Globally, the music industry has experienced a tremendous amount of change over the last 20 years. But most particularly in the last decade, some African genres have reached the largest audiences, recognition and accolades.
Among other African countries, Zimbabwe including its audience and musicians have been swift in harnessing the seemingly infinite power of the internet in presenting its arts and culture on the global stage, while perfecting a new, legitimate and reliable revenue stream.
Businesses and investors world over have recently shown a keen interest in African music. However, one company stands out – JUNGLE. Marketed as the ultimate solution for the African creator, the organization has released many of Africa’s most notable titles for the continent’s biggest names, over an entire decade.
As reported by Billboard in 2022, the company’s arrangements have since provided cost-free and reliable streams of revenue for creative Africans through music, and in recent times, alternative content including DJ Mixes which saw 3000% growth in Nigeria and 500% growth across the continent, over the last year.
At its inception a decade ago, the company successfully sold Nigerian music through Jungle Records. However, through recommendations by its Zimbabwean partner, it expanded to Zim as Jungle South in 2014, an important step in the company’s history, as the methods implemented in Zimbabwe were eventually deployed across the continent, tailored for multiple audiences.
“In recent years, I have been most excited by the nearly instantaneous results of successfully exporting Africa’s diverse cultures through many arrangements, ultimately resulting in an exponential increase in our customer base, hence the need to launch Afrobeats Distro in 2019. Through that arrangement, we initially made our award-winning music & video distribution teams and automations available to all at no cost, and eventually our playlisting automations and support team.
In 2021, through a deal with Apple Music, we premiered the monetization of DJ Mixes on the continent as PARTY IN THE JUNGLE, providing another robust and reliable revenue source for the best DJs on the continent. This has recently evolved into a series of events, the third of which will be happening in Harare this month”, explained David Evans-Uhegbu, the company’s founder.
As we anticipate the evolution of the coming year, JUNGLE’s diverse team have chosen Harare as their city of choice to celebrate, network and debate the future of African Popular Music, through three themed events over the new year weekend, as follows:
- 29th December 2022 – 6PM to 9PM
- Industry Mixer/Cocktail Party
- Theme: Streaming As a Reliable Revenue Source
- 31st December 2022 – 12Noon to 10PM
- Party In The Jungle LIVE
- Theme: DJ Sets & Party
- Venue: Hometown
- Tickets: $5 before 3PM, and $10 after 3PM
- 1st January 2023 – 12Noon till late
- Jungle 10 Years Anniversary Celebration
- Venue: Mashwede Village
- Theme: King of The Jungle
- Table Bookings Available
Article by own correspondent
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