Juvy explains staying power

By Matṧeliso Phulane

Contemporary hip hop artist Motebang Nkoko, known by his stage name Juvy Oa Lepimpara, has divulged the secret behind his longevity in the entertainment industry which is fraught with a plethora of challenges.

The Skipa Se Ntekane hitmaker’s subgenre gives the main genre of Hip Hop, which is based on contagious beats and rhythms of Hip Hop, a new and modern twist.

The music of Juvy Oa Lepimpara captivates listeners with its unique fusion of earworm tunes, thought-provoking lyrics, and contagious energy. His distinctive style skillfully blends parts of classic Hip Hop with more contemporary inspirations to produce a distinctive sound.

Juvy makes music about love, good times, breakups day life experiences and many more. He has created a number of well-liked songs that have touched audiences.

His most well-known songs include the above mentioned Skipa Se Ntekane, S’bongile, Ntho Ke Ena, K’hotho, U Khotsofatsoa Keng and Nnamolele featuring Puseletso seema dropping this week.

Juvy Oa Lepimpara’s distinctive style and talent are on full display in these songs, which captivate listeners with their catchy beats and insightful words.

Juvy told theReporter in an interview this week that he has been in the industry for 14 years since primary school in South Africa where he wrote and loved performing or simply being an entertainer.

“I came back home when I was doing grade 8 and I think about that time the music was booming. There were already people who were doing it, people like Skebza D, Papazee and many others.

‘’Right about that time when I was in grade 10 I started being active and got a job as a radio presenter at one of the local radio stations.

“Som my radio and my music career started at the same time. I gave it my all until I went to Botswana where I studied sound engineering to further my knowledge. I then came back home and kept on until now,” Juvy said.

He noted one of the things that have kept him going until now is his work ethic, especially because people misjudge their work.

Juvy added that he started financing himself at a young age while he was still working on radio; that was when he realised that there was actually enough money for him to survive.

According to Juvy, the entertainment industry requires a strong work ethic since there are a lot of people out there who do not have the theme, discipline, which are very important.

He is also a firm and grounded Christian who strongly believes that every plan he puts in the hands of God will come to pass.

The indefatigable Juvy boasted that he gets booking after booking because he respects his craft and always delivers the best performance on stage. He attributed this to his loads of energy and experience in entertaining audiences. 

Speaking of the challenges he has encountered since he broke into the entertainment industry, Juvy said: “We are still behind in terms of professionalism. For instance, in cases where there is a lineup for local artists and international artists, there is a difference in terms of payment negotiations.

“This is why betting booked for more than one gig is important as it cultivates a close working relationship between an artist and promoter, based on mutual respect and trust. It also comes in handy when negotiating appearance fees. 

“I feel we still need to get to a point where we treat this as a business because it is a business in the real sense. However, the moment you try to be a businessman around promoters, you come across as stuck up and haughty.  

“As for me, one of my biggest achievements is the investment that I have made in some local artists. I contributed to their careers and their growth and they also contributed to mine as well; it’s a two-way thing. Therefore, I am proud that we have been able to help each other with my brothers, because they have also made a contribution in my career,” he observed.

Juvy promised that he will be releasing a song with Puseletso Seema called Nnamolele.

He also urged upcoming artists not to give up because there are a lot of challenges they will face along the way. Rather, they should have fun and enjoy what they do.