COVID-19 LOCKDOWN: WHAT IS THE SITUATION OF THE HUSTLERS?

COVID-19 and the resultant lockdown has definitely been a pain for many people. We have seen many of the big DJs relying on online platforms to play live – and make money. But this demands so much data which, frankly, the greatest majority of DJs cannot afford. Entertainers who, pre-lockdown, were hustling to break into the entertainment world have been hit hard, unlike the established ones.

We have seen how the established DJs have scored trending gigs from the big TV channels. Have the less known DJs benefitted from this? The “benefits” of live online parties as well as the TV gigs during this lockdown have certainly not been on an equal basis. Some have befitted while some have been left for dead.

These are some of the questions people need to think about when reviewing the effects of the COVID-19 and the lockdown.

But how have the hustlers adapted to the lockdown? The fact is that within those who may be categorised as “small business”, only a tiny minority have the means to use online platforms to showcase their skills and thus continue to market themselves. Those who are able to showcase their work online – once in a while – cannot match the well-known superpowers, and they certainly have not scored any sponsorships.

This is not to say that those DJs who have worked hard over the years to make a name for themselves should regret ever doing so. Definitely they were not born with a “Channel O silver-spoon” in their mouths. They worked their way to the top.

We must, however, not bury our heads in the sand. We must not pretend that everything has been “kumbaya” within the entertainment world and pretend that everyone has the means to adapt to the realities of such a long lockdown.

The task of the pathfinders must, however, continue. Only those who remain strong will pull through and survive the lockdown. Without a doubt, those hustler-stories will be chronicled by CALF MAGAZINE, inspiring a new generation of hustlers. The stories of the pathfinders, pioneers and game-changers must continue to inspire post-lockdown, and post-COVID-19.