Quote for page one: ‘We live in a world where many thrive on taking advantage of others and it’s high time we put our foot down in whatever causes we believe in.’
A short memory back, Prince was an unknown dude about town, whose only claim to fame was partying (dancing from sunrise till sunset) down a storm in many of Gaborone’s various clubs. Fast-forward to 2009, Prince who in the past got many doors shut on his face after trying his luck in many of the local radio stations, now commands respect by co-hosting RB2’s coveted morning show dubbed ‘Rise and Shine Re-Loaded’ with Tebogo Ragontse. MOSES MARUPING recently hooked up with the heavy and croaky-voiced radio presenter who is slowly carving himself a golden niche to find out what makes him tick.
You host the most coveted show in the country, tell me about it… I’m thrilled and I count my blessings everyday. Only if people knew the difficult road I’ve travelled to be where I’m at today they’ll realize that nothing in life is impossible. If you put your mind to whatever you want to do then for sure you’ll achieve it. This show continues to enrich my brain as I deal with current affairs on a daily basis. The show is a mixture of the fast-paced, what’s hot now and we fuse it with the latest trends, be it in music or fashion.
How much preparation goes into this show? Dude! A lot really if you consider the fact that I wake up at 0400hrs every morning. As soon as I get up from bed I freshen up before I switch on the radio and TV to get a grasp of what’s going on around the world. I get to the studio at exactly 0500hrs and I meet up with the other morning team to discuss all the things lined up for the day. It could be revising the questions for the proposed morning interview or simply getting in tune with our producer.
What makes you tick? Music, without a doubt, makes me tick. I also get thrilled by current affairs. But most importantly I get elated when I discuss things in my show which are life altering. It also gives me great pleasure whenever I get stopped by a random person on the street saying they appreciate what I do. It makes me feel like a mini-God.
I see! So tell me, the celebrity-spotting trend, does it happen a lot? Of late yes. It humbles me whenever I’m walking just about town doing my thing when somebody stops me and says, wait I know that voice. Aren’t you so and so? It is the very same thing, which makes me acknowledge and appreciate the power of radio. It makes me super-special and I’m humbled that it has started to occur when I’m hosting a programme with a purpose. Mind you, I’ve only been on radio officially for six months and I’ve gone from hosting the graveyard shift to the after-hours drive and ultimately prime time radio (breakfast show). I’m happy that I have achieved a lot so fast.
Do you often get mysterious phone calls from anonymous women wanting to hit it off with you? Ha-ha! Yes, that has also been happening a lot. However I’m not big on taking women’s phone numbers or calls. I’m always not tempted to take these calls but whenever I do pick them up I put them off nicely. I don’t want these callers getting off the phone feeling less of women. I’m not the demeaning or degrading type.
Have you had any embarrassing moments so far? Not really but once in a while I do go through the usual ‘choking over words’ trend especially when I’m addressing pressing issues. I’m just happy that the errors I do make are quite minimal and the fact that the RB2 crowd seems to be quite mature in digesting the many issues, which we discuss in our show.
Many people often argue that for one to make a break into radio s/he does not need a college Degree. Your comment… I always say it’s very important for someone to have something to fall back on whenever things take a nastier turn and what a better way to do it than having the highest academic achievement. However, when it comes to radio I believe all you need is your God-given talent and the cocky attitude. It is the one field where one does not need a college degree to break through. You need to be able to break down doors without a key. You also need to be very persevering. Mind you when I told myself I wanted to become a radio presenter, I job-shadowed on Obza’s show for three and a half years without a pay. Although it was a bit frustrating I do believe it ultimately paid off and I would encourage young people to do that.
What are the top five things which makes one a good radio presenter? Firstly you need to be a good listener, be good on delivery, be confident, have a bit of arrogance and interact a lot so you can very much know what people(listeners) want. The arrogance will always come in handy when you need to stick to your ground. As a radio presenter you are simply a medium of information and you need to be able to stick to your line hence the arrogance.
Don’t you think this ‘arrogance’ will ultimately make you bigheaded? Not with me as I was raised in a Christian-inclined background. My mother always told me that although I may be important the next person is more important than I am. Arrogance should only be used as a defence mechanism, say whenever provoked or under attack. We live in a world where many thrive on taking advantage of others and it’s high time we put our foot down in whatever causes we believe in.
Well said mister! So what interests you about Botswana? The people in this country are very special especially after you’ve travelled to South Africa. You’ll realize the humbleness Batswana possess.
Is there anything you hate about our country? People who always want to take advantage of others. I hate everybody who manipulates others for his/her own benefit. I also hate the fact that most of our people don’t realize their potential. We should stop borrowing trends and cultures from other countries but instead pride ourselves in our traditions and invent our own styles that the rest of the world could also copy. The corporate community should also start seeing some good in their people instead of ploughing their money on foreigners.
I’m told people in the limelight often take advantage of young women by sleeping with them. Your comment… I sincerely acknowledge the fact that this thing does happen but not with me. One thing which makes me appreciates women the most is the fact that I was raised by a single mother. Unfortunately she passed away in 2001 and I want this interview to be a dedication to her. May her soul rest in peace. She was a friend, a girlfriend and most importantly a mother. I’m not an opportunist and I respect women. I’m dedicated to my work and my life.
Are you dating anyone at the moment? I’m single and not looking for the simple reason that many women often fall in the quagmire of dating people on radio simply because they’re on radio. I don’t want to find myself in such a sticky situation.
Ha-ha! So, whenever you do decide to date, what kind of woman would fit the description of a good woman? I want a woman who was raised right. She has to be a cultured person with the main ingredient in her being, Botho. She also has to have a phenomenal body, humorous and not really super-intelligent. I want to have smart kids so clearly their mother and father need to have brains closer to Einstein’s. She has to have super looks and light-skinned too.
Is there anything else we need to know about Prince? I’m a patriot and I clearly think we’ve achieved a lot as a country and we must not sit back and bask in the sun.
What freaks you out in life? I’m afraid of death. A friend of mine once told me that no amount of education readies you for the loss of life. Even if you’re a professor and you lose a loved one you’ll always shed a tear.
What are your future plans? Together with my manager, Christie M, we’re working towards growing the Fresh Prince of GC brand. I would want to have a family and kids one day and they would need somebody to feed them. I have been given a platform to express myself and I want to use it to greater heights so that the businessperson in me comes out. I want, through my brand, to create an alliance market for Botswana and South African artistes to thrive. I simply want to create trade relations between Tswana and RSA arts. Anyone interested in knowing more about the Fresh Prince of GC brand can contact my manager, Christie M on 72258516.
Do you have any last words? It can be done. It has been proven. Let’s get together and hold hands and embrace this beautiful thing called life.
PERSONAL PROFILE
FULL NAMES: Prince Dimpho Masololo
D.O.B: 24 November 1981
P.O.B: Serowe
HOME VILLAGE: Serowe
FAV FOOD: Pap and Oxtail
FAV MUSIC: It’s quite diverse for me to pick one genre.
FAV MOVIE OF ALL TIMES: John Q starring Denzel Washington.
DREAM CAR: Hummer; mind you I’m not a small person.
CURRENTLY READING: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.
HOLIDAY DESTINATION: Kasane
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