By Lebohang Mokoena

We are all born in imperfections of some sort and our turn out is to be mouldered by the culture infested in our spaces.

We are a family in the "bigger family" being the society.

On the same reality line, in every ghetto, city or burbs, if you really look hard youΓÇÖll find sex-workers and sisters who dig that gold by all means.

To seek survival in this hard time of recession and economy crisis so to say, is of utmost importance.

But is it really worth selling yourself short for cellphones that will eventually loose value, for clothes that will be rags after a few washes, for booze that will booze out of your systems in few hours.

These are the lengths we go to and endanger our health and life as we have seen, rather read, in last weeks issue of this newspaper (front page).

These days teenagers are concubines to our fathers. While they keep catching these men who are in sexual need, whoΓÇÖs gonna be there to catch them when they fall, another generation will be a catch 22 and bigotry mentality reigns and the trajectory continues and denigration of women cycle continues.

Yes others do it to support their responsibility that reside at home. Giving my opinion on the matter, doesnΓÇÖt mean IΓÇÖm in any position to judge anybody. IΓÇÖm classified as a low class citizen and I have learned to over look poverty by building my castle on a firm foundation.

Clearly our moral fibre and values clash with our freedom of choice, and this too gets to be one of those "ItΓÇÖs not a question of right or wrong" issues, but how far are we willing to go for money...for survival.

We are all gold diggers of life, with boundaries. Surely by now we have experienced enough to know life is hard, sometimes we are strangers in our own spaces.

Lest we not forget memory has a way of burning itself to ashes and resurrecting like a phoenix.

After my survey on life, two decades later, IΓÇÖm happy to have known that every emotional or financial struggle is short lived, and it depends on you.

So I prefer to do what I love, do it well and watch it grow!!

By Lebohang Mokoena

Dance your way into reality, into the hearts of a forgotten civilisation! NtjapediΓÇÖs Ha e hlolwe ke sebata is here to civilise yΓÇÖall!

The brand "Ntjapedi" was established in 2003 by Rasekgantsho and Rustic. They kicked off with a street wear clothing line. Soon thereafter they expanded the brand to music and their first musical project started with a mix-tape that hit the streets in 2005.

In 2007, an acoustic band, the Best of 8, was formed. They clinched a recording deal with Bonzo Music Productions and in June an album was released and launched at the Baseline in November 2007 with mad support from Vaal music lovers.

Ha e Hlolwe Ke Sebata was an album of the week on Kaya FM, following the 1 Breath Music and Art concert where Ntjapedi shared the stage with Mabi Thobejane, the "Conga King", a born drummer/percussionist/musician.

Rasekgantsho admits that theyΓÇÖve had their fair share of adversities, even seeing Jeff, one of the leading members renegade the brand to pursue his own business.

In the meantime Ntjapedi has been burning the roof of House of Ntsako in the concrete jungle of Jozi. They still fan the flame of their niche market in Bloemfontein.

NtjapediΓÇÖs trademark is enplotted on our landscapes and Ha e Hlolwe Ke Sebata is an evolution of counterpoint, love and human psyche in the same breath. ItΓÇÖs one of those albums youΓÇÖd still be jamming to two decades from now.

Purchase NtjapediΓÇÖs clothing at the Vaal Mall and the album at Musica. Also get in touch with them on myspace, Facebook or their workshop in Bophelong.