Entertainment

Menzi Ngubane, veteran South African actor, has died. Ngubane died earlier today, with his family confirming his demise. Mr Ngubane's official Twitter handle also posted the sad news. He was 56. Ngubane is most popular for playing the role of Sibusiso Dlomo in the popular soapie Generations. He also featured in Gazlam, Ashes to Ashes, and Gold Diggers among other films. Ngubane had a long history of diabetes and kidney failure, but succumbed to a stroke. Tributes continue to pour in.    

Popular Studio 263 actress and main character Vimbai Jena (real name Anne Nhira), has died. She was 38. Anne Nhira (Vimbai Jari). What was said about Vimbai. The sad, unfortunate news was posted by her brother Juan on his facebook wall. Anne will surely be remembered for her starring role in Zimbabwe’s flagship soap opera that had everyone glued to their television sets. She will be dearly missed. Apparently, she had an encounter with robbers in South Africa. Thereafter, she could not recover from the assaults she went through I her ordeal. She will surely be missed, and her shoes are too big to be filled by another mortal. More news about funeral arrangements will be shared as it filters in. Nhira joins the list of other Studio 263 acters who have passed on. they inclu...

Zodwa Wabantu is one very controversial character, and for good cause. She has had lots of crazy moments, and she does not stop. Indeed, semi-nudes, excessively erotic videos and other misdemeanors define her. But is she that bad, or she has an agenda? She entertains us lots, and makes our surfing worthwhile often. Apparently, she is not into the adult film industry per se, but something closer to that. Surely given a chance, she can go the extra mile. She is almost there after all. We have bumped into many of her pics and vids. And this can be accidental. The internet is awash with her staff, and it makes big cash for many. Unsurprisingly, she is one of the most searched celebrities on the net. Understandably, her staff often goes viral. One crazy moment We are different, all...

We often discuss who the greatest African musician of all time is. Often, we use narrow country considerations, and not any objective criteria, when making our assessments and arriving at conclusions and positions. In this installment we discuss music a bit. Herein, our focus is on Africa's greatest. We are talented. Musically, we are talented as the men of colour. Worldwide, some of the most prominent musicians are of our own race, and that is proof enough that we have the talent and capabilities in abundance. Even some of the most inspiring Christian hymnals have Negro roots. That,  though, cannot be confirmed here as a fact. Therefore if we fail to make it on the world stage, we should not question the talent of our artists. That failure should be investigated so that African tale...

Watch an Indian or Korean movie and see how charming the beauty of their women is. What of their natural addictive look, and the natural dressing and ornaments? One likable thing about Indian and Korean films is that their cultural practices and beliefs are all too evident. They are original. And we have all grown to love them deeply, and to appreciate the beauty of their works of art as we see it. We need to learn more from them. Let us consider a few things. Consider what points you can pick up. Conceptions of Beauty. But we can all agree that conceptions of beauty are contextual, and the same is a very subjective term. We often remind ourselves how one man’s meat can be, or often is, another man’s poison. Often, it is our daily experiences, and the things we get exposed to daily, ...

Growing up, we were taught and made to believe that foreign is always lekker. By foreign, they almost always mean Western. For that, we must blame colonialism and its effects. I recall how our forefathers would to sing “God save the Queen”, though the said queen has absolutely nothing to do with us and whatever we stand for. Interestingly, many of our people even had to die fighting foreign wars for their colonial masters. And we still have that colonial hangover; just look at the way we dress, what we eat, the music we listen to, the entertainment habits and so forth. The place for our Africanness. And our Africanness suffers as a result of our inclination towards whatever is Western. Africans are taught to believe everything African is evil and devilish, and everything Western is c...

We all want to hear the news, don’t we?  It is true we love our Brenda, and wish to be with her again, understandably so. She is one person, along the likes of Lucky Dube, Hugh Masekela and others, who indeed left a mark on the entertainment arena, the musical side in particular. How many remember dancing to Vulindlela, Weekend Special and other hits, and we sang along. Her performances were captivating and full of life. We were often left spellbound and in a trance each time she performed live, and we miss the good old days. Pure Talent  Brenda was oozing with talent, and everything she touched turned into gold. With many hits to her name, she has a place reserved for her in the hall of fame which no one else can take. Whatever she produced, or whenever she released an album, the wo...

Every man has got a personal space reserved just for them, or whoever they might personally choose to admit therein. This is true for both public figures (by which term I also include celebrities) and the common man. We all have our private lives which we should keep to ourselves, and as long as we do so, its good for everyone. The internet is full of pictures, videos and stories of prominent personalities. and this also applies to aspiring celebrities. More is talked about on Zodwa Wabantu than constructive, progressive issues. The average man is quick to forget who their president is, but be up to date with the latest posts by Zodwa Wabantu!! They know her birthday, her favourite colours and outfits, food, and general lifestyle. It is as if the same have any effect and bearing on th...

I reflect on the good olden days when music was music, moreso when we are subjected to this meaningless trash now commonplace everywhere. Music used to have meaning and purpose, with musicians alive to the reasons for getting into the studio. Musicians used to be conscious of their indispensable role in building upright societies. I presume that is why a given brand of music is termed “conscious” in entertainment circles. Music's central role For those of us alive to their liberation history, music played a central role during the struggle for independence. It encouraged, motivated and mobilized the fighters and masses to resist colonialism. We should forever cherish and appreciate the power of music to impact society positively. It is vital to harness the same to build our societies and...