A new talent scouting contest led by veteran DJ, Bush Baby is looking to bridge the sustenance gaps that have eluded many of past talent contests which came and vanished without leaving meaningful impact on the entertainment industry.
Under the franchise Wazo Dazo Nexters, the search launched this week with the maiden Season focused on identifying the next generation of rappers.
“We want to come through, give back, encourage you and support you in your hustle. Not by saying that ‘Yo bad’. But with cold hard cash. Money,” says acclaimed rapper, Ruyonga, who is working with Wazo Dazo Nexters to sieve and mentor contenstants on the rap edition.
Each week, Ruyonga will share a beat on which the contestants will be required to record themselves rapping.
Then they will post the recorded video on social media suing the hashtag #WazoDazoNexters.
There will be a weekly winner of Ushs 250,000. The winner will be selected based on how many votes they got online.
Beyond rap, there will be other subsequent Nexters Seasons that look to discover talent in other entertainment forms including singing, acoustics, comedy and dance.
DJ Bush Baby, who is Executive Producer at Wazo Dazo, an innovative company aiming to enhance entertainment and talent development, told Plugged that Wazo Dazo Nexters is a franchise that will encompass different facets.
He further explained that the medium for auditioning will depend on the form of entertainment. While rap contestants might be easy to source virtually, he said some other forms will require physical sessions sometimes involving involving going around the country.
Each edition will run for 6 weeks.
Musical contests are popular, especially in vibrant entertainment markets world over, for producing some of the best musical and vocal talents. Contestants undergo thorough training and mentorship from renowned coaches and artists for a given duration.
Previous musical talent searches that have produced some of the great acts in Uganda’s music industry include Coca-Cola Pop Stars, Tusker Project Fame, Coca-Cola Rated Next, East Africa’s Got Talent and most recently The Voice Africa.
It was these competitions that gave birth to names like Jackie Chandiru, Cindy, Lillian Mbabazi, Naava Grey and Winnie Nwagi and Bruno K.
However, many of the franchises have since taken a hiatus due to structural set backs. Others have fallen short of their intended expectations, given the lack of a sustenance plan right from inception. Part of the problem being the affiliate brands and sponsors many of which tend to tag along the projects for short-term gains – visibility, sales and PR.
Having been part of Coca-Cola Rated Next, on top of a wealth of knowledge he has acquired as an entertainer and producer, Bush Baby has had the opportunity to learn from the experience.
“The record labels that were involved in some of the contests in the past were not wired to deal with products of a talent search. A product of a talent search is different from seeing a guy like Spyda MC in Kamwokya and then you go after him and give him a platform,” DJ Bush Baby told Plugged.
“With a talent search, it’s like giving birth to a baby. You nurture them from the word go, take them through the etiquette of the game. There are a lot of elements to take care of as opposed to the low hanging fruit approach. The problem is the conflict in interests. Many times the business interests don’t rhyme with the interests of the talent.”
He says Wazo Dazo intends to do things differently. At the heart of it, putting the interests of the talent first as well as cautiously resisting the temptation of partnering with entities whose interests might run parallel.
So far, no brand is associated with the project. And Bush Baby says this is deliberate to keep the interests of the campaign uncompromised .
“We are trying to position ourselves as an independent breeding ground for authentic talent, but also to train the talent on how to harness and consolidate independence power when it comes to publishing and media.”
The rapid evolution of technology has transformed media and entertainment into an experience-led industry. Meanwhile, new disruptors are putting pressures on the business, from generating profitable growth to talent acquisition.
“I am sure we are going to come across very interesting talent. The onus is on us to exercise continuity. We will begin to think of having professional management services for these people and empower them to produce an album.”
“But most importantly, to offer them placement. To give them the exposure so that any other production house or label maybe able to pick them,” he adds.
In an era of what has been termed as ‘The Golden Era of Entertainment’ characterized by a surge in global demand for compelling media content, Wazo Dazo is positioning itself as the new gateway to cutting-edge entertainment experiences.
The outfit hopes to upskill the country’s workforce while maintaining a strong pipeline of compelling content that pushes the boundaries of storytelling. It will produce an array of compelling entertainment content, including TV shows, online series, and events.
According to Bush Baby, there is a real opportunity to inspire the coming generation of entertainers but at the same time a real opportunity for record labels to tap into the commercial prospects that this talent presents.
On the rap edition, the Wazo Dazo team will leverage the expansive rap experience that Ruyonga has built over the years. This, Bush Baby says, is an example of what more local performers can offer beyond just the tags as singers and performers.
“You can be a bad a** rapper, but you can also apply yourself in different ways.”
Discovering talent requires the technical ability to figure out what sound when coupled with the rawness has potent to create a powerful product. To achieve this, the team tapped Khai, a.k.a Ky-netic, an acclaimed music producer who has been there done that.
Formerly an audio producer at Fenon Records before he left Uganda for South Africa, Khai has recently returned with renewed energies for a challenge.
“He’s very intentional, focused and hungry. He has seen the gaps and by association, there are things he needs to address. It’s a collective of like-minded people seeking to contribute to creative excellence,” Bush Baby said.
Each Season will see Wazo Dazo work with a different producer. That way, it allows diversity by tapping into a variety of skills.
