Sicka Starban

 Nonkululeko Sharon Mthunzi also known as Sicka Star-ban Jones is a hip hop artist/composer/traditional healer/LGBTI activist/photographer/event organizer and entertainer. She is part of a two-man band titled JacobsJones where she works with a guy named Tshepo Jacobs aka Major-Short Jacobs. Their music is a collaboration of Kasi rap (township rap) and Motswako (a mixture of South African languages). Their album is titled nett/so – loosely translated as ‘just like that’. She recently collaborated on a performance with Fossilsoul (a poet from Cape Town), in Charlottesville USA, at the Look3 Festival of the Photograph. Sicka has performed in various hip hop events/sessions in Gauteng, South Africa; as well as various LGBTI events in South Africa alongside Major-Short Jacobs. She is the co-founder of Vital Platform - a hip hop movement created to give platform to hip hop artists in her township of Daveyton in South Africa. Sicka mesmerized the Oslo, Norway audience at the Nordic Black Theatre earlier this year; with her controversial dance track – ‘Drag Queens’. Sicka is featured in Zanele Muholi's lifetime series, titled Faces and Phases, of which she had the privilege of composing a song about the publication which celebrates the beauty of young black lesbians. Her work is influenced by a few artists like Zanele Muholi who is a visual activist, who taught her that ‘If it is not documented, it means it never existed’. Ifani, a hip hop artist with his creativity and the relevance of the content of his music. Thandiswa Mazwai - an afro-pop artist with the way she connects to her music spiritually and reminds us of our roots as black people. Jay-Z, also a hip hop artist/entrepreneur who influenced Sicka to be business minded and build her own legacy. Her work is inspired by the surroundings of her township. Mthunzi’s activism is visible through her music. It speaks of the stigma of how homosexual beings are victimized in the world. Sicka intends to generate positivity through her music, since we all know music brings people together and is also a language spoken worldwide. Sicka’s positive energy generates through her composition. On stage she is the connector of the little particles in the atmosphere, that become one giant bubble; which brings smiles to many. As a traditional healer, her outfits and style are inspired by the latest fashion with a bit of leopard print. She is very fond of leather material and dashiki style. Sicka never forgets to add a bit of tradition to the mix. ‘Fashion and trends change every time, change is good only if it benefits you’ she says. The one thing that is important to Sicka is her roots, although many at her age would disagree because it is either they were not taught or have forgotten their roots. She hopes to change the perspective of the South African youth to remember their roots. After all she believes we are all born as stars so let us shine bright and land a mark in the sky. "Live life to the fullest and everything will flow like butter on a hot pan”.