South African renowned hiphop artist, Slikour (Siyabonga Metane), officially launched his ground breaking fintech platform aimed at driving financial growth within the creative industry and the broader public.
Slikour hosted industry colleagues, media and close friends at The Venue in Melrose Arch on Tuesday, 31 May, where he officially unveiled The Unites States of Creatives, a project he’s been working on for nearly half a decade, which includes two cutting-edge financial technology platforms: SOLDistro and SOLWallet.
SOLDistro, an online music distribution platform, enables artists to effortlessly release their songs on all major streaming platforms and stores, with unlimited free music uploads. While also introducing an artist investment fund overseen by Prowess. This platform also offers promotional and financial tools to help artists build their careers while taking only a modest royalty fee.
Complementing SOLDistro is SOLWallet, an advanced transaction platform tailored to the needs of African creatives. Artists using international DIY distribution platforms who get paid their royalties through global fintech companies normally decide to forfeit their fees due to the tedious processes that is not built to accommodate locals. Members will also enjoy exclusive rewards and discounts, with plans to provide creator loans for creatives working with agencies or musicians with a revenue track record from their streams in the near future.
Slikour also unveiled ‘BlackChain’, a creator B2B marketplace connecting businesses with talented creative freelancers that have been quality checked by procurement and production teams of SA most established agencies. This platform will streamline the process of finding professional suppliers while promoting the work of creative individuals.
Celebrating this significant milestone, Slikour said,
“Tonight, we didn’t launch something new. Distribution houses and financial platforms are already out there. But what we have launched is a journey for creatives to build their equity and value. These platforms are for the creators, the people who love music and the artists who create it.”
To show his appreciation for all those that helped him reach this next step of his journey, Slikour presented awards to VMLY&R, Hennessy, Coca-Cola executive Phindile Phiri and Stella Artois.
Slikour also announced that his book, Slikour: The Life Story of a Hip-Hop Pioneer, will be turned into an adaption – taking his career to unprecedented new heights.
For more information, visit www.slikouronlife.co.za.
