FRATPACKER WORLD.

In 2025 it feels like the route to becoming an artist and superstar has become easier and easier but with that being the case it does make me one wonder what does it mean for the quality of artists and superstars? Yes, it might have been harder to crack the mould back in the days but that’s because the barriers to entry weren’t just an access and proximity bound but also the need for quality control and development and honestly, we need to run it back.

I say this because I can safely say for the last 8/7 years I’ve made it my priority to watch as many local live hip-hop and r&b performances and it breaks my heart to say this but majority of the acts and artists just aren’t ready to be on stage and not because they lack the talent but they lack the work ethic and passion it takes to be a great performer. This may come off harsh but it’s just the truth and a part of me sympathises with the artists.

In this digital and social media age artists and performers have been seduced into focusing on growing their online presence and “brand” more than their actual work and product. Creating trends and dances to their songs so that they can be popular trends and spread around social media. I mean it’s gotten to the point where you can hear a song just through social media without ever actually looking it up and going to search for it, which has presented a separate problem for artist but in true Fratpacked World fashion, “That’s a topic for another day.”. This leading to the prioritisation of perception over practice. The impact of social media and how there’s been a new emphasised importance of it in the overall art & entertainment space has shifted things and some for the better, but it feels like it’s been more for the worse.

I say that it has been for the worst because social media is a short-term goal, lifespan and experience for everyone involved. It is common to be viral today and gone tomorrow. Labels and fans have started centring the conversation around numbers and views, and we know most of those come from being a personality, recreating trends, building your brand, becoming viral, all the things that have nothing to do with music. I know being born in 1993 I’m an Unc and come from ancient times but I remember when superstars were created by developing the talent and building the personality around it and not how we do it today where superstars are created by developing the personality and building the talent around it.

More time and thought is put into look the part instead of being the part. Artists need to look at themselves like they are athletes or sport professionals. You have to practice your craft every day and as much as possible, so you’re always prepared for the big game day, instead of learning and making mistakes on the field when it’s time to perform and fans are expecting you to be at your best. It’s mental and physical preparation at the same time. Understanding how hard you have to work and push yourself to be a great perform and especially if you want to be a global superstar.

Coming from a generation where we were exposed to the fact that talent wasn’t enough, but you needed hard to be the best, it really did elevate the musicians of our time. You see your Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Usher, Breda Fassie, AKA and more you see years of hard work, rehearsal, vocal training, singing coaches, dance lessons, choreography, watching and rewatching your favourite music videos, listening to songs over and over again until you can sing the melody off by heart, learning and memorising lyrics to the point that you can recite them from heart without any instrumental or beat, running making sure that you can work on your fitness for your breath control, reading books to help better your writing, standing in front of the mirror seeing yourself on stage in front of thousands of fans as the spotlight hits you and it’s your time to shine. I could go on and on about all the ways, techniques, strategies, methods and more on how to develop this but ultimately none of it matters unless the passion is there.

As I mentioned when I started this article, I’ve been attending our South African live shows, from the smallest underground shows to the biggest mainstream festivals, and one thing I’ve noticed is that people have more passion for the fame, glory and lights and less for the actual art and craft. I’ve the smallest and biggest names come on stage and commit the most heinous live performance crime and cardinal sin by performing with a back track. Now, if you’re going to have your adlibs and back-up vocals on the back track to add to your performance, cool but the whole song, what are we doing?

Backtracking ruins the performance for everyone. Firstly, as the performer you lose track of your lyrics and timing because now, you’re focused on trying to keep up or hear yourself on the track and either stumble or miss your lyrics but the sad part is that most cases backtracks are used because people haven’t rehearsed enough to know their lyrics. Secondly, it ruins it for the fan because we can hear the backtrack louder than your mic and that the timing is off, you’re getting your lyrics wrong and frankly if I wanted to just hear the song, I would have played it off the speaker at home and saved myself some money which is always a bonus in Cyril’s economy.

It’s not just the backtracking but even just the performance overall. I don’t see people putting emphasis on the choreography and you don’t have to be Michael Jackson but just know what small movements go along to your lyrics or the beat. Knowing how and where you going to move on stage is important because you get to move the people along with you. Production factor and especially on these big stages that have the option of having LED screens with your visuals on it. Don’t just get some cool graphic design or artwork. Put together a showreel of your moments and videos so that people can watch your experiences and journey while you perform so that they can build a bond with you. Even if it’s there first time listening to you, they can appreciate what you’ve had to go through to get to this stage (excuse the pun) in your life.

What I advise people on, instead of using a back track, get a hype-man. When last did you see someone on stage with a hype-man? They are so important. I’ve been too many shows where I see the artists trying to do some crowd engagement and control, but it fails on flat ears because they aren’t that confident in themselves as of yet and then hearing a cold reply is even more disheartening and that’s where the hype-man comes into play. They are your energy guide for the crowd so that they set the tone for how the crowd should react and respond to you. They add the extra spice to every adlib or rhyme and even sing or rap along when necessary. When you want to do a back and forth they are the first respondent and the crowd follows after. They are your partner in crime and need to be in the trenches with you from rehearsal to till the lights switch off and the mic cuts.

There’s so much I can say and dive into because I just really want us to live up to the potential of being the best and greatest artists and performers in the world but it won’t happen unless we put the blood, sweat, tears and soul into it. Don’t just go and looking to have a moment or go viral but go looking to provide memories and life changing experiences for the fans, your team and yourself as well. It’s bigger than just a live performance, it’s a spiritual connection and we can tell when the soul is missing.