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When you mention Lawrence Manyapelo’s name, the first thing that comes to mind is Previdar, the online magazine he founded, not Lawrence’s recent heartbreaking social media breakdown.
THE LEGACY OF LAWRENCE MANYAPELO
Previdar was more than just a magazine in South Africa’s celebrity pop culture scene. According to IOL, the magazine had featured every type of South African celebrity on its cover. The magazine’s images were carefully planned and photographed. Lawrence Manyapelo, the company’s creative director, was responsible for everything.
He was once described as a creative visionary but the image that appeared on his personal Instagram was a far cry from the fabulous image of the once celebrated Previdar founder. The Instagram video was not a ‘poor me’ rant but it a genuine cry for help from an individual who was not just down on luck but suffered for his art and made some sacrifices for his vision.
LAWRENCE MANYAPELO’S HEARTBREAKING CONFESSIONS
The confessions that he made were shocking from the admission that he was not receiving payments for his work when he was working as a creative director for two large companies to being blackballed by influential individuals whom he had trusted.
The most heartbreaking confession was that he was homeless and often did not have any food to eat. The amount that he sold the magazine for was R150 000 even though the initial selling price was R1,5 million but out of desperation he accepted the offer that was given. This amount was allegedly paid in monthly installments. This became an issue when he needed access to funds so he can take care of basic expenses such as electricity and food.
The sad reality is that this story is not the first of its kind especially when it comes to our country’s creative economy. This could be solved once funds and grants are put in place to assist such creative which are a gem to the creative and entertainment industry.