Ryan Swano
More than just aimed at musicians, MEX Conferences holistically also looks at many other sectors that are on the periphery of the music and entertainment industry.
Martin Myers, Host & CEO of MEX says: “At its core, MEX is a veritable teacher, delivering critically needed skills to the entertainment economy. It serves the greater good of all stakeholders by promoting and fostering prosperity and sustainability within the Arts sector and beyond.”
“A vibrant, world-class South African music industry is premised on successful home-grown talent intent on attaining global reach and international acclaim.”
Many of our readers either having a love for particularly urban music styles like Hip Hop & RnB, and a number of our readers are in fact musicians in those genres.
We find it quite exciting that a pillar in the evolution of local Hip Hop, RnB, Kwaito and other urban music will be one of the Key Note Speakers at MEX2024.
Lance Stehr can fairly truthfully claim that he was the first South African to record and release anything in the hip-hop genre. He launched the iconic Cape Town Hip Hop group Prophets of Da City, followed by Brasse Vannie Kaap, Tuks Senganga and Morafe, the band that launched Khuli Chana’s career, as well as the RnB & Kwaito group Skeem which had the smash hit Waar Was Jy!
The Importance of Diversification in Your Career
At MEX 2024 Lance Stehr will be talking about The importance of Diversification While Dealing With Your Passion.
One of South Africa’s most prominent independent record labels, Ghetto Ruff, was established in the late 1980s when Lance Stehr (current managing director) started managing Cape Town-based hip-hop pioneers Prophets Of Da City – POC, with core members Shaheen Ariefdien, DJ Ready D, Romaone, Mark Heuwel, Jazmo, Ishmael Morabe and membership fluctuating with a few others. Their fusion of African and American ideas was crucial in crafting the sound of SA Hip Hop.
Stehr expanded and grew the label into the premier kwaito label in the country. R&B star Ishmael, who headed up Skeem, was born out of POC, and in 1996 helped Ghetto Ruff Records discover and nurtured numerous Kwaito stars, resulting in hundreds of awards.
Stehr’s Ghetto Ruff Records is also what evolved into Muthaland Entertainment, the sister company of Ghetto Ruff, which is perhaps one of the most successful recording stables in South Africa, having paved the way for many artists who went from nothing to stars.
All the MEX2024 Program Highlights
Music Exchange 2024 (#MEX24) Conference to be held on 30th November 2024 at the Protea Fire and Ice Hotel in Church Street in Cape Town brings together the finest local and international Thought Leaders to address a range of topical and relevant issues the industry faces today. Think podcasts, radio, collecting agencies, PR, marketing, and monetising the entertainment economy – now and into the future.
The conference welcome is by award-winning Siphokazi Jonas, who has just published her debut book by Penguin Random House, “Weeping Becomes a River“.
Siphokazi Jonas is living proof that Music Exchange is not simply for musicians since Siphokazi as a performance poet has leverage the music industry and the broader entertainment industry to catapult her career to heights no-one could’ve imagined.
Esteemed thought leader, investigative journalist and film writer/director/producer, Diana Neille, who will deliver her highly anticipated keynote address – A Reporter’s Notes on Intermediary Impunity: Can the South African Music Industry be Reformed? – which no-one invested in the entertainment business should miss.
Following Diana is Paris Toon from the USA – From Local to Global.
Paris Toon is the Billboard charting award-winning entrepreneur and the musical enigma behind Mother’s Favourite Child. He is an extraordinary business entrepreneur, songwriter, producer and also specialises in Hip Hop Productions & Remixing. Paris Toon has worked with George Benson, Carl Cox, Robin S, CeCe Peniston, Adina Howard, Atlantic Records, Warner Bros, Island Def Jam, Gucci, Christian Lou Boutin and many more.
Glenn Gillis, co-founder and CEO of Sea Monster and the chairperson of Games for Change Africa, will speak about Games, The Evolution of Engagement.
He is an expert on technology’s role in storytelling and a thought leader on how impact games and immersive technologies (AR & VR) can be used to build brands and drive effective learning outcomes in Africa and beyond.
Have You Heard Content Strategist Jon Savage speaks about Podcasting: The Bitcoin of Media Influence focussing on how podcasting is disrupting the mainstream media and creating a decentralised economy for podcasting and content creators, tracking global and African trends and showcasing opportunities.
Brendan “Spike” Ballantine will speak about Leveraging Audio Production for Success in Podcasting. Brendan, the founder of dbo Media, amplifies podcasting’s strengths by developing creative concepts that help shape an engaging narrative.
Closing the day Barry Mare will present What does Radio want?
Barry is a content producer for Cape Talk and 702 and will give great insights about what you can do to get into broadcasting. Of course musicians will also find the info useful in tweaking their strategies to increase Radio Airplay.
Why You Should Attend
If you are in any way involved in the music or broader entertainment industry, we at bruinou.com believe you can only benefit from attending MEX2024.
We have followed Martin Myers and MEX for many years and have indeed attended some of those conferences.
Not only are the guest speakers of the highest calibre, but we have over the years witnessed how many from our communities and some even among our readers, through attending MEX, have evolved and grown their entertainment careers.
They are not only musicians but work in a variety of different disciplines across the entertainment industry. Their growth was not only from the knowledge gained at MEX Conferences but also from the Networks they have built up with those they have met at MEX.
At only R150 for full access to all #MEX24 has to offer, the value and the calibre of content, and those delivering it, is unmatched.
For anyone building a career in the entertainment industry that is a small investment into their own lives that will deliver huge returns.
Tickets are on sale at Quicket
MEX Music Exchange also hosts numerous Workshops and Masterclasses throughout the year and some of those can even be accessed for free.
Make Sure You Follow Music Exchange on Facebook where you will also find ways to access their other groups, platforms and other events.
