The year is 2012. It’s a late afternoon and high-schoolers are gathered around their television screens, waiting to hear which song has shot to the top of the charts this week. There’s no doubt ‘Click Song’ was one of them.
Lucciano, also known as Lucci-ThanksForTheBeat, and Catty Catt were the original minds behind 061 Music, which started off as a clothing label, but later veered into music. Soon enough, Sinna G and Quido got on board and the group littered the music industry with rap that steered the 061 Music ship to greatness.
It was a lifestyle. ‘061 Music’ shirts became a staple for the label’s fans, which they wore ‘for the culture’, while great numbers showed up at the label’s iconic pool parties to show support for the crew.
Music flung them into the limelight. All eyes were on them. The crew was the epitome of cool. At the height of their fame, some musicians branched out for a while to embark on other musical endeavours, all while keeping the 061 brand close to their chests.
There was a beautiful unification of music back then when artists such as M-Dwayne, radio presenter Cheeze – whose unmistakable ‘Windhoek, stand up!’ echoed on several choruses – and powerhouse Kanibal jumped onto collaborations with the crew. 061 Music became an award-winning label, with several nominations under their belt.
But like in any music industry, serious beef crept into the group. Relationships were broken and there was an odd divide among artists. Music lovers were riveted. After all, it is the entertainment industry.
As egos escalated, so did diss tracks.
After years of domination in hip-hop, a sad day dawned in October 2014 when Namibians received news that Catty Catt had passed away from lupus. A massive outpouring of condolences flooded social media, 777 Records created music in his honour while a tribute concert was held at the UN Plaza ampitheatre to show appreciation for the star’s contribution to music.
The group reached a ceasefire, and with their biggest supporter and Catty Catt’s childhood friend Berry also passing away, they were left to pursue their own interests outside rap.
Years later, they returned with new recruits. Sinna G, Quido and Lucciano were still in charge, but after scouring Windhoek’s underground music scene, they discovered rapper JizziManiak (also known as Tuko), Balu and Aimee Arnold who now make up 061 Music.
Together, they’ve released ‘The Area Code’, which signalled the revival of the crew, and ‘Nothing But Beautiful Music’.
“My learnings from my time in the industry have been that it’s never easy,” Sinna G says. “What I heard from one of my managers from way back is that it takes three years of consistency to become a real star in any industry. Don’t give up in the first year.”
A 10-Year Celebration
To mark 10 years in the industry, the group is hosting the ‘061 Music 10-Year Anniversary Celebration’ at Boxx Café (the old Street Cuisine opposite Zoo Park) on Saturday, 30 November, at 18h30. Expect hip-hop to reggaeton as well as a Catty Catt tribute.
The first five people will receive a free copy of ‘Nothing But Beautiful Music’, while albums and merchandise will also be on sale.
DJs KBoz, Smokey, Drew, Ill Mind and Mechanic will be taking over the decks while Fresh FM’s Cheeze will be the MC for the night. Kanibal will also be making a special appearance alongside various artists.
– @MickeyNekomba on social media
