EMPOWERING AMAPIANO ESOWETO: DJ STOKIE


Born and bred in Soweto DJ Stokie has produced an Amapiano documentary that showcases his Sowetan roots and uplifts local talent.


The journey of becoming SA’s number one Amapiano DJ for Stokie is filled with perseverance, tenacity and the belief of holding on to something you love no matter the challenges you face. His real name is Setoki Mbatha and as a young boy he grew up without a mother, his dad and uncle were his support system and the community of Soweto were his biggest fans from day one. Hustling for gigs eLokshin DJ Stokie, stuck with his dream of making it one day and has maintained a strong work ethic and discipline he learned from mentors such as DJ Ganyani.

Now recognised as the pioneer and Superman of Soweto, DJ Stokie gives back to his community with a documentary that shows his journey and the rise of Amapiano.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN SOWETO?
He’s a father, a husband and a businessman from Orlando West, Mzihlophe. I started my career way back, in high school. I used to DJ at school concerts, beauty pageants and any other activities in school that required a sound system and a DJ, I would be there. Anything that had to do with entertainment I would be front and centre of. I’ve been in the music industry for years, and I can say that indeed patience is a virtue because looking back from where I come from to where I am now it’s truly astonishing.

WHAT WAS YOUR LIFE LIKE EKASI?
Growing up eLokshin is tough and has its many challenges. I lost my mom at a very early age, so my father had to step in and carry the load of raising me. So as I grew up without a mother figure, it was just my uncle, dad and I at home. But the support I received from them was amazing because I fell in love with music because of them. They used to listen to uMbhaqanga at home, so I grew up listening to music a lot. I had to balance between school and music and back then music was just a hobby and no one believed in music, parents used to say that you need to become something like a lawyer or doctor. One day my dad sat me down and told me that I either had to do music as a profession or go to school. I chose music and started getting gigs locally at parties getting paid amounts like R350. I would take that money back home to contribute to groceries and other expenses. It was challenging yes, but I had fun at the same time.


WHAT OTHER CAREER WOULD YOU HAVE TAKEN EITHER THAN MUSIC?
To be honest, I wanted to be a doctor when I was growing up. I chose music because I fell in love with it. It was like a calling to me and it worked out very well for me in the end.

WHAT INFLUENCES YOU AND INSPIRES YOU CREATIVELY?
What inspires me from the past era and musicians before me is the type of discipline they had and level of consistency. I looked up to people like DJ Ganyani, who stayed in Meadowlands which is closer to where I stayed in Mzihlophe in Soweto. I’m inspired by his work ethic a lot, he is still relevant and has maintained consistency throughout his career. To me, he is a ‘grootman’ from eKasi that I will always admire. It’s rare to find artists like him who have these qualities. Nowadays artists and DJs lack the zeal to keep up and persevere. You have OG’s like DJ Vinny da Vinci, DJ Christos and Glen Lewis who have a big music catalogues and can get up onto a DJ deck and shut it down even today.

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WHAT IS THE REAL GENESIS OF AMAPIANO?
Back in the day, the genre I used to play was Deep House which included artists like Chynamusic and DaCapo to name a few. These guys were masters in the Deep House genre and they came with the original sound that had the piano element and which we used to call Jazzy house. MFR Souls who are music producers from the East Rand were also playing Deep House and they heard the sound of our Jazzy house and decided to incorporate it into their music which had a lot of saxophone and piano elements as well. After MFR Souls completed their production they called me to have a listen and I liked what I heard. I then took that sound into Soweto and introduced it to eKasi. It wasn’t easy and simple because it was unfamiliar at the time. Soon after, Kabza De Small also joined in and started playing this sound as well and then it spread like wildfire.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A DJ?
I’m a chilled guy and I like to give credit where it’s due. With the guys, I mentioned they started producing this kind of music we all know as Amapiano but they did not know how to DJ. They created and produced music and I was the one that would DJ and introduce their tracks to the people. Then, later they also became DJs and started to produce and play their music. So I too went from being a DJ to a music producer as well.



WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PRODUCE AN AMAPIANO DOCUMENTARY?
The idea behind the documentary was to give back to Soweto. They have been supporting me from day one. This is a token of appreciation from me to the Soweto community and Amapiano community. We have included a lot of artists that are currently making it big now and I’m so proud because some of them I played a part in their success and gave them the platform to make it big. So it makes me happy to see their progression and success in music. This documentary is me thanking Soweto for being there for me from the very beginning. I’m very humbled by the love and appreciation I have received thus far.


IS YOUR WIFE ALSO IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
No, she’s not in the music industry like me. My wife and I have a company called Kwa Stokie and Exclusive Music Studio. I’ve invested in property as well so she looks after that, and on the music side she manages our finances. Her favourite genre of music is R&B and soulful Deep House. She’s been a fan of my music from back in the day, she would come with her friends to watch me play at gigs and support me.


THE MUSIC IS DIVERSE AND CROSSES OVER TO ALL TO ENJOY, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
What we have tried to do is to make music that will accommodate everyone in Mzansi, be it the older generation, gospel music lovers, jazz music fans to classical music listeners. Our aim to create a proudly South African sound. It’s born and bred eKasi and authentically our brainchild that we want everyone to enjoy.


WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR MUSIC IN SOUTH AFRICA?
Music right now is changing a lot of lives for the better, so I think we are on the right path. We are growing and we are receiving positive international recognition. I hope that we stand together and maintain consistency, create collaborations with other genres such as hip-hop and we do this thing together.

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WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO ASPIRING DJS LOOKING TO BREAK INTO THE GAME?
The message I’d say to upcoming producers, DJs etc that are looking to join the music business is that it’s possible if you put God first. You pray for your success, you pray for your talent and your work. Make sure that you put in and deliver 100% in everything you do. Choose God in everything you do, it was worked for me.

ANY PLANS OR NEW PROJECTS YOU’RE WORKING ON?
I’m working on my third album that will be released later this year. Currently, there is a remix that I’m working on with international artist Shiraz, called ‘I’m an African In New York’. I’m also working with the alcohol brand, Ballantine’s SA and doing a few remixes with them. I’ve also just signed an endorsement with international clothing brand Ellesse and I’ll be dropping an EP just before the album is released.




EMPOWERING AMAPIANO ESOWETO: DJ STOKIE EMPOWERING AMAPIANO ESOWETO: DJ STOKIE Reviewed by Michelle Pienaar on July 12, 2021 Rating: 5
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