04/10/2015
Africa Creatives' Founder had the honor of meeting Pharrell Williams. Pharrell was in South Africa for his collaboration with retailer Woolworths, on the "Are you with us?" campaign. It's a campaign that spans across a series of sustainability-focused projects.
"I have always been inspired by Pharrell. He has remained relevant and authentic over the past decade; and more importantly has contributed immensely to popular culture. He truly is a creative genius. When I was invited by the US Ambassador to South Africa, Patrick H. Gaspard, to meet Pharrell, I was privileged enough to share with him some of the work that Africa Creatives is doing and asked him to share his thoughts on the future of Africa's creative industry. I was left re-energized and inspired after chatting with him." said Africa Creatives Founder, Kgomotso (Mots) Tabane.
Pharrell was complementary of Africa's creative industry. He said that as the industry starts to organize itself better, we will start to realize the value that it can bring to the continent. It is then that we will also start to see art diversify. There was however one cautionary note from Pharrell about the industry. He spoke about how some of the art and creative work coming from the continent was art that pushes identity and is often reactive to the social environment; which is indicative of something, a need, that is not being met. Whilst there is nothing wrong with this type of art, it often over shadows and screams louder than the art and creative work that is not as reactive and stems from a purer and more authentic place. He also spoke of how it is time that we as Africans stop allowing the rest of the world to tell our story.
The thing that resonated the most with the Africa Creatives team, is that Africa's creative industry does indeed need to organize itself better and start shaping its own narrative in order to derive value and reach its fullest potential.