Ngcebo Mdima and Karabo Motlogelwa, known as “The Billionaires”, have announced the release of their debut EP, “The Billionaires: Children Of Africa”.
The EP, set to release in the second quarter of the year, features upcoming producers, sound engineers and musicians. It is aimed at empowering the youth.
The Billionaires dropped the first single “Ilwa”, featuring Zameka and Masuda, on Friday, March 3.
“IIwa”, loosely translated as “defying the odds”, is the duo’s first single off their forthcoming project.
“The inspiration behind the song is about surviving against all odds. During Covid-19, many individuals lost their families, friends and jobs. What kept them going was the fighting spirit, it kept us all pushing during trying times,” said Motlogelwa.
The EP features several rising stars with Lizwi, Viwo Kulati, Bukeka and Nkosazana among them.
“This initiative is aimed at developing and empowering the youth, something Karabo and I are very passionate about,” added Ndima.
“Most of these young and talented producers… were not given a platform to be visible on most of the projects.
“We are giving them a chance to develop and express themselves, however they feel, through our brand.”
The Billionaires' music is not restricted to a specific genre, allowing them to explore various genres, including amapiano, kwaito, qgcom house and afro-pop.
With their shared passion for talent development and youth mentorship, for more than five years, the duo have assisted many emerging artists by “creating opportunities for them to share their creativity” locally and internationally.
They have also worked with A-list celebrities such as DJ Tira, DJ Ganyani, DJ Merlon, Prince Kaybee, TNS, Nomcebo Zikode and DJ Sithelo.
Ndima and Motlogelwa, who identify as queer, are encouraging young LGBTQIA+ artists with “little to no access to resources” to reach out for help to hone their craft, as they have done with many emerging artists over the years.
“As a youth queer couple, we know the challenges our peers face with the high unemployment rate and we believe the youth of this country have a huge potential… so we would like to assist by giving them access to resources to further enhance their skills,” shared Motlogelwa.