Celeb Edition with JaeBeatz

Christinah Motlhabane
DIVERSE MUSIC PRODUCER: James Chisambi

Having studied at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology under Sound Technology and Digital Film and Television Production, JaeBeatz joined Duma FM as a Production Assistant.

He worked for the station for five years before he threw in the towel to push his own audio production company “Sublime Catalogue.”

He is an artist and producer.

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Kindly introduce yourself to the people who do not know you, your age, home village and what you do.

Can I not disclose my age.

My names are James Junior Kgosietsile Chisambi better known as JaeBeatz.

I am a music producer (audio designer) born on the 30th of June in Mochudi, my Kgosietsile name derives from the fact that I’m the only boy and the last born.

I have 4 beautiful older sisters.

When did you start your music career and what I inspired you?

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My music journey began in Junior high.

I used to rap and write what I called poetry as a way to express myself because I was very shy, so it was more of an escape for me and that’s what inspired me.

I later changed and focused on being a producer, 2014 was my breakthrough year when one of my singles made it to number 1 on the Duma Fm top 20.

What did your role at Duma FM entail?

I was the production assistant and a music compiler, so basically on the production side I was responsible for advert recording, jingles and drops for the station..with music compiling I was responsible for loading new music and scheduling it for airplay.

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What does sublime catalogue do?

Sublime Catalogue is an audio production company specialising in everything audio related, be it advert recording, audio books, song recording, mixing and mastering.

How do you define your genre?

I’m a diverse music producer, there’s no one particular genre I stick to, I’m very passionate about music and I’m always trying to find ways of making it sound better.

Describe the kind of music you produce?

In the past few years the music I’ve put out has been mainly hip-hop, I’ve been working with Tanzanian based artist Lorenzo as a way to expand my listenership.

Favourite song?

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I’ve got a lot of favorite songs at the moment, it’s really hard to pin point one.

I’m a music lover, anything that sounds good to me is my favorite, I take inspiration from it all, the local scene has improved greatly through the years.

What type of music do you produce? Any hits that people jam to but do not know you are the producer?

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I don’t produce one particular type of genre, but there’s one in particular I’d like to master, traditional music.

There’s a certain element I want to infuse into it..apart from that, hiphop, Rnb and a little bit of kwaito are my comfort zones, yes there are certain songs I’ve been a part of the creation process that people are jamming to, but because of the contractioual agreements I cannot disclose their names.

How is it like being an artist in Botswana?

Being an artist in Botswana is very challenging, especially if you don’t have a team or financial power to support you.

We lack a platform that supports upcoming talent, but then again once you get your break you can easily maneuver around the industry, platforms like Facebook and Instagram have made it easy for us to market our work..

What does it take to be an artist?

It takes a lot of dedication and sacrifice to be an artist, you also need to be open minded, creative and always ensure you are keeping up with the times.

Most importantly always surround yourself with things that keep you motivated.

What projects are you currently working on?

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I’m currently working on a collaborative project With (Gosego Atang) better known as Cortez on an EP called the “Lacuna Effect”.

The Lacuna Effect is basically a state between dreams and reality.

It’s his first official project and hopefully one that will be a game changer.

Which artist would you like to collaborate with next?

They are so many artists I’d like to collaborate with, but for some reason with the direction and sound I’m trying to create I think ATI would be a perfect fit.

Any advice for up and coming artist?

To upcoming artists I would saus; always stand by your craft, be confident in it, most importantly love it and don’t ever be afraid to put it out.

Procrastination is the biggest killer of dreams

For my fans, I love and appreciate each and every one of you, there’s a lot more to come, the takeover has only begun.

Are you in a relationship?

Yes I am taken…I am in a relationship.

I am dating such an amazing supportive woman.

Shout out to her and her ability to deal with my drama.

Five things people don’t know about you?

Well, I’m afraid of spiders, I’m an introvert, I’m a big Manchester United fan, I can’t dance to save my life and, I’m quite the athlete, if we’re ever short for 100m at the Olympics they should call me up.

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