I did mention that I had a chat with a few people at the BET Experience Africa Media event last week.
The first person I hijacked for a quick convo was Kgomotso Matsunyane. Our chat was 5 minutes to be exact before we got interrupted by the big boss Alex Okosi. I once interviewed her back in 2011, you can check out the interview HERE
Kiki: It’s always great seeing you Kgomotso. Since our chat a few years ago you have continued to grow.
Kgomotso: OMG!! That interview was something else. Do you know that people still quote me on the stuff I said to you? Hahahahaha
Kiki: It was special to me. I was a virgin then, because you were my first subject. You were the first person I interviewed.
Kgomotso: I was your first subject and you nailed it. That was a winner.
Kiki: Award winning interview for real. Anyway, here we are again. How has it been since we last spoke?
Kgomotso: It’s great! But life has its own ups and downs but we keep pushing. I’m a f*ckin hustler. Hahaha
Kiki: Who doesn’t know Kgomotso is a hustler? We spoke about sex the last time and I thought you had toned down a bit then BOOOM, you’re back on TV talking about sex again?
Kgomotso: (loud laugh) I’ve been at it for a while. That’s my thing. I can’t stop talking about sex Kiki. We need to talk about it, it’s important. And it’s been amazing, we are working on another season but I won’t be on air, I will be the Executive Producer.
Kiki: Well, that’s where the money is mos? You go girl!
Kgomotso: Oh yes! That’s where the Creativity is. That’s where the challenges are. But let’s talk about the BET Experience Africa, that’s what we are here for. Hahaha
Kiki: Congrats, you are now the big boss for BET Africa. How did that come about?
Kgomotso: I am the makhulu boss. I literally finished shooting RISE on a Tuesday, and Wednesday I started at BET. As exhausted as I am, this is one of the biggest, most amazing challenges of my life. I had never run a TV station before, I had been Commissioning Editor, I have extensive experience in Television, Radio and Media. But running a station is new to me. I actually turned them down when they approached me but after a lot of thinking and speaking to a few friends I had to accept. I called them and we began the interview process.
Kiki: Alex seems like a very cool person/boss….Is he?
Kgomotso: He has been amazing. He’s been my mentor and guardian. He had to really have faith and trust in me. He knew I had the basics, and I told him he’ll have to teach me the rest as we go along. So far so good.
Kiki: Let’s talk about the upcoming BET Experience Africa. You mentioned at the Conference that there will be Genius Talks.
Kgomotso: Yes, this is huge. Minister Fikile Mbalula will be the first speaker. Nikiwe Bikitsha, one of the leading radio and television news personalities in SA, will moderate the talk on behalf of BET.
‘Genius Talks – a series of candid conversations between leading luminaries and younger contemporaries – is coming to South Africa for the first time as part of the BET Experience Africa. It is designed to inspire, educate and entertain lovers of African and African-American culture, Genius Talks invites key opinion formers and leaders in their field to open up about what drives them to be the best in their fields.’
*Our chat ended in the air, we got interrupted as I was told the big boss, Alex Okosi was ready for me*
Kiki: Finally we get our sit down. Mr busy man Okosi. We are all about the BET Experience Africa. Can you please tell me how did we end up with this BET Experience Africa.
Alex: Well, for us the BET Experience is a huge franchise for the BET. We launched BET Africa in April this year, so we were looking at how to get the brand much closer to our consumers. We wanted to provide a great platform for our consumers to experience this lifestyle festival and also for us to get to understand our brand more. We are really excited about what’s going to happen on the 12th December. We have everything lined up, Music, Fashion, Basket Ball, Comedy and of course Genius Talks
Kiki: Oh yes, Kgomotso was still busy telling me about the Genius Talks.
Alex: Genius Talks is where people will get to experience intimate conversations with great people that inspire. We have everything we think is important covered. From the day festival stage with great artists and DJs to a great night time concert.
Kiki: Are you planning on making this Festival an annual Experience?
Alex: Most definitely. Our ambition is to make this an annual festival as it is in the US market.
Kiki: How did you choose your artists?
Alex: We looked at artists that we know our audiences appreciate. BET brand is young adult – adult, so we chose artists we thought are relevant to the demographic of people. We chose people that we know have great talent. People that represent the continent. We wanted to make sure that we show case the best.
Kiki: We know this is said to be an African Experience to be experienced mainly by Africans. I was looking at the lineup and I was wondering why some African countries aren’t represented even though they have well known artists?
Alex: That’s a good question, but the truth is that you can never represent 48 countries. Yes it’s Pan African platform but in no way or form can one be able to include all the African countries. We chose artists that we know will be relevant to the rest of the continent.
Kiki: Ok, can I get a little bit personal now?
Alex: Oh boy! Oh boy!
Kiki: Hahahaha, you’re lucky our time is very limited. So I’m unable to grill you. What kind of music do you like?
Alex: I like all types of music. I don’t have a specific genre, I just like good music. But since I moved to South Africa, I’m starting to like House Music. It took a while to grow on me but I can say I’m a fan now.
Kiki: You are originally from Nigeria right? How long have you been in SA?
Alex: I moved to SA when we launched our MTV Channel 10years ago. This has been an exciting year because we celebrating 10years.
Kiki: You are a very busy man. With all this workload on your shoulders. How do you balance your family life and work? I’m assuming you do have a family?
Alex: Yes I do have a family. As I prioritize work, I also make sure that I prioritize my personal life. You must always give it your all on both aspects. Of course it’s difficult but that balance has to be there.
Kiki: Now I need to enter your curious mind. Can you give me a few of those things that you are Curious about?
Alex: I’m curious about why people pay too much attention to where people are from? Because sometimes it can be divisive more than uniting.
I’m curious as to why we aren’t united as we can be.
I’m also curious about where Africa is going. Are we gonna keep on growing from strength to strength? What does the future look like? Are we gonna have enough jobs created for our young people?
I’m curious about Technology. Where does it go from here? What’s next? How people consume content nowadays is different from 20 years ago. I’m curious about where technology will take us.
Kiki: My last question to you; When the day comes to leave this earth, how would you like to be remembered by ordinary people like me – not by your wife,girlfriend or children because they know you on a personal level.
Alex: I would like to be remembered as someone that was really passionate about the youth culture in the continent. Someone that really worked hard to create opportunities for the youth in Africa to showcase what they are good at for the rest of the world to see.
Kiki: Thank you so much for your time Alex. I guess I’ll see you at the Ticket Pro Dome next Saturday right?
Alex: Pleasure Kiki, I will definitely see you then. It will be an experience of a lifetime for everybody.
Tickets for the BET Experience Africa are on sale now at www.ticketpro.co.za. Ticket prices, which give access to all of the above, range from R550 on the mezzanine level to R850 (floor standing), R1250 (floor bleachers) and Golden Circle at R1500. Students qualify for a 10% discount by logging in to the Ticketpro website and using the passcode ‘STUDENT’
Pics: Picay Photography
By Kiki Marli
@KikiMarli