Music and artists' management: His father's death spurs him to dizzy heights

To be determined in life you do not have to go to school for it- it is an innate decision that comes after much deliberation to achieve the desired target.  That is what PHILANI BHEKIMUSI ZWANE did after the popular Bonginkosi Dlamini, popularly known as Zola 7, threw him out of his posh offices. Philani is a self- made business man from Daveyton in Benoni. His company, Beyond Power Media, publishes and produces music, among other things. He tells Thembi Masser about his life and what prompted him to establish his businesses.

Philani is a replica of what Beyond Power Media is- persistent, talented, and ambitious and the possession of an unending desire to bring Daveyton’s talented musicians and artist to the fore for the world to enjoy. He is the sole director of the company after owning a company with his mother, Miriam, earlier when he was a learner at Lesiba Secondary.  Beyond Power Media is also a casting agency for Quizzical Pictures. Recently he received his licence from RISA (Recording Industry SA), to act as a recording label.

“I was lucky enough to build a strong relationship with Sheer Publishing in my past endeavours,” he says proudly. Today that liaison enables him to publish his own music and that of his artists.  He is utterly ambitious and to realise his ideals he has a working relationship with companies he helped establish to advance his goals. These companies are not necessarily musically inclined. For instance, Roto Production is a fashion house designing label that produces leather fashion from rat skins.  Beast Creations, a company in graphic designing, is owned by Kabelo Chiloane. It also creates and administers websites. Swagnation Entertainment, with Vanessa and Simphiwe at the helm, is a hip hop recording entity. “I am at the top of what they are doing at every minute and I am happy that they are doing all right up to now.”  He also makes sure that the brands they represent flourish in the industries they operate in.

Philani had a difficult up-bringing and maybe this is why he has established so many businesses. He wants to make sure the situation is not reversed. He intends to invest in other companies as well. “I want to invest in companies that are surely making money. “ These companies, he says, are in mining, aviation and in transportation. “I am busy right now developing my own social media app.”

While he admits that it is not easy and friendly to do business in Daveyton, he knows what he is doing. “Working with people here in South Africa is not that easy. In fact it is debilitating. But it will be a big challenge and an immense career-booster for me to work with Chris Brown.”

Philani does not have a role model as such, but, beside his mum, he revers and regards Toothmusic’s Edwin Hewitt as his ‘dad’. “Well, I do have companies that are my role models. Sheer Publishing has been magnificent in what they done so far. So are Sony and EMI.” 

He is also a musician and his hip-hop album is due out next year. It will be an excellent mixture of kwaito, emotional songs and some political and social stuff thrown in, he points out. “It will also make you dance if you will.” Philani was an extra in one of the episodes of the popular Isidingo and features in the film Man on the ground.

While he was a learner at Lesiba Secondary he registered his first company, New World Resurrection BP Entertainment, which he co-owned with his mother. Unfortunately the company was liquidated in 2010 but that was before it was fairly successful. It had a few notable artists. There was Nash with his blockbusters, Phakamisa and Nguyelo. Then there was TibiTom, Amarhumusha and Micnotic and Blaq Boy (New Sound). Others were dj Love and Boqo.

The Resurrection project came after his beloved dad, David, died in a vehicle accident in May 2008. “I felt betrayed that a loving man and father could be taken away from us just like that. We were left desolate; my mother was not employed at the time. So I formed Resurrection to try and resurrect some of the things my father did for us, like putting food on the table and looking after the family.”

It was while he was in grade 8 that he realised his sheer musical talent. At that point he started to hustle music.  So three years later when he was in grade 11 he decided to see Zola who immediately dissed him. “Nine months later I came to the realisation that while I was chasing him (Zola), he was living his dream and mine was in tatters, dead.  So I woke up and registered Resurrection.”  From then on he vowed to stay away from celebrities and rather build close ties with music and entertainment companies.  But that was difficult: companies did not understand him and what he wanted from them. It was getting exasperating for him. But he did not quit, he looked for avenues to eases the desperation.  So to stay on top of things he enrolled at the Benoni Tech College to study marketing. After that he easily understood the language of business and things improved.

In between his struggles Philani has ensured that he will not be liquidated again. When he did not have money to run his company he worked as a petrol attendant and has also has a stint at a chicken farm.  But the dice has rolled favourably for him so far after registering Beyond Power Media this year. Although he has only one confirmed artist, Sandile Khoza, a dj who calls himself Sandy KT, Nash is with him again after the disaster of Resurrection.  

Pictures from top to bottom:
Lesiba High School,
Playing on his guitar,
Love BK,
Friends and clients of Love BK,
Micnotique in the studio,
Tibi Tom and his guitar and
Edwin Hewitt, Love BK, Tibi Tom, Mc Rusky and Blaq Boy