South Africa's "A" game

Wats up all you supporters of 1drop. I know it has been a minute since I last posted something for y'all, but I've been stuck on this one topic and I couldn't find a way to express it. Until now that is!!!

I was wondering how important will it be for other African countries to follow in the footsteps of South Africa, with regards to SA art, film, and fashion industry and what will it bring in return to the Continent?

The South African economy is the largest in Africa and 24th largest in the world. Due to this it is the most socially, economically and structurally developed country on the continent. So my question is "Can the rest of Africa be like this"? "And at what cost"?

South Africa has a great Art and Culture scene which allows the people to express themselves and push the boundaries of their expression, for this reason the country has more American companies shooting their  films there, as well as other markets such as Bollywood and European catalogs that go to SA for the great weather, fantastic scenery, professional workforce, and competitive prices. This shows the government that money is to be made in these industries and they should focus on making it a steady source of revenue for the country. There are  more and more African countries trying to be part of this industry (Like: Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia,  Senegal, Rwanda to name a few)  which is a great directions, I believe it would lead to more art forms being expressed, and more jobs for the local people, also more tourism which equals more financial profits for the country not-to-mention more knowledge and exposure to foreigners.  All this could lead to a more politically stable Continent. 

So I guess I can answer my own questions, YES the rest of Africa should follow in the foot steps of SA and then some, Every African country has it's own uniqueness but that doesn't mean all countries can't be equal in professionalism and expertise.

Now that we are at a time were there are many African countries trying to push forward, and even starting to think outside the box, it's important that we start forming partnerships within the continent and start advancing more projects forward in the areas that have to do with art and fashion and show outsiders as well as insiders that Africa can be a flourishing market for film, fashion, and art.

I will be in South Africa in the middle of June and I will keep you all update as to my findings and all the new projects that 1Drop will be a part of. Until the next entry.... 

Peace & Love

Personal Thoughts..

I find myself dancing between 2 chairs..
One is Wood , polished , the Foundation,..Africa. The Other is Metal, sleek and shiny ... Europe.
I find myself comfortable certain days in the Wood , and sometimes totally at my ease in the Metal .
I find myself despising both sometimes, not knowing where to seat.
Sometimes I want to seat in the Wood but she, herself, tell me I have no business seating there, Then I want to hold on to my Sleek little one, That shiny Metal, ..and she tells me , to get out, letting me slide off my seat ,not willing to catch me.
I find myself dancing between those 2 chairs since birth, since the Metal allowed me to comfortably rest on her as a new born, but found me too difficult to handle as I was growing up and was looking back towards the Wood.
I find myself dancing again when , trying to seat comfortably in the Wood, she asked me to go back to my Metal ways , because the neat polish of the Wood couldn't be understood by such a Shiny girl like me..
I find myself dancing over and over again
I find myself trying to create my own chair, mere imitation of the Wood , and pale copy of the Metal
I find myself trying to choose a seat but I can't ,so I stand up.
I find myself standing up for my rights to be both Wood and Metal.

What's an artist?

For me,a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination

But an official definition would be :artists are those who create within a context of 'high culture', activities such as drawing, painting, sculpture, acting, dancing, writing, filmmaking, photography, and music—people who use imagination, talent, or skill to create works that may be judged to have an aesthetic value. Art historians and critics will define as artists, those who produce art within a recognized or recognizable discipline.

On the continent, everyone is an artist because art in Africa is not a commercial enterprise, but is part of life itself.
Some artists never had the chance to become famous outside Africa, but their work has made a lasting difference to the people who live there.
'African leaders need to be more conscious of the role that culture can play, particularly economically. Many Western economies - such as Britain - have benefited hugely from the showbusiness and music sector. It generates huge amounts of money and provides significant opportunities to work. Everyone in Africa - whether a politician, musician or businessman or woman - needs to appreciate the role that culture can play in our development.' (Africa, World-Independent.co.uk)
For a HUGE continent like Africa, One can assume that there will be thousands of artists, all categories included..But how many can you cite?
So the Question lies, If we have so many artists, how is their art represented internationally? ..I do see lots of american/european creation in many artistic categories that are 'african inspired'..Why can't it be such a thing as international african art instead of having international remixes of our art..?
What if a company could provide those services for the deemed artists...?