How I Became The Worlds Best DJ With Only One Arm: Black Coffee | E183

we just had this sound and it was a car. just rammed through the crowd and I just. blacked out Make some noise for black. CFE I hardly had a child who I was. always working and I used to hate it. growing up because I just felt like well. when when am I going to become a child. you know and play like other kids the. 10th of February tell me about that day.

man that was a scary thing for me when I. went to the hospital no one knew what to. do I would literally close my eyes I. wouldn't know whether it's here or here. or here or so it was paralyzed at that. point yeah I stayed for 3 months in the. hospital you know and that depressed me. even more music helped me so much it. brought me peace this is why I share it. it's my way of healing people the same. way it healed me.

my childhood where I come from those. things scare me why do those things. scare you cuz it's a story it was for. years hard for me to share so what. happened is. I before this conversation starts I've. got a favor to ask from you 74% of. people that watch this podcast. frequently haven't yet hit the Subscribe. button and 9% of people haven't yet hit. the Bell to turn notifications on the. bigger this platform gets the bigger the. guests get so if you could do me one. favor if you if you ever enjoyed this.

podcast please hit the Subscribe button. and turn notifications on without. further Ado I'm Steven Bartlett and this. is the Diary of a CEO I hope nobody's. listening but if you are then please. keep this to. [Music]. yourself so the question that I always. start this podcast with because I I I I. studied childhood psychology for a. little while and it was Illuminating to. me how much of our early years end up. defining and shaping us how we become so.

that early context before 12 years old. what what did that look like for. you um when I was born my my parents. were were married my mom was super young. I was the first one. um two other siblings at the time uh my. M married very extremely young probably. like 22 23 already with three kids. divorcing um we were moved to live with.

our. grandmother from the maternal side and. she's the one who raised. us and she used to work in a general. hospital in the sewing room but I saw. her working extremely hard to go for. everything she wanted you know like I. look. back and try to imagine how much money. she was earning and look at the. achievements like changing her Mud.

House into a a. big. designed respectable house and she did. this Bit by Bit by Bit And as a kid I. was there and I saw it whatever little. money she would have she would buy the. bricks it will wait she buy sand it. waits she buy gravel it waits. everything slowly so that's what I. learned from her like to be assertive.

you you wake up you go work also the. strongest thing that I learned from her. is she had cows and she was the only. woman in the. area you know who had cows you know and. she was single woman. and my job was to every morning go milk. the cows before I go to school every. afternoon after school so I hardly had a. child who had like a time to play as a. child out I was always working.

5:00 5:30 from 11 years old every single. day and um that was my environment you. know where I'm like okay whatever you. need you just you have to work there's. no other way and so for the few. years she would make sure I'm up she. would make sure you know I'm on time and. eventually it was my thing she didn't. have to wake me up she didn't have to.

tell me when to go she didn't have to if. there was a problem with the the cars I. knew what was wrong if I needed to get. medication from the pharmacy you know I. I understood everything eventually it. became my thing you know. um that's that's my childhood where was. your father uh my father remained in. deran and remarried so he started. another family he worked in a factory uh.

um they for a company called bacon they. made sweets and. chocolates um that's where he worked and. he just didn't. have he was a nice guy but he. wasn't. present you know so on holidays we go. see him you know he would have nothing. to say he wasn't the guy who was. like how was your day how was school.

you know any advice type of thing you. know he wasn't it was just like the way. he was you know. um yet my grandmother was the she was. the man and a woman so she's the one who. basically and I used to hate it growing. up because I just felt like well when. when am I going to become a child you. know and play like other kids and she. was like this she was super straight she.

was. like assertive. hardworking you know that's hardly time. to do like all the like the games like. other kids were doing you know so I grew. up with that kind of focus which I hated. because I wanted to be a kid you know. but. then it taught me so much. about just work having a work ethic and. um.

that's how I'm able to just pick. up and and leave wherever I can you. know I always referenced this. conversation I had with the with the guy. that trained Michael Jordan and Kobe and. he told me that you know these things. when we're young they end up being the. consequence of our of our greatness of. our talent these hard these hardships we. have but they also always come with a. cost so the lack of play the lack of a a. father figure the situation of you. growing up in a house where you didn't. have a electricity you're milking cows.

your your you know your food is cooked. by you creating a fire. Etc what is what is the cost I I can the. the lesson and the value it gave you is. so clear but what is the cost lots. um um one of them is just being to. myself you know um to a point where I. have a very small circle of friends. because I was never just a social guy.

you know um so I. was as a kid I. always had to do all the work. alone cuz your friends will sometimes. come you know but then they realized. okay every day you know so they're not. going to always come so I was always. like a loner growing up and then I kind. of. like got comfortable that got.

comfortable with trusting my thoughts. and my decisions you know like being. confident in just. myself uh without needing. people you know and that has like. affected a lot of like personal. relationships where if I just feel a. little bit. uneasy I will just remove myself and. it's not hard for me because I'm like. what I really know is myself you know.

but it's it's. um um something I want to start working. on because I'm quick to. create a. comfortable space you know I can meet a. stranger and I'm quick to just. like but I I'm much quicker to move as. well you know and it's it's something. that.

that I feel is not like. um. real you know but it's doable because. I'm always on the move and and and and. you know but um there are things that. I'm like I need to work on you. know um typically you know I think. there's a bit of a stereotype that that. black men aren't the best at emotions. and some some people point at sort of. generational cycles for that um did you. learn how to express your when you were.

young. no I was terrible at it um and there was. no one like I said my grandmother was. quite tough. so and I look at how I am with my kids. you can see when you've. pushed a little bit hard you know in. conversation with with someone and. you're are able to bring them back you. know and explain like look I'm sorry you. know I was a out there this is why and.

you know. like so that they understand all the. Dynamics you know and the older. generation was the one that will whip. you you know and tell you it's going to. hurt me that more than it hurts you and. that's it you'll get over it because as. a child you have unconditional love for. your parent you'll eventually get over. it and you're the one coming back making.

jokes like nothing happened you know um. but I didn't have like a good role model. in in. anything even this you know uh I used to. like avoid I still. do this uh doing. interviews because there's just. again Society pressure that. if I'm good at making.

music am I good in public. speaking so if I play songs nice am I. now a role model to your children more. than. you you know but Society will say oh. don't act this way my kids look up to. you and I'm like but I I'm just a. DJ who's living his life and all of a. sudden it's like no no no but you can't. uh you can't tweat like this because um.

it's you you know. so in in the beginning all I wanted to. do was just to play music like I was. that kid even if I'm not invited at a. party I bring my record box and I wait. and I hope they give me a chance you. know like that's all I wanted to do why. why. music uh because it's always been. my um. Escape you know in that house where I. used to to leave and all I did was work.

and then in my. room music helped me so much to dream of. these moments you know like if I listen. to to Michael Jackson I imagine where he. lives or in America and that one day. I'll go there you know um that's it it. really like took me to all these places. so it became my my friend you know um. and I. never had an explanation as to even then.

what I would do with it like when I. finish high school I'm like I'm going to. go to college and study and my cousins. were like are you crazy then what are. you going to do I didn't. know do do you want to be a teacher I'm. like no but this is what I want to do as. long as I was surrounded by by music. that's all I wanted to do you know uh. because it just it brought me so much. peace. happiness you know and this is why I.

share it I share it because of what it. does to me you know it's. my it's my way. of healing people the same way it healed. me I don't know if I'm making sense make. perfect sense you know I sat here and i. i s i I sat with the biggest comedians. in this country and typically with. comedians The Stereotype is that the. comedian. is depressed that so they started.

cracking jokes and then one of the. comedians came here and said to me he. said you shouldn't be asking you should. never ask a comedian if they're. depressed because it's usually that they. were doing comedy because one of their. parents were depressed so comedy became. a way for them to see a smile on their. mother's face for the first time or to. see their father Smile For the First. Time music and the role it played in. your. household and just in your environment. outside of yourself um I was wondering. as you're saying that is it all. something that created happiness in.

others when you were young that you saw. like your your family or your yeah um. before we moved uh uh to to my. grandmother's place in the Eastern. Cape the structure of my family back. then. was my entire family lived in one house. or not entire but my father and his. brothers so there was about. four.

families and that's where music was like. a thing you know one of my uncles my. father's. brother had a like a. small um called them ghetto blasters. yeah yeah so he was the music guy he. loved re he used to play re a lot that's. where I My First Love for re came from. like anything as a kid I I used to know. different Peter Tosh albums Bob Mary and.

the Whalers and all that kind of music. and every now and then then it will be. the pop that was happening at the time. and he will take it out and all of us. will be out there and we will dance you. know uh that's that's my my ear. childhood memories with music is that in. that big family when it's hot and it's. summer and we're just all outside and he. plays the music and and now we dance. anything with with music you would find. me that's why I never knew what I would.

do with it you know uh but I just knew I. wherever it is sometimes they will send. me to to the. shops and in the township sometimes. there will be like a big Coca-Cola truck. maybe they're promoting a new flavor and. it's parked in this they play music they. send me to buy bread and I don't come. back like literally cuz I'm just there. like I'm just listening to music you. know I don't leave Lally and I get into.

trouble you know so wherever there was. music that's how I got into it cuz my. cousin who's also our neighbor him and. his friend had a mobile sound system so. they were doing weddings like graduation. parties and and so during the week he'll. have the sound system connected like. just small speaker and he play loud. music and I'll go there so I'll spend. days there and then I started like they. used to use like cassettes and and you. rewind with the.

pan so that's how I started and I would. like learn and I was curious and then. they will take me to the day parties. then I'll be the opening DJ you know but. I was so curious. that I developed the style of playing. you know uh I was a little bit advanced. in. understanding tempos of the. songs and so I wouldn't just randomly. play I play songs that were close.

together in Temple and so all of a. sudden the mixes were like almost. Flawless and people were like then I. became their main DJ you know by 145 I. was like their main DJ and the people. booking them would tell them bring that. black boy I like super dark as a kid. bring him you know and then I was more. cheer then I started collecting records. then I but 10 and which were my own and.

they bring the system I plug more things. you know and then when I finish school. and I moved to another city back to. Devin where there was. more access to things and I I really got. into it so I was studying jazz music but. I was a DJ on the side and sometimes I. would bring tenta into the school Studio. you know um it was such a fascinating. thing for the Jaz students because we.

were there like. learning Jazz scales and like the theory. of music and I'm here with my DJing. equipment you know at some point. actually while I was a jazz student and. a DJ I did a a classical. play like all three same time you know. because me and a friend of mine uh in. the hallway at school. because we were in the choir we were.

singing one of the songs we we sang in. high school in the choir and one of the. school lecturers had us and she was. shocked because we were Jazz students. she was like wow you guys you know this. is classical music like you sound so. nice there's a play that's happening at. the playhouse called the Pirates of. penans if you like cool so we went we. auditioned we got the parts so we would. do chess studies after school we go.

practice at the. playhouse and we went to perform we did. um I was opening the show like I was a. tener you know um just anything that had. to do with music so from from Jazz when. I was young sorry uh. re then I went through different stages. then there was a time where I was like. obsessed with like. fusion um the then gospel music then.

classical music so and I didn't. understand what I was being prepared. for you know all these years I kept. being exposed to different types and I'm. a DJ so then my. taste varies based on understanding. these different genres that's why I was. able to in 2010 do a show with the 24. piece. Orchestra because 8,000 people yeah in. the stadium so course I was exposed to. this music and I knew knew where to. breach you know the Gap the 10th of.

February pivotal day in your life yeah. tell me about that. day man 1990 yeah I was talking to to. someone about it cuz it's a story that. it was for years hard for me to share. you know and I'm in a better space now. I'm I'm able to talk about it. um Street Grand mother we at.

home uh on the. 10th which was like around 800 at night. and she was super strict um no one comes. out the house that late we were sitting. in the house I think after dinner we. hear like people singing outside we all. come out everyone I mean comes out to. see what's happening and there was. people singing there were a group of. people about to pass our house we run to. the crowd with my cousins you know we.

were not allowed to but this was nice so. it wasn't a big thing even I mean for. her but my cousin my cousins went back I. didn't why music so I followed the crowd. and the. reason this was happening is because on. the 11th of. February Nelson Mandela was officially. coming out of jail after 27 years so.

there was like jubilations around the. entire country this was happening in all. the major cities where people were like. we're going to stay up all night until. the morning you know uh of his release. so this crowd was going to a stadium. which is close to my. house. um that's where the the camping was. going to be the singing until the. morning in the stadium so they went on. the streets basically Gathering more. crowds and we were out close to the.

stadium and just out of nowhere we just. had this. sound um and it was a car just came out. of nowhere lights off just rammed. through the crowd um so I was I was not. in the front but I was maybe like 20%. in and I just blacked. out um. and the people were screaming and when I.

woke. up um there was fire you know people. were angry so basically this driver. Switched Off the. Lights to literally just kill people. with his car and um so they bent the car. well they bent the guy too and um they. burnt the guy yeah they pulled him out. the car and killed him yeah literally. and he stayed there for hours actually.

without anyone coming for him cuz I. remember this happened around 4: in the. morning went to a hospital. around maybe 30 minutes later the cars. took us to hospital I came back from the. hospital around 78 he was still there. like not even covered his car he was. still lying there on the ground. uh that cost his life and someone else's.

life who was also in the. crowd um so by that time I mean it's 7. in the morning I'm back from. hospital the announcement happens Nelson. Mandela is finally out of jail we're. watching this from TV I'm sitting on the. couch you know there's just chaos in the. country people are so happy this man is. finally. out and um. I was on the couch in pain you know uh.

after the accident and I think what. really happened to me I don't think the. car reached to me I don't think the. car touched me I think the force of the. people that were in front because of the. impact they pushed so hard so what. happened is I dislocated my shoulder but. severely. I had no bruises no cards it just came.

off meaning um my nerves that connect. the arm to the body were. snatched and being in a small town when. I went to the hospital no one knew what. to do so I'm there I'm holding my arm. like they don't know if it's broken they. don't know what to do with it you know. so they just gave me a sling and pain.

tablets and I went back home but the. pain was couldn't stop and then um the. following day then I went to deran which. is the bigger city to go to like a. bigger. hospital where I stayed for three months. in the hospital you know and even there. they didn't know what to do one morning. they were like okay uh we figured it out. they put a cast so I'll have a cast for. like two weeks. but the damage was here but I was a kid.

as well so I didn't understand you know. um so the injury is called braal plexis. which is um a damage of of nerves and. there's nothing you can do to fix damage. nerves they can only fix themselves so. over time um so they Tred different. things at some point I remember I was. being taken to like a. specialist to see if there was life on. my arm.

so um because they were thinking of. amputating my arm so they put this. device that had. electricity to see if it's going to I'm. going to fill it and there was just like. probably like 5% of. life and he was like no we don't have to. do it over time the nerves will grow. back and that's what has happened you. know and as a kid I mean I was 14 it was. lifechanging you know um the things I.

wouldn't I wasn't able to do uh then. activities there was just things I I. couldn't I was in a music class you know. um so I couldn't participate when on the. piano uh like lessons and we used to. play recorders and so I went through a. phase. where it really affected me and. and just over time I was like actually I.

have a life to live when you say you. went through a phase where it really. affected you what what does that mean. specif like why me I mean I mean when. when you are born fine all of a sudden. and kids can be mean so the name calling. comes and you know cuz also I thought it. was going to pass and I would as a kid. even have dreams you know I wake up I'm. like oh I had a dream last night my hand. was working and I was doing this and you. know and so to me it was like maybe next.

week maybe next month you know I'm going. to be fine again and so I went through a. lot of that you know and then eventually. acceptance I. okay this is what it is you know um I. have to leave I have to move on and I. kind of like stopped thinking about it. and just focused on. what's.

next how do I learn. to um tie my shoes you know um or just. wake up and do everything without. calling for help that was the most. important thing for me because I didn't. want to feel sorry for myself that's the. most important thing where I was like I. need to learn how to not to call anyone. for. anything zero like then that was a big.

thing for. me what's the what condition is your. left your left arm in now as we sit here. um it has gained probably like 40%. movement and. um let me put it this way when it. happened I would literally close my eyes. and I would know it. was okay so it was paralyzed at that. point yeah the whole arm I wouldn't know.

whether it's here or here or here or you. know um so over time I've started. feeling things I can differentiate. between hot water and cold. water um and every now and then cuz. that's another thing I used to do. physiotherapy a lot and I was a kid and. I used to after school I go and I train. and that and that depressed me even more. because I was waiting for results. you know and I thought I'm training for.

muscle that wasn't coming so I couldn't. see. anything and when I stopped I stopped. everything I stopped thinking about it I. stopped waiting for it to be better. acceptance yeah. so uh even now it's. like if I woke up and it was fine do I. even need it that's where I'm at like. doesn't really matter you know um I.

think my life has turned out exactly how. it's supposed to this happened to you. when you were 14 but you didn't share it. with the world until 2017 in in a. Facebook post yeah because as an artist. I just felt like I did not want to be. seen as that. guy um. who has a disability you know uh where. it's like oh you know like.

um I didn't want a PT party you know I. just wanted to. be understood and had like everyone else. you know so my first album came out in. 2005 that's it I just worked on music. released it I used to DJ the way I do. and people think Sky play with his hand. in his pocket what's with that you know.

like it looks cool but what's you know I. thought I thought you were just the. coolest. [ __ ] people like cuz the hand. thing in the pocket happened when I was. a kid and cuz I used to have the. slinging and even when I run with other. kids and I us to have to hold this hand. because it was just moving everywhere. and one day I was like I just put it in. the pocket and I was like damn this is. more functional than having a sling. and I never stopped you know and so it.

wasn't even a thing like that was like. so deep it just happened when I was. young and I was like actually I feel. comfortable like this and over time it. became you know a thing cuz also being. um the introvert that I am it helps me. in not explaining myself cuz everyone. even now there's. [Music]. um there's things like like that um I'm. support you can buy them from Pharmacy I.

have them so when I'm home I use that. and or when I have people at my house I. use it or when I swim and even people. who know me are like are you okay what. happened you know these were things I. was avoiding to be having to explain. myself all the time like you know um I. was like I sit and I look normal like. everyone else and there people promise. you in my life today who don't.

know. and it's. fine did it make you work harder or have. to work harder to get to where you are. today. definitely definitely uh especially as a. DJ you know um because I just felt like. this thing was trying to rob me of this. one thing that I really really love and. I will not allow it you know um so it.

made me in that sense not even in a. sense of who's going to employ me I'm. [ __ ] my life is a mess it was like if. there's one thing I'm not going to lose. is. music you know I won't stop I have to be. a DJ I have to I have to and I'm from a. the cassette era to the vinyl I mean how. do you take a vinyl out of a. final package with one hand and this.

used to stress me and when I look at it. I'm like how will I become a. professional. DJ you know and it takes me not or it. took me not. thinking I just like did it you know. like I'm like this is one thing I want. to do. so I just went all the way I I would go. to school I remember there was a time. where I would spend at least two hours. every day.

DJing for I didn't play for a club or. every day two hours of my time because I. and I used to say this like I just want. to be ready like one day when someone. says you're a DJ I'm must boldly say. yeah am you know. and I look now and I play sometimes I'm. like man you. good like. I look at I'm like wow you know because.

I developed the style you know um of. playing that is my own based on. understanding myself and what I can do. you know. um I have a friend uh Sandra we grew up. with he's also a DJ. and when I started like back in the day. like really when I was spending time.

practicing I I used to be really crazy. and he says this all the time that they. don't even know how crazy you are. because now I don't do I don't do. anything I just play less is more you. know I'm more experienced now but my. understanding of it is like on on a. different level you know but I'm at a. space where I'm like I don't have to. do you know that's where I'm at I think. I have to yeah yeah I don't have to. because I've been there it's like.

learning the basic course and you go to. the advanced course you know uh go. Advanced. driving doesn't mean you're going to. come on the road and drive like you were. on the advanced driving school you know. it's just understanding and knowing like. when I look at this. thing it's part of me the deck yeah. quick word from one of my sponsors um. super excited to announce that our new.

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said it's amazing low calories you get. your 20 odd grams of protein you get. your 26 vitamins and minerals and it's. nutritionally complete in the protein. space there's lots of things but it's. hard to find something that is nice. especially when consumed just with water. and that is nutritionally complete and. that has about 100 calories in total. while also giving you your 20 grams of. protein if you haven't tried the heal. protein product do give it a try The. Salted Caramel one if you put put some. ice cubes in it and you put it in a. blender and you try it is as good as.

pretty much any milkshake on the market. just mixed with water it's been a game. changer for me because I'm trying to. drop my calorie intake and I'm trying to. be a little bit more healthy with my. diet so this is where heuel fits in my. life thank you here for making a product. that I actually like The Salted Caramel. is my favorite I've got the banana one. here which is the one my girlfriend. likes but for me salted caramel is the. one when you were asked I think you you. were in your early 20s they asked you. you know I think you just was that. around the time You' done the Red Bull.

um your your early 20s they asked you in. an interview where you were going to be. in two years oh man do you remember that. was a scary thing for me. um I remember that I'll never forget it. you know I don't think that was me. talking you know I. just um it. was it was Black. Coffee someone I wasn't yet you know um. cuz I I was never that guy you know I.

didn't I didn't. have I don't want to insult my schools. and say I didn't have the right. education but you know I look at my kids. schools where they go to they learn. public speaking they know how to present. themselves and they know how to get. across a point a point across they know. how to. speak. and I'm I'm not from there everything. that I kind of like have I had to. figured it out myself you know and so.

doing an interview then being asked this. question and at the worst time of my. life. then and give and and give that answer. because the question was where do you. see yourself and I. said they said in two years and I said. in five years just gave myself time I. said in five years I'm going to be one. of the most important. producers I don't know if I said of the. continent or the country country you. know which actually I'm proud of that.

because it could have been worse you. know I could have said I want to be. number one I want to be the best. [ __ ] I would I would have said. something crazy like Pumpers you know my. answer was still like very modest and. but I was clear. about what I wanted you know uh but. after saying it I freaked out because. then I realized I need to own this I. need to own it and I need to then start.

working towards it you know. and yeah then two years later which was. the. question I released my album and I won. my first award for best album you know. which was low. key then I was the best producer in the. genre in the country you know uh but I. think. I don't know like if it's the awards.

that drive me. or just success. itself because it's the narrative that. oh he probably I get a grm like he wants. something more he wants more he wants. more and I don't think I look at things. like that I think I just know. that um I can do more than an award I. can do more than an achievement I can do. more. than you know I'm.

capable that's it that's what I'm I'm. I'm I'm fighting for you know uh and. it's a little boy in me who was milking. cows who had no friends who is. like I can especially coming from where. I come. from and that's it it's never really. about I'm the smartest one and I'm I'm. going to the best one uh I'm the most.

gifted one it's just like I started with. nothing I'm from like nowhere really. like so and I had nothing to. lose you know so I I threw myself in and. I just want to keep going when you look. back at the you know you said that in. your early 20s two years later your. album wins um wins that amazing award. your career continues to go to the Moon. um when you look back in in hindsight. with wisdom and say ah cuz I think it's.

always in hindsight you go that's why I. got here you've talked about the. obsessiveness yeah I get that I get the. drive the hunger but as it relates to. the creativity and the the craftsmanship. and all the other things why you and why. not some other young you know South. African DJ. from the Eastern C uh I. think um it's what I think it's just. being in intentional. about what you want um the people I work.

with from the. beginning there always just like the. goal is similar we we don't try. to I don't think we Chase number. one you know we just we we we just want. quality we strive for Quality we. understand the less is. more concept. um I've never and I've tweeted this once.

in my country as well I've never gone. for like I want song of the. year those things scare me I just want. to release music that has the kind of. substance that I love why do those. things scare you because I just feel. like then you have to keep chasing the. number one so if I am this year then I. must be next year. otherwise then there's a deep that's.

going to come with that if I'm not. so we do what we comfortable with. because what we comfortable with we can. do it again you know and improve it and. improve it so the goal is always the. same like not to try. and go. mainstream it's just be. comfortable you know you can wake me up. tomorrow and be like can you make a song. like.

drive I'll be like I can probably better. then oh I can never make that song again. because wow you know it's in my space. you know everything is in my sound Bank. everything I work with is always around. you know and also I think now I'm. clearer as to who I am as an artist you. know I'm more of um. I'll.

say 65%. DJ that's where all my energy is then. 35%. um uh. producer having sat here with with Diplo. and other um artists Jesse J um the boys. from One Direction Li pay what I heard. over and over again from them is that. with success in music there becomes more. authority figures record labels Etc.

telling you how you should sound and. telling you that if you sound like this. then you'll get a number one and it'll. be mainstream etc etc how important over. the course of your career as you look. back has it been to try and stay true to. yourself despite the temptation to fit. someone's that's an easy part for us you. know because first of all what am I. looking for like what I just explain to. you now as being a More DJ than a.

producer so DJing pays our bills that's. our Core. Business. therefore that's where we're going to be. strongest and releasing music is the. second part of the. business um so it being the second part. part of the business means it's not the. main thing and so there's no pressure in. then following all the trends that come.

and and I've been quite. fortunate uh in my career from the. beginning when I released my first. album I released it with the licensing. deal meaning I did it on my own and I. submitted you know to a label so no one. could. say we don't like number five take out. number seven don't you want to fix. number number two you know it was a Dar. and package.

album and that's been the nature of my. production career. where the last album that I did was the. first album with the a label in the US. where there was. that um. Authority you know and it would mostly. come as we're not sure about this one. but what I.

did I. separated my African. releases from the global. releases therefore when they're like. we're not sure I'm like it's okay I'll. release it in. Africa where I know it will make more. sense and also it fits the sound that. I'm doing that I wanted to you know so I. remember one of the songs I released was. a song called your eyes with the South. African artist called shik brilliant.

song and they were. like. H released it and immediately after it. came out they changed their minds they. were like okay maybe not we'll we'll. also release the. song you know because we were not. following what they want you know and we. were cool with it you know um then after. I released an EP called music is King. which was purely purely for.

like the African Market because even now. I I don't have a. label uh so I don't have to have these. conversations about what song I want to. do and how does it. sound um but still when I do my team. knows I want to separate the two Africa. must be on its own because one day I may. wake up and be like I've always been a. fan of cific I want to do a song with. Salif ker and when you do a song with.

Salif ker being a gy winning. artist if you put that song on an album. that album might not be. nominated on. the dance electronic. album because the language is foreign. they will take that album and Sh it with. the world. music that means you're competing. against your African brothers and. sisters is which is what I really hate. so my point is I then separate the two.

if I want to do a single with an African. artist I can do that if I want to do. like a Grammy quality kind of work I can. still do it but I'm fortunate not to. have those kind of Gatekeepers and. Authority that tell me no and I can. understand with the deep in them you. know they their structures are different. but we we fortunate to we we've structed. our things well how many shows so you.

said 60% DJing how many shows do you do. in a busy. year I don't know. man um. IA this summer I think I did 21 just. alone all Saturdays at high right yeah. yeah I was there for two of them so yeah. just Saturdays alone in Visa like 21 of. them and subing then since May so. meaning. every uh.

weekend Thursday Friday I'm somewhere. else Sunday I'm somewhere else every. weekend every weekend so Thursday Friday. Saturday and Sunday and Sunday yeah. sometimes you're going to be flying. around that's what we do yeah so before. high I'm somewhere else after high I'm. somewhere else like I had a show here on. a Sunday. yesterday um show I have a show on. Tuesday. tomorrow you know so sometimes it's.

Tuesday sometimes it's Wednesdays but. every summer it's. like for every Saturday there's a. Thursday and a Friday and a Sunday. sometimes how many shows is that in a. year though if you were to add up is it. because I read that it was more than 150. sometimes no it is yeah. definitely that's a lot of. shows I think I you know I had I did my. little tour of this podcast and we did. nine and I was [ __ ] knacked. we did nine shows in two months and I.

was like I need to wait another year. before I do that because of the. adrenaline and all the feelings and the. emotion and the performance and it's. late and whatever else how how no I. think at this point I mean. um this is what we do you know if you. look at um you made a reference about. Michael Jordan and coob can you imagine. like the hours they spend like to get to. that level you know um it becomes second.

nature you know the first thing that. comes to mind is that little boy milking. cows I'm. like this is a blessing so nine. shows you must have made good money for. you to. complain I don't think we made any money. but we we gave you like I'm done. retiring but I I do Wonder because you.

know I hear about the the kid that was. milking the cows with no electricity. back in back in South Africa and I you. know sometimes my fear is that that kid. is going to when that kid becomes an. adult he will make decisions which will. compromise other needs because he's so. driven to survive definitely at some. point as you said before I think we. started recording you've got to step out. of survival at some point and go live. that's why therapy is such an important. thing you know uh for us I mean I I I've.

had so many different conversations with. South African. artists um some I've had conflict with. and you know when we meet and try to. solve the conflict I'm like let me tell. you what's going to help all of us is. therapy because how do I. go um from being that. boy and you know living in the same. Community where like no one even looked.

at. me you know and you first forward I'm. coming back to that same Community like. in a Lamborghini and everyone wants a. picture and it's um it's a mind [ __ ]. just to me you know so you need to. really work on yourself when you cross. that line where it's like someone you. looked up. to uh uh as a kid you thought this guy. is so successful and you realize that.

actually you are the successful one so. how is the shift then even in respecting. that person you know cuz then one is. like I'm the king now you know then. another is like you still the king you. did this before me I'm paying so much. respect to you so it's it's a very thin. line between uh um seeing yourself as a. king over everyone else or knowing you.

are and still respecting everyone else. and that's the balance for me and it. took me such a long time and I'm still. battling and I'm working on it and I'm a. little bit better now in understanding. the difference between Nati and black. coffee what is the difference between. nauy and black coffee the little boy and. yourself as a DJ um black coffee has all. the. Privileges right like. it's a joke in my house and sometimes.

when uh I want to go eat in a restaurant. and I I think late I'm like damn I need. to go and you know and I have I tell my. sister please book and then she's like. oh well not now it used to happen like. that she's like oh it's fully booked and. then I'm like no but just tell them. who's. calling and then she's like oh yeah yeah. table for two sorted you know those are. the packs of. those are black coffee packs where it's.

like if na cold the restaurant is. full is if black coffee. called there's a seat for you there's a. table for you so na is a kid that grew. up going through magazine and seeing. model girls you know like thinking wow. if one day I can have a girlfriend like. this. right that's nauy and but na never had.

access to that and never would given. where he comes from but black coffee. has access to that. so then sometimes n uses Black Coffee. you know. to to to satisfy nauy where it's like. instead of saying Hi I'm nauy. it's oh you black coffee and I'm like hm. yeah you understand so it's a it's two.

different things to a point where even. where I live. now it's crazy but that's how it is. where I first bought myself a house this. is with my divorce story that's not even. final I moved out of the house so I'm. like life is going to be so dope you. know now that I'm a single guy and I. live in this apartment and and. toyss I go back and like wow and then.

toys over I'm back home I'm sitting I'm. like this is my life you know like I. just the house I left I just finished. building now I live in an apartment like. a. student let me look for a house for. myself then I look for a house and I. found it so I have the house but now I'm. like it's a big house but it's lonely. cuz I'm from family I leave alone so I'm. like Mom don't don't you want to move. and come stay with me which I think it's. a noble thing you know cuz my mom had.

like um heart problem so she moves and. then now I have the warmth of the family. right it's nice and I'm like but is this. my life like I live with my. mother so means I can't bring my friends. here like we can't have a little party. because my mom is in the other room then. it bothers me so much and I think and I. remember having a conversation with my. friend I'm like. man I love it but at the same time I.

even told her you know I'm like I just. feel. like I this can't be it you know where. I'm like I'm about to finalize my. divorce and I live with my. mother you know and the most incredible. thing happened I get a phone call just. that week when it was stressing me so. much I get a phone call it's the number. I don't know I'm like yo and then this. guy's like uh my name is Michael I'm. your neighbor and we have this long. conversation on the phone and then he's.

like by the. way I'm selling my house and I'm going. away we moving to another country. and just letting you know as a. neighbor and I was like oh thank you God. because it was like um a. solution so I bought the neighbor's. house and in my crazy head the. neighbor's house that's where my mom and. the. children are going to stay that's a.

naughty. house right that's where you're going to. find me on the floor on the grass. playing with my children the next door. that's the black coffee house I want to. come to the Black Coffee. House you know but the thing is about. the black coffee house which is what. before we started recording you were. asking me what's on my mind and I was. telling you Legacy Legacy. Legacy I want to build black coffee. house as a like a black coffee house.

that would be like a future black coffee. house okay not a current black coffee. house not current but it will be a. future this is where he used to live ah. okay you know so I'm I'm very much. intentional about the things I collect. the art on the wall um like everything. that I do I'm doing to create value in. the house you know to have Ste come to. this house and we take a picture by the. pool and it goes to the wall of of Fame.

oh nice you know so tell me when you. know like creates this value out of it. you know any kind of friends that are. you know like unnown in the world that. come to visit we we create all the. memorabilia even even the suit I wore. the Grammys you know frame it and you. know s kept it and the shoes and you. know like that's their whole idea to. kind of like build um like a legacy. project for my kids who are living next.

door you know in a normal setting where. uh they're not exposed to or. um their lives are normal you know you. know like having a day with the kids in. the pool and then Drake's walk Drake is. walking in you know like Steve B yeah. you know what I mean so have you that's. the difference between the between black. coffee and I'm just like taking it that. far where I'm understanding that they. different.

Dynamics when you told me the story of. going from a divorce in a house to an. apartment Penthouse to a house with your. mother to then moving next door back in. on your own it sounded to me like. someone that was struggling to try and. have the best of both worlds continually. yeah. because in your own words you were told. that the best life was to be married. yeah tried that yeah you discovered that. for you it wasn't so you went to back to. the penthouse yeah which is where yeah. which I was like damn Bachelor single. we're about to yeah and then you're in.

the penthouse you go [ __ ] I need to be. back in the house family environment. yeah and then you get the mother back in. and the mom comes in you go. [ __ ] actually. no um the day my divorce is signed how. do I. celebrate you know it can't be in front. of my mother you know so you're right uh. but remember it's it's all the. search that's what it is searching for.

happiness and in the end I don't think. we're going to be able to find and. Define it what is your happiness it's. going to be. um it's not a. destination you know it's going to be. like um a series of different things you. know where boxes are ticked you know if. all those boxes ticked though are you. then happy you can't tick them.

all cuz cuz life is is so long and we. keep discovering things to take you know. and they all have different meanings you. know uh which is where the the small. boys Journey end you know because if it. was the small boys boxes to tick by now. we will be. done you understand so there's boxes of. an adult like you're saying you live. here and then you extend and then you.

know upstairs you keep and then you're. going to be like actually I need to buy. another building that's how it is but. but all these things they we're never. going to stop I often think that um I. was thinking there about advice and you. know a lot of that advice tends to come. from our parents but um I often think. that when we've come from a place of of. hardship and I just think generally I. think this a lot in my own life um. there's words that I wish.

I I said or could say now to. my parents there's words that I wish I. could say to my um my mother my father. you spoke so lovingly at the beginning. of this conversation about the role that. your mother played in your. life is your mother still with us yes. she is y I spoke to her on my way here. she is. y are there any words that you found. difficult to say to. her um not anymore you know I love you.

was one of. them uh because she it it was. never part of our. family as like an African family to have. that kind of formed and these kind of. conversations you know um even even uh. hugs are still a little bit awkward but. they still hugs because it's never been.

their generation didn't do that you know. uh they would show you and you would. know your parents love. you the in the best way they they they. will do it you know and being a parent I. am so much. aware. of how I want to teach my kids to be. able to say it. and like randomly hug them uh because I.

never you know had that growing up and. then in the end we are the ones who come. back and teach our parents you know no. matter how awward it gets you know teach. them to say and they then they learn. even though it's. like it's not something they know con. yeah we have a closing tradition on this. podcast where the last guest of asks a. question for the next guest they write. it in the book they don't know who. they're writing it. for the the question that was written.

for you and it's funny that oh oh oh. yeah they've written a question for you. but they didn't know who they're writing. it for which is the most amazing thing. ever when you hear this. question what is your favorite. sound. laughter why. because people laugh when they are.

happy and going back to what I said in. the beginning I think personally that's. what we searching for as it's a human. race we just looking for. happiness thank you thank you for being. so generous with your time thank you for. giving me some of the best nights of my. life thank you for um coming here. inspiring me thank you for your your. vulnerability which I know will help so. many people and thank you just for being. a creative inspiration for me as I said. I'm I'm trying to DJ at the moment I've. got my decks upstairs so um I I read.

that you're looking for you know young. South African Talent. so come get me that's a South African. from bana south of Africa I know I know. I know but yeah thank you so much it's. um thank you man it's been a pleasure. thank you appreciate appreciate your the. invitation it was really I was nervous. about coming here you know like you know. open up and but it worked out well thank. you thanks quick one we have a brand new.

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