Signing a publishing contract is serious business. This rings true, especially for those in the music industry, whose creative rights need expertise in protection. For this reason, Sheer Publishing Africa – the largest independent publisher in Africa – have structured their publishing deals to first and foremost protect the interest of the artist and to profitably elevate their music to new commercial heights.
Established in 1996, Sheer Publishing represents the largest collection of African library music works ranging from traditional to contemporary sounds. Proudly adding to their selection in 2024, top South African rappers, Lucas Raps and Sizwe Alkaline have joined the Sheer family in a mutually beneficial partnership.
Lucas Raps, full name Luke Duncan Malong, is a South African rapper from Cape Town. His musical journey began in October 2016 when he performed alongside Nasty C at the East Coast Radio Huawei Durban Day. He went on to win an award for Best Collaboration with Mystik Liyon in 2017. Lucas Raps has been on Sheer’s radar for some time, but their “artist first approach” meant securing the perfect deal to grow and nurture the young man’s talent, so that he can flourish both artistically and financially.
Lucas Raps already has a strong track record, making him a sought-after artist for writing collaborations. In 2018, the rapper signed to DJ Maphorisa’s BlaqBoy Music label. In 2019, he rose to fame with his collaboration with Dr Peppa on the song, What It Is, featuring Riky Rick and Chang Cello. The song was also nominated for a South African Hip Hop Award. In 2021, KAYAFRICA named him one of 13 South African Artists to Watch.
Sizwe Alkaline, popularly known as Reason, is no stranger to the South African music landscape and is a creative force in the country’s creative industry. Sheer are extremely excited to be partnering with him to further his reach, collaboratively taking his music to growing audiences.
Reason came to prominence after his collaborative work with Ms Nthabi. He has worked with some of South Africa’s most respected names, including Stogie T, ProVerb, DJ Maphorisa, Kwesta, HHP and more. He later adopted the name Sizwe Alakine, after pursuing a career in Amapiano music. The multi-hyphenate artist is currently riding the wave of his hit collaboraton ‘Imithandazo’ with Kabza De Small and Young Stunnaand Mthunzi.
Managing Director of Sheer Publishing Africa, Thando Makhunga says, “Sheer is thrilled to partner with two incredibly talented young artists, Lucas Raps and Sizwe Alakine. Their unique voices and creative energy exemplify the future of South African music, and we’re excited to support them on their journey to success.”
Sheer Publishing is always on the lookout for new and budding talent to add to their portfolio. Along with discovering and working new music, they dedicate a large portion of their resources to educating the industry in the music publishing arena. Considering the importance of music publishing in a songwriter’s career, it cannot be overlooked and the forging of professional relationships in the industry is key.
| Sheer Publishing is a subsidiary of Downtown Music Holdings – a global music services company with over 20 million music assets in six continents. |
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