Dirt Under Our Fingernails

"Dirt Under Our Fingernails" was produced by Andile Masuku, Siphokazi Jonas and Brendan "Spike" Ballantine. Poetry written and performed by Siphokazi Jonas. Interview conducted by Andile Masuku. Poetry performance and interview recorded by Brendan "Spike" Ballantine. Audio mixing, mastering and sound design by Brendan "Spike" Ballantine. Andile Masuku, Siphokazi Jonas & Brendan "Spike" Ballantine © 2021 All rights reserved.

In this relaxed chat - taped on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 - Business Report (South Africa) Content Editor, Philippa Larkin and African Tech Roundup Executive Producer, Andile Masuku, chat about topical global issues impacting Africa's tech and innovation industry. Listen in to hear how the conversation takes some unexpected twists and turns as Philippa and Andile discuss the continent's unfolding digital transformation journey.

In this instalment of #AndilesTake, I catch up with my mate, Chef Lesego Semenya, a year and a half or so after he first shared the vision for his LesDaChef fine dining brand with me. I'm fascinated by the level of focus and intentionality this Soweto-native, and Prue Leith Chefs Academy graduate in Centurion brings to his culinary hustle, and I take great pleasure in celebrating the fact that since we last spoke on mic, Les has been named one of the Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans, dubbed a rising star by House & Leisure, appointed consulting chef to a number of leading luxury gourmet food and drink brands, recruited as resident culinary expert at a handful of South Africa’s leading radio stations and tv networks, extended his reach on social media and now serves as a judge on SABC 3’s prime time tv show, Top Chef South Africa. That said, I consider his greatest achievement to be the fact that despite all the success he's enjoyed, Les remains as genuine and down-to earth as when I first met him at a killer gourmet home cook-out he hosted six odd years ago. Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

This is quick teaser for the upcoming episode of #AndilesTake which will feature fine dining chef, Lesego Semenya-- M&G Top 200 Young South African, TOP Chef SA judge, Resident Foodie at Power FM and all-round man of the people. Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

During a recent trip on a dodgy Greyhound coach to visit family in Zimbabwe, I learned some rather poignant lessons about the importance of looking past the trivial business of daily life, and peered past man-made hype to what really matters. Shout out to Africa's busiest border post. It's all love, Beitbridge! Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

This episode of #AndilesTake explores the importance of delusion, and it features the live wire that the Toro Orero, a Nigerian-born Managing Partner of Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm, DraperDarkFlow. One of the key things Toro and his partners at DraperDarkFlow look for in a startup founder that they might invest in is a sense of delusion. He believes that being a little nuts is often a good indicator that someone has what it takes to change the world. I'm totally with it! Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

As promised in Episode 7 of the #AndilesTake podcast, this is the uncut conversation I (Andile Masuku) had with Nigeria's inimitable Andre "Blaze" Henshaw. Andre is easily one of Africa’s leading broadcasting talents. While he's probably most famous for his work on Nigerian public radio, and hosting primetime extravaganza’s like Nigeria’s Got Talent on television, it’s his work on the My Africa podcast (available on iTunes) that got me sensing a sort of kinship with him. He launched the podcast at a time when his media career was soaring, and the whole podcast scene on the continent wasn’t exactly vibing. Even now, podcasts are far from being mainstream commercial platforms, so like me, he certainly didn’t get into podcasting for the money. In this conversation, Andre and I chat about a whole range of topics, like how he became a hip-hop head, and what he means when he calls himself a "creative anthropologist". I also got him to explain where his trademark vocal style comes from, and why he's so taken with podcasting as a medium.

So, I’ve decided to pick up where I left off in terms of the audio journal I started just over 18 months ago. Technically, this is Episode 1 of the 2nd Season of the #AndilesTake podcast series. Except as you’ll gather in this instalment, I’m still trying to figure out what it is I’m actually trying to say, and why. I feel like once I properly get my thumb on that, the name of the podcast will change. In the meantime, consider this a personal invitation to join me in discovering what stories are worth telling, what issues are worth talking about, and ultimately what’s worth living for. I’m extremely grateful to PJ Lebea and Andre Blaze Henshaw for sharing their stories on this episode. Perhaps you should listen in, if only to hear some of the rather special personal insights they were kind enough to share with me. Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Additional Music by Jeff Carter (https://www.freesound.org/people/thatjeffcarter/sounds/347368/) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode)

The gift of speech is a hugely underrated blessing. I'm at the stage in my life-- personal and career-wise, where I've developed an awareness for the potential of what comes out of my mouth to either kill or heal, build or destroy. In this episode of #AndilesTake, I look back on the influences that have shaped the broadcaster I am today, share what fuels my sense of purpose as a communicator, and reflect on what inspires me not just to keep raising my game as a pro, but also cherish the responsibility of having a voice in these tough times. I am greatly indebted to three of South Africa's leading communicators for sharing their stories and trade secrets with me. A big thank you to eTV news anchor, HOT 91.9 FM radio jock and voiceover artist Marc “The Voice” Chase, the irrepressible former corporate executive turned rockstar speaker and author, Alex Granger, and executive presentation coach, founder and CEO of Business Presentation Skills Holdings, Beth-Ann Galvin— whose 30-year track record has rightfully earned her the reputation of being "The Presentation Fixer”. I have no doubt that you will benefit immensely from their wisdom as I have. Additional Music Credits: Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

This is the second and final part of my take on the transition from craftsmanship to entrepreneurship featuring Unathi Msengana and Asanda Madyibi. Unathi Msengana is a well-loved South African media personality and business woman (Musician, Metro FM DJ, Idols South Africa Judge and Television Producer) who is easily one of the most relevant and, indeed, most bankable entities in the Africa’s fickle entertainment industry. While, Asanda Madyibi is an incredibly talented fashion designer to the stars whose garments have graced catwalks around the world. Unathi, Asanda and I go way back, but not quite as far back as their friendship. They have been thick as thieves since Asanda designed Unathi’s graduation dress 14 years ago. Recently, I was lucky enough to crash a dress fitting at Asanda’s private fashion studio in Milpark, where Unathi was being outfitted for a high-profile musical performance. A lively chat ensued, and happily, I got it all on tape! Enjoy this brief exploration into the lives of two very different, yet equally brilliant women, whose life journeys have seen them begin the transition from craftsmanship to entrepreneurship. Many thanks to my mate, Global Entrepreneur, Author, and CEO of Sirdar Global Group, Carl Bates, whose ideas have inspired me to explore the difference between craftsmanship and entrepreneurship, and led me to appreciate the importance of distinguishing between the two. Additional Music Credits: All Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0