Creative executive, author, producer, filmmaker, voice actor, activist, and entertainment branding specialist, Thembisa Mshaka has been in love with words, music, and media for as long as she can remember. She founded Mshaka Media to house all her creative endeavors. She has been a contributor for POISED, ShineYourCrown.com, Okayplayer.com and Huffington Post, and her latest work is featured in the acclaimed anthology UnCommon Bonds: Women Reflect on Race and Friendship. Thembisa’s work has been published in print and online, in textbooks and anthologies. Her book Put Your Dreams First: Handle Your [Entertainment] Business was named among the Top 15 Hip-Hop Lit titles by AOL and slated for its Second Edition re-release by 2024.
She has been selected as part of the inaugural Black Muslim TV Screenwriters cohort by the Hollywood Bureau, Muslim Public Affairs Council and Blackhouse Foundation. Her first feature screenplay Islamic Speed Dating is complete, and she has pilots in development for multiple TV projects.
As Senior Advertising Copywriter for Sony Music, Thembisa created the award-winning global ad campaign for Lauryn Hill’s solo debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (now celebrating its 20th anniversary), along with multiple campaigns for Will Smith, Destiny’s Child, Beyonce, Wyclef Jean, NAS, Jill Scott, Wu-Tang Clan, Maxwell and others, contributing to the sale of over 170 million units worldwide in just 5 years. Prior to joining Sony Music, Thembisa was the first Black person and first woman to hold the position of Rap Editor at GAVIN magazine, where she coined the phrase “Generation NeXt” and broke many of today’s world-class hip-hop and soul artists (The Roots, Busta Rhymes, D’Angelo, Common, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, The Lady of Rage, Timbaland). Her campaign work led her to voiceover, where the seven-time Voice Arts Award nominee has acted in commercials for ABC, Ford, Xfinity, Publix, SunTrust Bank, and the voice of Aussie Shampoo. She is most proud of her breakthrough work as a voice actor in sports as the voice of NY Liberty 20th Season, WNBA, Muhammad Ali Center’s Legacy video, and the Women of Team USA during the 2021 Olympics.