DJ Tira confounds critics with his success

DJ Tira is not a jealous sour grape motivated by greed and envy.

Frankly, he has kept his head down and remained silent for far too long.

As he celebrates 21 years in showbiz and 15 years of his trailblazing independent record label Afrotainment, Tira is firing back at his naysayers.

The 43-year-old veteran DJ and producer has reached pioneer status by being a key player in the shape-shifting genre that is kwaito — changing the party scene in the process.

Through Afrotainment, he has introduced Mzansi to Durban gems such as Big Nuz, DJ C’ndo, NaakMusiQ, Tipcee, Dladla Mshunqisi, Duncan and Q Twins.

“It was huge five years ago and it’s dying down now but people have always seen Tira as a greedy and jealous person,” Tira says.

But his critics have often put him under the microscope and accused Tira of mooching off the many names he has turned into superstars.

“It dates back to when Mampintsha started his own label and people thought I didn’t want this label to survive and I was jealous of him,” Tira says.

“Everything that happened between Mampintsha and Babes [Wodumo], I was dragged into it.

“If anything wrong happens in Durban, they always find a way to pin it on me.”

Tira has built such a formidable brand championing for eThekwini excellence that he has become the unofficial face of the Durban music movement.

He’s also the subject of an eight-part MTV Base reality show Afro Nights that tells the story of how Afrotainment became such a powerhouse.

It all started in 1999 when he won the Smirnoff Club DJ competition and DJ Fresh helped him sign his first record deal.

Many first fell in love with him as one half of nightclub duo Durban’s Finest that he formed with DJ Sox in the early 2000s.

He founded Afrotainment in 2005 with the help of his mentor, DJ Oskido.

“I started Afrotainment in Durban when everyone believed that if you wanted to have a successful career in showbiz, you must go to Joburg,” he said.

“It’s in my heart to help new artists. I have the energy and love for it. I care deeply about that and it makes me happy to see them winning.”

It took three years for his business to take off the ground.

He first registered the business in 2005, and followed up by buying a house in 2006 and completing a recording studio in 2007.

In 2008, he signed DJ C’ndo as his first artist and Big Nuz (Mampintsha, Danger and the late R Mashesha).

At the 2010 SA Music Awards (Samas), Big Nuz won big. “Three awards in one night was amazing and we couldn’t believe it,” he said.

“It was the year that we launched this Durban movement that took over SA.”

Along the way his working and personal relationship with Mampintsha took a huge knock.

They have recently reconciled, with talks of a Big Nuz reunion album under way.

“I think when I was working with Mampintsha he wanted to do things his way and I didn’t have a problem with that. But it had its sore moments,” Tira said.

“When someone starts their own thing people start saying something is wrong even though you know there is nothing wrong and he [Mampintsha] started to think that something was wrong too.

“We are good now and talking about doing another Big Nuz album. We are focusing on his album and label — and they are doing well.”

Tira admits that working with celebrity egos while you are an artist yourself is not an easy task.

“That’s the hardest part when friendship and business meet,” he says.

“Artists hate contracts because they think contracts are there to protect the employer only.

“They don’t think contracts are there to protect them too.

“That’s just the drama that comes with the business and you just need to handle it.”

Over the 15 years in business, his career objectives as a solo artist took a back seat.

In 2019, all that ended when he released his first solo studio album.

It paid off as he won his first Sama last week for best kwaito album.

“I’ve been pushing other artists all these years and that’s what helped Afrotainment last this long,” Tira said.

“I sacrificed a lot of songs to give to an artist I was promoting that year.

“That artist will win awards and the company keeps growing. But there came a time where I needed to focus on myself as an artist.”

Born Mthokozi Khathi in KwaHlabisa, KZN, he has a brother three years younger than him.

“We are a small family and I’m fortunate that both my parents are still alive. We are just a quiet family that doesn’t like drama.”.

He said juggling his stardom and family life with wife Gugu and their three children required a lot of focus.

“Priorities are important and making sure you spend time with the right people at all times.”