Featured tracks:

• Old Shanty Town
  

• The Money Never Lies

Simmah's full time music career was officially self launched as a cover artist in 2013. He has widely performed many shows, and also writes and performs his own music. Simmah is a storytelling acoustic-styled musician who can sing different genres such as House, Pop, R&B, Soul, and recently Electro. Simmah has previously reached the Top 100 in South African Idols and has hosted a number of concerts singing covers of his favourite artists. When not pondering the state of the nation, Simmah is in studio recording his promo album which he plans to launch in late 2019. He works with youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to support positive lifestyle choices.

Email: officialsimmah@gmail.com

You can find @OfficalSimmah on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Soundcloud.

Featured tracks:

• Babylon State
• Flashlights

G-Major-O, born Sello Majoro in the south of Gauteng in Sebokeng, is a self-taught independent wordsmith in the poetry and rap fields, a beat maker, and a full time sketch artist. At 13 years old, Major started performing his art to crowds, and since then his skills have only sharpened. The content in Major's writings is mostly love, raising awareness on social matters that affect us badly and way to to curb them, and the freedom of being one's self.

You can find Major on Facebook, Twitter and Soundcloud.

Featured tracks:

• 41,000 Sisters
• Old Shanty Town

I am an activist against the rape and sexual abuse of women and children, lyricist and singer. I run the Barefoot Campaign in support of survivors of rape and sexual abuse. I use music and poetry as means to get my message across to the public.

Email: tjones098@gmail.com You can find Kaalvoet Prinses on Facebook and Instagram.

Featured tracks:

• Floorfilla
• Old Shanty Town
• Rand Theft Auto
• Welcome to Welkom

Ta-Bongz is a hip hop and rap music performer, writer and producer. He was adopted as a baby by a single mother of five. Ta-bongz started rapping at 16when he was introduced to ganster music and now follows his dream to be of the best in the world of gangster rap... "I believe I can be one of the greatest stars Africa has seen, and I can create great change and shift of other souls that are caught up in the trap of criminality".

Email: godfreethulo01@gmail.com

Featured track:

• Album narration
  

Sinazo holds a B.A degree majoring in Anthropology and Psychology from the University of the Western Cape. Her interests are in research, human and community development at large. Sinazo is planning on furthering her studies and eventually working her way up to a doctorate. Her master plan is to use all her knowledge and experience to set up skills programmes within her community that will help alleviate chronically high local unemployment.

Email: sinazo.mdlalo@gmail.com

• Drummer (various tracks)

I gained an interest in music as a child happily banging away on my mother's pots and pans, and at the age of six I attended drum classes. I progressed quickly, subsequently becoming the main drummer at our local church. I started teaching drumming at the age of 14 to local youth who wanted to do something with their spare time. At present I'm teaching at different local places and in particular helping out struggling drummers to understand the importance of 'time' - the drummer's critical role in any band. My dream is to continue my love for drums, gain more experience, helping those who struggle and share this passion to many around the world.

Email:lucasjones1997@gmail.com

You can find Lucas on Facebook and Instagram

Featured tracks:

• 1000 Soldiers
• Don't

Thabiso is the resident DJ at Mamaruba's Tavern in ivory Park. He is an accomplished keyboard player, has a two year sound recording diploma and has produced many tracks for the Johannesburg nightlife. Thabiso takes his inspiration from his father, God and the people around him. he thanks his grandmother for pushing him to pursue his dreams.

Phone: 0604698821

You can find DJ Thabiso on Soundcloud

Featured track:

• Nyabesaba

T-Man is a DJ and vocalist hailing from KwaZulu-Natal. He ventured into the music industry in 2010, working with local upcoming artists from the township of Clermont. Through hard work and perseverance he has managed to produce the hit single "Shona Phansi" currently playing on MTV Base and Channel O. T-Man travels and performs for audiences across South Africa. He credits Tempo Khubisa for playing an incredible role in his career and has been inspired by Brenda Fassie and Michael Jackson. He praises his fans for supporting him throughout his career and is optimistic about his future in the music industry.

Email: dthulani08@gmail.com

You can also find T-Man on Facebook

Featured tracks:

• Bank Robber
  

Music defines who I am , as through music I am able to express all my emotions. The best part of music is when the sound of my voice can put a smile on people's faces. I am a people's person, so when I see that smile, it really brightens my day and this gives me hope that there is so much more to life than just going through our problems and having to make them our priorities. When we can just sing our hearts out we can really find healing.

Email: portia.sane21@gmail.com

Featured work:

• Music video filming and editing

My extensive background in Film and Video Production led me to my current role at the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation, where I am responsible for creating a diverse range of media from photography, digital stories, to documentaries and films. My film making skill isn't the only thing that defines me. I love playing the guitar, and snapping priceless moments on my camera. I get to explore and develop both of these hobbies within this project alone. I've been involved with many productions, but helping make the documentary and music videos of this project is by far the most challenging and fulfilling experience of my career.

You can find Kayla on Instagram

Featured work:

• Album photography

I am a self-taught stills photographer who shoots mostly (but not limited to) interior design, product and food. With extensive knowledge of lighting and visual storytelling, I am a photographer with a keen eye for the bigger picture. 'The State of the Nation' is an important tale that needs to be told, it is my intention that these images add to that story, elevating these artists to bigger and better things.

Website: www.justinpatrick.co.za

You can find also Justin on Instagram.

• Senior Producer

I am a London born songwriter, producer, sound engineer and guitarist. Since the age of 14 I have written hundreds of songs and played at countless venues. After qualifying in digital sound engineering back in 2001, I fell in love with a South African and 15 years and two children later, our family decided to emigrate to South Africa. Since living in South Africa I have joined a musical collective called 'Soul Hoover' and worked with the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation throughout the country. Whilst working and researching I have met hundreds of informal musicians, singers and artists. This album reflects the culmination of hundreds of hours of brainstorming, collaborating and recording with these artists.

Email: arfcollier@gmail.com

You can find Arthur on Facebook and Soundcloud

Featured track:

• African Blood
  

Raised in a historically oppressed society from Grassy Park to Woodstock you can catch SliCe up on the block making digital hip pop. Keena shares a message of speaking your truth and to rise above the past. Keena is a writer, poet and currently writing a biography about life in Cape Town.

Email: keenbean1093@gmail.com

• Project Director and Co-producer

Leif is a co-director of the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation Non Profit Company based in Cape Town. He is engaged in the practical matters and cultures that make societies work, and building on the natural skills and abilities of people in nurturing their passions. He has spent the last decade working supporting livelihoods in the township economy across South Africa, and through that process coordinated the finding, and bringing together this remarkable collective of musicians. In his spare time, he writes, runs, reads and dabbles in matters of Soul Hoover.

Email:leif.petersen@livelihoods.org.za

Featured tracks:

• Fatter, Crappier
  

Pretty Ramahlako is a South African playwright, poet, and author who works in creative collaboration with Limpopo based creative troupe 'Fireside Theatre Productions'. He writes and performs poetry in both English and sePedi and has published three volumes of his poetry works.

Email: prettyram.pl8@gmail.com

Featured track:

• How Many Names?
  

DJ Sweetest is an accomplished reggae artist who lives in ivory Park, Johannesburg. He has previously produced one album of original music and commonly conducts live street performances in his home area for the youth. Sweetest is also the operator of a township gymnasium "Gym at your own risk" which serves to provide exercise facilities to the unemployed youth of Ivory Park.

Phone: 0646724335

Featured work:

• Album booklet: graphic designer
  

Born and bred in Cape Town, grew up in the Cape Flats then migrated to the northern subrubs, so I'm a bitjie gam and a bitjie stervie. Full time designer, part time photographer/videographer and natural hair influencer wannabe.

Email: Kylelsr@gmail.com

Kyle is also on Instragram and you can view his portfolio here

Featured track:

• When Her Body Remembers
  

Glorychild is a Durban poet and a vocal revolutionary who ventured into the art of spoken word at 13. Her attraction to spoken word was based on how the words had so much intention and meaning and how much people from different backgrounds resonated with spoken, her growth manifested into writing pieces of the unspoken. Her content is rooted in social injustices. Glorychild Ntuli has performed at various corporate functions and has performed at Poetry Africa 2017. She continues to make her mark on various social media platforms.

Email: khweziluthando@gmail.com

You can find Glorychild on Facebook and Instagram

• Mixing, Editing, Producing
  

Florian started his professional music career via an artist deal with Sony/BMG and Universal Music Publishing in 2000. After some years on stage and touring he became a music producer and composer who is now recognised in the film and advertising industry. His company "HAUS Building Sound" has subsequently worked with many international brands and clients.

More recently, and going back to his roots, he has produced and composed music for artists, art-films and projects, documentaries, TV films and theatre. After cancer remission in 2018, Florian spent several months in Cape Town, where he encountered the 'State of the Nation' project. Hearing the music alongside his love for his wife's country, he could not turn down the opportunity to become involved.

Email: Florian@hausbuildingsound.com

• Album cover art
  

Mark is a Cape Town based artist and Odd Engineer: "I have not painted since those early restless years when I rebelled against social norms and lived remotely. There were times when I would make a painting or a life size figure just to destroy it. My works were passionate and expressionistic. I approach my work ritualistically and believe in its deeper purpose. I have made site specific shows, public sculptures, and commissions."

Email: inbox@markodonovan.co.za

You can find Mark on Instagram

Featured track:

• Beds are Burning
  

For the State of the Nation, TCIYF are Thula (guitar), Toxic (bass and lead vocals), and Jazz (drums). They are an independent thrash punk band started by members of Skate Society Soweto fam. The band performs songs about everything you secretly want to hear and aside from skateboarding, are influenced by the 60s,70s, 80s, thrash metal, weed, beer, and you.

Email: tn7505@gmail.com

You can also find TCIYF on Facebook

Featured tracks:

• Mbira instrumentals
  
• Jazz backing in "Her Body Remembers"
  

Valmont is completing a PhD in the history of Cape Town's vernacular music at the University of the Western Cape. He has worked as a cultural activist and later Director of the District Six Museum in Cape Town - an innovative community museum dedicated to cultural development, land restitution and social justice.

Email: valmont.layne@gmail.com

• Mixing, Editing, Producing
  

Hugh Davison is a music composer and producer from Johannesburg. He makes a living writing tunes for the man, but also spends a fair amount of time working and hanging out with artists that align with his wide-ranging interests and tastes.

Email: hugh@hughdavison.com or hueyvoodoo@gmail.com