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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
Rapper Awa Khiwe has proved how much of a powerful tool social media is after a freestyle video she shared on Twitter last week, attracted over 100 000 views and earned her bookings.

For the past two weeks, the Germany-based Awa, who had been on a four-year hiatus, has been trending on micro blogging site Twitter. This was after she posted a one-minute video announcing her return on the hip-hop scene through seamless bars.

Many prominent musicians including South African rapper Zakwe and locals Cal Vin, Msiz’kay, Mudiwa, Chengeto Brown, Takura and DJ Tamuka were among the thousands who retweeted and liked Awa’s video.

In a thank you post on Facebook this past weekend, Awa said because of the way she has been trending on social media, event organisers have shown interest in her works as they have booked her.

“Ngithanda ukuqala ngokubonga, yazi isupport yesocial media iyaliphakamisa iartist, (Firstly, I’d like to thank all of you for the support you’ve given me on social media as this uplifts artistes). Last week, I got bookings from my freestyle video that was trending and this has shown that those likes and shares (on social media) can take us far,” said Awa, without sharing where she was booked.

The Nkayi-born hip-hop artiste said social media presence was important for artistes as festival organisers first check if an artiste has traction on social media before considering them.

“Even when you apply kuma festival ufuna ukuyaperfoma, bayachecka isocial media presence yakho, so liyabe lisebenze kakhulu ngama likes lamashares, kuyabongeka kakhulu (Even when you apply to perform at festivals, they check your social media presence to see if you have a following. So with these likes and shares, you people have helped me a lot, this is commendable),” said Awa.

She however, said she hopes her experience will inspire young female artistes, especially from Matabeleland as she has proven that it is possible to get support for one’s works, as long as they are good.

“I’m not doing this for myself as my wish is for other girls to see that it’s possible to have something worthy,” she said.

Still in the spirit of supporting artistes, Awa urged people to support artistes by buying their music on online platforms and not requesting it on WhatsApp for free.

“IWhatsApp kodwa hayi bakithi zihlobo. Angifuni kuqamba amanga, isidonsela emuva, asambeni kuma-link siphakamisane (As for WhatsApp, I don’t want to lie, it doesn’t help artistes if people request for music on WhatsApp and share it there. Instead, it pulls us down. Let’s go to the song’s links so we uplift each other).

“. . . asking for a song on WhatsApp is not supporting an artiste.”