awesome in South Ah.

Now let's talk about my experience of the drink...

At this point, almost every mobile bar company that caters brand events know that I'm the whiskey and lemonade guy. I got to the bar, and one of the usual and awesome bar ladies says "before you ask for your usual, you must taste it on its own first" Hey I love my drinks, I first had a bit a bit of a swirl of the glass just to activate those aromas and notes, and it came across as a fruity blend, then took my first sip and allowed myself to get lost in the moment for a few seconds Yes it came across as fruity, but the best thing about it is the fact that it is soft, gentle and easy on the pallet It is one of those drinks that can get you lost in it without much realization of how much you are enjoying it

When mixing it, I found that for me to still enjoying that smooth taste is the whiskey, I had to tone down the lemonade just a little, making the glass look a bit less filled, but giving you that golden colour of the spirit for those who love a great picture or two

Now does the Blonde, the rebel child fit in the Johnnie Walker family? Most definitely, because it tastes gentle and smooth enough to attract the non-whiskey drinker, bright and lovely enough to attract your lovers of life and everything beautiful. It is priced well enough to be a bridge between the budget Community and the spending Community; yes, the Blonde is also an experience of its own!

The Lights Have Gone Out On Big Brother Mzansi Season 4

Usually you would hear people saying "ah another season of big brother, eish let's see what will happen", but season 4 of Big Brother Mzansi brought in more reality than game to our screens.

It was just a game till a certain conversation about possible rape came up, and there was an uproar online, and a contestant by the name Bravo B was kicked out of the house Bad Bravo, you can't be having the cookie without permission, that is an everyday lesson for us all men

Before I even go any further, I will tell you now that the Big Brother House has so many emotions running all over the place, I don't think the emotions themselves knew what they were feeling and going

through in that house, and the communication is kinda terrible because wow, some were waiting for boyfriends to leave the house, while the alleged boyfriends still wanted to have some conversations, but let's move on

While everyone was still proud of the Big Brother Mzansi producers for dealing with a potential rape swiftly, yey someone started spitting on people and some slaps flew (allegedly), and a certain Liema was not kicked out of the house for being a spitter, even though the laws of the country call that an assault, and people screamed "double standards", Big Brother wasn't having it, basically saying the Big Brother House is its own world with its own rules, long story short, Liema left the house with over R200 000.

Then we saw a bit of a bizzar celebration as Pale celebrated her own elimination from the house, and in my conversation with her she highlighted that the house had become too much for her and she just wanted to be back with her family and get back to her life, which goes to show how brutal that house can be if someone is happy to walk away from R2 Million

As a Zulu man, it wouldn't be surprising if I said I want isthembu (polygamy for you English speaking mot ), but I would actually have to be married to even think about that Okay before I get carried away, this is not about me In the Big Brother Mzansi House there was a gentleman who had himself three ladies who claimed his heart, even though when he left the house he tweaked the story a bit, but he still remains a legend to many of us who are shimile (go ask your Zulu friend)

The interesting part about this polygamous situation is the fact that one of the three ladies said in our conversation that their relationship wasn't really official because she was looking out for her own heart and happiness, while the big man said he friend zoned her, he just didn't tell her, and then he had more feelings for Miss R200k so that is why wife number two said he should focus on Miss R200k.... Yoh Jareed your drama bro!

You would swear that whoever said (o tla otlwa ka Le tlalo) knew exactly that Big Brother Mzansi Season 4 was coming.... Oh and "exotic" language there is Sotho meaning (you will feel it on your skin), it talks to stubborn people or people who don't learn from lessons After Bravo B was booted out of the house Yolanda with literally the entire

country backing her, she goes and tells a man she will molest him This brings up a sort of controversial question that we generally ask, but it never gets taken serious Are women so comfortable in saying whatever they want and doing whatever they want because they know they don't really have to take any accountability for it and people will be easy on them just because they are women?... But that's a debate for another day.... Long story short, she wasn't as lucky as the spit master, she got booted out of the house.

Guys, Lerato was waiting for Papa Ghost to come home with the R2 Million... Are they dating? Don't ask me please

Now, like only South Ah knows how to throw a party, Big Brother Mzansi Season 4 threw a Finale Party at Altitude Beach in Fourways, Johannesburg Literally one of the hottest party spots in the entire country Captain Morgan made sure that those tables looked alive

This final Sunday had a lot of people throwing their support behind Makhekhe to win season 4 of Big Brother Mzansi, well vocally that is One of the housemates said when I asked who does he want to win, "Makhekhe should win if he makes it to the final, and I don't want McJunior to win because he is two faced, he paints the picture of an introvert when cameras are around, bit he is simply a mean person", don't ask me who said that; but as we saw, McJunior ended up the Big Brother Mzansi Season 4 winner

What we can take away from this season is the fact that as South Africans we know the law and what is right from wrong, when we want to. And the incidents that occured in the Big Brother Mzansi House showed us who is ready to stand for what is right and what is wrong, and I know I'm a man saying this to women, but Big Brother Mzansi Season 4 showed how a lot of women in South Africa don't see any wrong in women. Bravo plotted rape, and a lot of men on social media called him out for it, and when Liema spit on people and allegedly slapped them, most women said to men "don't be weak, she is a strong

woman who doesn't take shit" while they knew 100% that spitting on someone constitutes assault, and when Yolanda talked about Molestation, they said "but Ghost was there listening, she didn't do anything wrong" What I just said does not defend any man who puts women through pain, all I'm saying is that we the "monsters" are beginning to acknowledge our wrongs, but the people wanting change are slowly becoming the monster they condemn, please take lessons from this season of Big Brother as it was beyond just a game, but a treasure chest of real life lessons for many of us facing the everyday life.

Great work from everyone involved in Big Brother Mzansi Season 4

To celebrate a decade of its True Music platform, Ballantine’s, the world’s second biggest-selling Scotch whisky, announces True Music 10 – a year-long programme of 10 in-person and broadcast music events In partnership with long-standing partner Boiler Room, the celebrations will give music fans around the world direct access to some of the most exciting artists across 10 diverse music communities who are shaping global music culture today.

Boiler Room and Ballantine’s will return to Johannesburg home to one of the partnership’s first ever shows, where they will be throwing their biggest party to date. Taking place on 11th May, the multistage, multi-genre event will showcase some of the world’s most innovative artists including Louie Vega and Kenny Dope’s iconic garage duo; Masters At Work, DBN Gogo, and Toccororo as well as a number of True Music alumni including Coco Em and Scorpion Kings Guests can sign up for the True Music 10 Johannesburg show now via https://truemusicboilerroomtv/, with further shows across the globe to be revealed throughout 2024

Before heading to South Africa, Boiler Room and Ballantine’s will kick off True Music 10 with an intimate pop-up at a secret location in Soho, London on 4th April The series of True Music

10 pop-ups will continue to Colombia and South Africa, rolling out in select cities, and showcasing some of the most forward-facing True Music artists from each country Music fans around the world will also be able to tune in and catch the South Africa pop-up shows, broadcast from Durban and Pretoria for free via https://truemusic.boilerroom.tv/.

Tom Elton, Head of Culture and Partnerships at Ballantine’s commented: “The evolution of True Music over the past decade has been remarkable. For 10 strong years, the platform has been committed to representing, supporting, and promoting inclusive music culture by celebrating pioneering local artists and communities from around the world on a global stage We believe in the power of staying true to yourself and doing things your own way, and over the years we are proud to have worked with some of the most exciting

‘Stay True’ artists, who are propelling music culture forward and making music for passion Here’s to the next ten “

Since 2014, Ballantine’s and Boiler Room, have brought together artists and communities from around the world, representing local music culture on a global stage and turning passions into professions. Over the past decade, the duo has hosted inclusive in-person and livestreamed music events from some of the world’s most vibrant music scenes championing, supporting, and representing over 800 pioneering headliners and emerging artists, from over 30 countries across six continents. As part of the celebrations, Ballantine’s will invite fans from around the world the opportunity to browse the True Music archive, where users will be able to stream previous True Music Studios and win tickets to events, exclusive merchandise and redeem Ballantine’s cocktails with partner venues Access to the digital experience will be via QR codes found in stores, venues and across posters

Ballantine’s will also continue its ongoing True Music Fund, contributing a further 10 grants over the next year, to support emerging local music-focused organisations and collectives who are driving modern music culture, with further details to be announced in late 2024

Invites to the True Music 10 pop-up events are extremely limited and will be available for only 30 hours ahead of the show To be the first to hear when invites are available for any True Music 10 events, follow @boilerroomTV and @ballantines on socials and sign up HERE.