TOWARDS THE BIG BREAK

By: Emily Mafa

Breaking into the entertainment industry should not be too hard when you have created somewhat of an image for yourself. Social media has been the ground breaker for some of our TV personalities whom we once regarded as Twelebs (Twitter Celebs). This is one of the assumptions or expectations of many young hopefuls pursuing an on-screen full-time career. While some remain persistent in hitting the rock for an outpouring stream of luck, others are using every little opportunity to create even bigger opportunities.  Mzwakhe Mbuli Jr is the man of the moment and we explore his exciting journey in the entertainment industry.

Mzwakhe Mbuli is a 22 year old Graphic Design student at Midrand Graduate Institute. When he is not deep-edging images on Photoshop and Illustrator or creating a concept for digital design and animation he jet sets on his robotic gear and gets his ‘hustle’ (on as the youth say). Among those close to him, he is popular for his robotics dancing and Hip Hop performances at various events. His features include appearances in local television advertisements, dance concerts and music videos.

Mbuli did not have much of the “Tweleb” status boosting him to the top; neither did his gigs land on his lap simply because he is the son of the famous people’s poet Mzwakhe Mbuli. Yes, you read that right.

After matriculating from Mondeor High School in 2010, Mbuli applied for a BA degree in Graphic Design and did not gain direct entry into the programme. He had to start off with the bridging programme called Pre-degree which meant that the course intended for a duration of three years would take a little longer.

During the first few years of his studies, Mbuli tried his foot in the industry by auditioning for advertisement casts. After getting a few gigs, he signed up with a casting agency. “I was a freelance extra until my friend informed me about Peter Stone Agency that assists with finding advertisement opportunities for their clients,” Mbuli says.

Mbuli appeared in music videos of local stars such as Pro Kid’s ‘Uthiningo Pro’ and TKZee’s ‘Dikakaba’ along with his dance crew called ‘Lyrical Sneakers’. The crew also appeared on the Channel O - Urban Dance Competition and 8ta Mobile’s prepaid commercial.

Mzwakhe's (right) appearance on the 8ta Prepaid advert

Battle Stations, a TV dance contest seemed to have been the ultimate deal breaker for Mbuli. He auditioned for the first season of the show and had hoped to go far in the competition which would ultimately make him the familiar face on our local screens. He only made to the third round of the competition and was eliminated, “I was called again for the second season of the show, but lasted on the show only for two weeks, it was quite difficult because there’s so much talent in South Africa,” he adds.

His latest projects include his robotics performance and appearance on the 2014 Coca-Cola: Share a Coke With advertisement. He also performs his robotics and dance at 3C Church and has appeared on the Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN).

The biggest question of course is how does one manage being a full-time student and still have time to for gigs such as these. Mbuli argues that it is not an issue of grabbing every gig and trying to fit it into one’s schedule and assuming time management skills will kick in to balance it all off. The reality, for him, is that he has to pass up some opportunities. “I always say that you have a choice, you know. You have to prioritise. I am a creative arts student and that demands a lot of time, I need this qualification,” Mbuli says. He also acknowledges that the entertainment industry is very tough, “It is everybody that can get a full-time career or make a living out entertainment, you need something to fall back on,” he adds.

Mbuli looks forward to more gigs, and it is evident that he strives to make a mark in this industry, from dancing contests, to advertisement castings and acting in short-films. It appears to be the beginning of great things for Mzwakhe Mbuli Jr.

           

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1.    How did you get into the limelight of TV advertisements?

2.    What other TV productions did you feature in?

3.    What do you think makes you stand out from other passionate dancers?

4.    How was your experience on the dance contest ‘Battle Stations’?

5.    How do you maintain the balance between your work as a Graphic Design student and your activities?

6.    How do you maintain the balance between your work as a Graphic Design student and your activities?