ROCKSTAR REFUELS AND RECHARGES THE SIDE HUSTLE

The Rockstar Hustle Fund has proven what we all already knew – South Africans are dominating the side hustle. For many, the need for another stream of income is borne from the need to make more money, especially given the current tough economic climate and rising cost of living.  According to the McKinsey Global Institute, about 63% of the labour force in Africa is involved in some type of self-employment. What the Rockstar Hustle Fund has shown is just how creative, motivated and innovative these hustlers in South Africa really are.

The campaign, which ran for 6 weeks from early August, asked contestants to post an original, entertaining and engaging video showing their side hustle, and posting this to Instagram or TikTok while tagging @RockstarEnergyZA and #HustleFund.

Musicians Moozlie and Shimza and digital creator Coachella Randy were tasked with judging all the inspiring entries, and in the end chose three ultimate rockstars as the winners of the 2022 Rockstar Hustle Fund.

Chantel Tisha

Chantel Tisha Ben is a 23-year-old rising star on the SA dance scene, who has been dancing professionally for three years. Along the way, Chantel fell in love with content creation and has been posting her work on social media to reach a wider audience. Chantel has expanded her craft and ventured into other areas including video editing, working with brands such as First National Bank.

Chantel’s Hustle Fund entry

Najma Williams

Najma Williams is a singer-songwriter and fine artist who has actively been pursuing her musical career since 2018. Her style is a mix of R&B with some neo soul, and she believes that her talent doesn’t only belong here, but also to her audience. Collaborating with various musicians across the globe is her dream.

Najma’s Hustle Fund entry

             Sabelo “Xavier Thxmas” Thabethe

Sabelo “Xavier Thxmas” Thabethe is a Hip-Hop/Trap artist born whose hustle in rap began in 2017. Through hard work and dedication, he has created a great deal of momentum behind his name, specifically over the last two years. Xavier’s dream is to use his music to break the internal Hip-Hop culture borders that exist, mainly between the suburbs and the ghetto/kasi.

Xavier’s Hustle Fund entry

Each of these winners will receive support to the value R50 000 to help them in their hustles and will become Rockstar ambassadors. “These winners as well as the many entries that we judged show just how inspiring it is to work hard doing what you love, something so worth striving for,” says Shimza. “I am honoured to have played a part in this experience, giving these hustlers the recognition that they deserve,” he says.

Rockstar Energy will also be giving these content creators a chance to showcase their talent through its brand and communication channels, exposing them to a much bigger platform. “You bring the hustle, Rockstar will bring the stage,” says Marius Vorster, Marketing Director at PepsiCo Sub-Saharan Africa.

“We understand that for those in the mix, the hustle doesn’t stop.  This experience has shown us the tenacity, the diligence and the creativity in South Africa, and we couldn’t be prouder to be highlighting and helping elevate these young South Africans to the next level of their careers,” he says.

Rockstar Energy is a new, boldly flavoured drink for those fearless enough to pursue their dreams. Each can is packed with Vitamin C, high in B-vitamins, ginseng, and taurine, and is available nationwide.

For more information head to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  

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Notes to journalists:

Chantel Tisha

Chantel Tisha Ben is a 23-year-old rising star on the SA dance scene. She was nominated in the “Best Dance” category in the Glamour Youth Choice Awards in 2021, in 2022 she has been nominated in the Zikomo Awards, DSTV Content Creator Awards and ASEA Awards. This creative professional dancer and choreographer with experience in Hip-Hop, Afrobeat, Amapiano and modern contemporary dancing, has been dancing professionally for three years. Along the way , Chantel fell in love with content creation and has been posting her work on social media to reach a wider audience.

She has expanded her craft and ventured into other areas including video editing, working with brands such as First National Bank. Her work has also been featured in various local and international magazines. Chantel also offers dance classes to both adults and children and holds an Honours Degree in Accounting and Finance from Sheffield Hallam University. – #rockstar #hustler

Najma Williams

Najma Williams is a singer-songwriter and fine artist, born and raised in Qwa-Qwa in the Free State and currently based in Pretoria, Gauteng. In 2021, Najma graduated with an Honours Degree in Fine Arts at the University of Pretoria. As a self-taught pianist and guitarist, Najma has actively been pursuing her musical career since 2018. Her style is a mix of R&B with a bit of neo soul and her inspiration comes from artists including Jhene Aiko and Sabrina Claudio,  amongst  others. Collaborating with various musicians across the globe is her dream.

Being one of the winners of The Rockstar Hustle Fund will assist Najma to purchase equipment to continue her musical endeavours. “I believe that my talent doesn’t only belong to me, but also to my audience because there is no point in creating music if I’m not impacting someone or becoming an inspiration,” she says.

Sabelo “Xavier Thxmas” Thabethe

Sabelo “Xavier Thxmas” Thabethe is a Hip-Hop/Trap artist born in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga.

His hustle in rap began in 2017 and through hard work and dedication, he has created a great deal of momentum behind his name, specifically over the last two years. In 2021, he won the Respublica Rising Stars Competition and has reached a milestone of attracting over 10 000 views on his YouTube channel.

More recently, his latest hit SPILLION, landed his first radio airplay on BMH Radio and led to him being scouted by DJ Switch for his PutMeOnSwitch Podcast, where he was crowned this year’s two-time champion at the SHOOTURSHOT Cypher Battle, hosted at AMPD Studios.

Xavier’s dream is to use his music to break the internal Hip-Hop culture borders that exist, mainly between the suburbs and the ghetto/kasi. The lyrics in his songs bring a universal voice that speaks to those who have a dream to accomplish, regardless of their relative challenges. His confidence comes from his daily belief and motto, that being ‘against all odds’ which he includes in his music.

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