Listen Now

Khanya Mtshali is a writer and a critic. Khanya has bylines in pretty much every noteworthy publication in South Africa, and quite a few overseas too. Not only that, she's now a published author as she spent her time in lockdown writing a book on South African advertising called "It's Not Inside, It's On Top". The book takes a critical look at how advertising has been shaped by the politics of the time and gives some fresh perspectives to phrases and images that are burned into our collective consciousness. We chat about the decline of the media industry, the mental minefield that is social media, the challenges of writing a research-based book in a pandemic, and wrestling. Lots, and lots of wrestling. Enjoy. Keep up with Khanya on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kublakhanya Follow Almost Perfect Media on Twitter: https://twitter.com/almostperfectza Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Olivia Mortimer is a photographer and filmmaker. Her work has been featured in Times Square and magazines around the world although, surprisingly, she failed photography in varsity. Olivia's faced a number of hurdles trying to enter into the film and photography industries but, through letting go, life-changing opportunities serendipitously found her. We get into mindfulness, therapy, and coming of age as a teenager in Pretoria and Joburg's creative scenes.  Keep up with Olivia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mortimer_olivia/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliviaMortimer Follow Almost Perfect Media on Twitter: https://twitter.com/almostperfectza Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Richard Rumney is a producer, DJ, and cultural curator. You might know him as Maramza or Richard The Third, although he was probably most influential with his work for Red Bull Music SA. Richard has been involved in various aspects of the underground SA music scene since the 90's so this episode is a great history lesson the early days of hip-hop and kwaito. We also chat about how distribution has changed over the years. From having to hustle to get on compilations to songs being shared via WhatsApp. Enjoy.  Keep up with Richard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rick_rumbo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richard_the_third_music/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/richardthethird Follow Almost Perfect Media on Twitter: https://twitter.com/almostperfectza Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Aluta Null is a digital artist and game designer. She works in a variety of mediums including AR and VR and her work is both personal and political. She tackles issues surrounding mental health and black womanhood through a glitchy lens, and aims to use technology to create more accessible experiences of her artistic visions. She's someone who is always thinking, always imagining, and always creating. We get into everything from funding applications to the masks we wear online. Oh, and obviously we talk about NFTs. Enjoy.  Keep up with Aluta on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alutas_theory/ Check out her games on Itch: https://alutas-theory.itch.io Follow Almost Perfect Media on Twitter: https://twitter.com/almostperfectza Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

It's been a slow start to the year for the podcast but it's not like I haven't been busy. It's just whether or not I've been busy with worthwhile pursuits that's up for debate.  Anyway, this is just a catch up episode so I just let you know some of what I've been up to lately, who the next couple guests are, and where you should go if you want a good curry in Durban. Enjoy.  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Mitch Harper is a freelance curator, cultural programmer, and film producer. Mitch returns to the podcast to fill us in on what he's been up to over the last three years. We hear about the challenges of taking the Durban Film Mart online due to the pandemic, how Mitch got into producing, and what he learned from working in a tattoo shop. Enjoy.  Watch the trailer for 'Deliver Me': https://vimeo.com/558692412 Follow Mitch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mharperarts/ Follow Almost Perfect Media on Twitter: https://twitter.com/almostperfectza Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Audiomarc is a DJ and producer who has been with Ivyson since day 1. The "Trap Addict" producer shares how he and Nasty C became friends and how much they've grown since. We hear how his parents instilled a deep love of music in him and how it took a bit of time for him to find his confidence. Now that he's found it, there's no stopping him.  Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect Or buy some merch: https://almostperfect.co.za/shop/

I recently found myself in Joburg again so decided to once again record a couple of my catch up sessions with ex-guests of the podcast. This week you're in for a treat as Mojak Lehoko and Colleen Balchin fill us in on how life has been since we last spoke.  Mojak Lehoko is a comedian who has used the pandemic to expand his skillset. He talks about his desire to work more behind the scenes than on stage every night.  Colleen Balchin is an events organiser and DJ who has had a massive impact on Jozi nightlife through Pussy Party. Coco shares the struggles of being a promoter in a pandemic and the need for more empathetic events organisers.  Keep up with Mojak on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mojaklehoko Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojaklehoko/ Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/mojaklehoko Keep up with Coco on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cocolovesdanger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coco_as_in_butter/ Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/RosieParade Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Jumping Back Slash is a musician, producer, and mix engineer. You probably know and love Jaybles already as he's been rather influential behind the scenes of South Africa's underground electronic music scene. JBS has mixed many of your left-of-center favs and given plenty of helpful advice to younger producers. We don't talk about any of that though. If you want to get to know JBS's life story, go listen to the first podcast that we did. If you want to listen to a man discuss his slow descent into madness and the music that came out of it, then do we have the podcast for you. In this podcast, we chat about Jumping Back Slash's upcoming album, 'A Map Of The Hills I Chose To Die On'. The darkness and isolation of the last two years definitely seeped into JBS's creative output and the album is truly a product of its time. JBS and I also dig deep on the lessons learned (or the lack thereof) during the pandemic and how it's often the gigs you don't take that make the biggest difference. We also talk about the importance of burning bridges, trying to stay present and grateful, and how he found a guitarist for the album on Fiverr. Enjoy. Keep up with Jumping Back Slash on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisisjbs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjbs/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jumpingbackslash/ Check Swak Catalogs for 'A Map Of The Hills I Chose To Die On' on 3 December: https://swakcatalog.bandcamp.com Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Did you hear the good news? Nah, I'm not talking about the Gospel. I'm talking about the yeeting off this mortal coil of that poes, F.W. de Klerk. So, ya, the podcast starts with that. Then I talk about my article about loving wrestling. There's some discussion of Marc Maron's latest podcast about "cancel culture". I talk about bringing books on planes and the genius of Kurt Vonnegut. All served on a platter of cynicism and bemusement. Enjoy. Read about why I love wrestling (again) here: https://almostperfect.co.za/why-i-love-wrestling-again/ Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Jabu Newman is an artist and filmmaker who uses her work to explore and promote intersectional feminism. The multi-award-winning director and photographer has had an incredibly impressive career in the relatively short time she's been on the scene. It all kicked off by creating a web series with friends that focused on a fictional group of activists during the Fees Must Fall protests called Foxy Five. Since then, she's gone on to assist on the critically-acclaimed This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection, and has written and directed her own highly lauded short films like The Dream That Refused Me which won two awards at the Ciclope Africa Awards Festival 2021 as well as a Silver Cannes Young Director Award. In this podcast, we find out that being a director comes with a lot of rejection. Personally, I never really considered the realities of getting work as a director so it was enlightening to hear about the process first-hand. It's obviously not all bad though as Jabu has relished the opportunities to creatively make sense of the world around her and have an impact on it through film. We hear about her political upbringing and growth, and how it influences her art. We also learn the steps she took to go from creating Foxy Five to directing ads for brands like Adidas, and working on films like This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection. Enjoy.  Keep up with Jabu on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JabuNadiaNewman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jabunewman/ Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/jabunewman Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

The episode where I talk about getting back on stage, making a merch store for the website, and investing in a PA system.  Thrilling stuff.  Enjoy. 

The title of this show is partially inspired by the lovable losers in the WWE in the late 90s, and partially because I had a job interview today. Wanna know how it went? Find out on the podcast. I also discuss the anticipation of getting back on stage for the first time in nearly two years. Oh, and I try to shill some t-shirts. Enjoy.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

ByLwansta is a musician, designer, and label owner. You already knew that though as this is the third time the independent rapper is joining us on the podcast. Things have changed a ton since we last spoke. Moving to Joburg has had its effects both professionally and personally, and has lead to a ton of growth.  In this episode of the podcast, we dive deep into relationships, sensuality, and sexual frustration as creative inspiration. ByLwansta's latest single, ASMR, is on the saucier side and we hear the story behind it. We also get into the art of the rollout and why ByLwansta puts so much effort into promoting his releases. Enjoy.  Keep up with Bylwansta on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pleasesaythe_by/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ByLwansta Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/ByLwansta Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

I'm currently making plans to get back on stage which means this week has been dedicated to joke writing and gig organising. I share some of my anxieties around it as well as my ambitions.  I also chat a bit about Dave Chappelle's new special.

This week you're in for a treat. It's a 3-for-1 special as I made the most of my recent Jozi trip and convinced a few ex-guests to let me record our "Ah, we should totally catch up," conversations. I met up with Eric Jansen, Rofhiwa Maneta, and Leah Jazz, and had 3 vastly different conversations.   Eric Jansen was originally on episode 51 which, at this point, feels like a lifetime ago. Things were looking up for Eric the last time we chatted, but, like most comedians, he found his career coming to a screeching halt when the pandemic hit. Eric shares just how tough things have been and we also discuss the awkwardness of getting back on stage now that things are steadily opening up again. Keep up with Eric on Instagram. Rofhiwa Maneta and I actually chatted pretty recently on episode 102 but we still had plenty to talk about when we met in person for the first time. His book about his policeman father, "A Man, A Fire, A Corpse" is finished and will be published in November. We find out what it's like to write honestly about your own blood and we discuss some of the realities of being a cop. Keep up with Rofhiwa on Twitter.  Leah Jazz and I go waaaaay back but we haven't chatted in a while so this was really just catching up with an old friend. Leah was last on the podcast for episode 33 when her radio career was just starting to take off. Now she's a regular part of the 5FM lineup with a boundary-pushing show that airs every weeknight at 10 pm. We chat about making the most of opportunities as you never know how long you'll have them for. Keep up with Leah on Instagram.  This feels like a return to the roots of this podcast as these are the first in-person interviews I've done since the pandemic hit. It's pretty weird to think that I've done more interviews for this podcast via remote recording than in person, but I'm super grateful that I've had the opportunity to keep things going. That being said, I've thoroughly missed doing these interviews in person and I'm looking forward to getting to have more face-to-face conversations. 

My gran is finally out of rehab for her stroke so I've been living that Nick Swardson life and hanging the fuck out with her. With that in mind, it's another solo episode.  I had a few brandys so this one gets a little weird. 

Would you look at the time? It's been 3 years since the first episode of The Almost Perfect Podcast and it's been all downhill since then.  I was too busy selling T-shirts to lock down a guest this week so click play to hear me waffle on about what you should watch, listen to, and read. Enjoy.  Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect Check out the website: https://almostperfect.co.za/

Samora Chapman is a photographer, writer, and journalist. Samora will be exhibiting at the Durban Art Gallery with Cedric Nunn in an exhibition called 'Revelations' from 23 Sep - 10 Nov. Quite an achievement for a street photographer who first started exploring the streets as a graffiti artist. Samora has come a long way since his rebellious youth although he still regularly nurtures the surfer/graf kid inside. In this podcast, we take a look at the journey that got Samora to this point in his career. From the humble beginnings of just trying to get photos of his paintings to being exhibited in one of Durban's most prestigious galleries. Samora has constantly hustled by creating his own exhibitions and opportunities. Now, he's earned a place on hallowed walls. We reminisce over our shared experiences in the Durban creative scene. Samora was the editor at Mahala whilst I ran things at Durban Is Yours so we exchange tales from those trenches. We also hear where Samora has faced backlash and what he's learned from it. Enjoy. Keep up with Samora on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samora_chapman/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

PJ Black is a professional wrestler. He's wrestled in 65 countries over his storied career and it all began under his father's tutelage here in South Africa. PJ has held titles in countless wrestling promotions including the WWE as Justin Gabriel, but these days it seems like he's mostly just focused on having a good time both inside the ring and out. When he's not doing 450 Splashes off the top rope, he can be found jumping off of buildings and out of planes.  In this podcast, we get into the history of how PJ went from refereeing matches in South Africa to wrestling at Wrestlemania and beyond. PJ shares how a potentially career-ending injury lead him to meditation and the life-changing impact that it's has had on his life. It turns out that there are also meditative aspects of falling through the sky. We get into why PJ chose ROH over going back to the WWE. We discuss the creative aspects of wrestling and what it's like to always be performing on a razor's edge in front of a live audience. PJ shares how he came to join Lucha Underground and just how fun it was to team with Jack Evans. And we also chat about what it would mean for him to achieve his life-long dream of wrestling at The Tokyo Dome. Enjoy.  Keep up with PJ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pj450/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect