PRINCE KAYBEE
HOUSE DJ Prince Kaybee is riding the wave of his success over the past year, but his rise to the top was not an easy one.
Prince Kaybee, real name Kabelo Motsamai, was born 27 years ago in Senekal near Welkom in the Free State and is the youngest of 36 children.
He was raised by his grandmother and determined to make a name for himself. Like many successful DJs, he started playing with a computer as a teenager and did gigs in his home town. “I had a passion for music from a very young age, but DJing was not something I was instantly drawn to it,” he said.
Then he auditioned and made it on to popular DJ talent search show 1’s and 2’s. “That was a turning point in my life, it was a great experience, and one of the main things I learnt is that hard work and patience does pay off,” he said.
His first album, Better Days, which he says is a reflection on his life, recently reached gold status. He was congratulated by the Free State provincial government.
“It’s in the heart of every producer that their production becomes a hit and I am thankful for the kind of fans I have who continually give me feedback. But to be honest I knew a hit was coming when I was putting it together,” he said.
He cites Friend Zone as his favourite song on the album, which features Ziyon of Liquid Deep. He has also done a number of collaborations with other musicians. .
“I can’t really say which one was the favourite because they are all great and added different value to the music, something I think every artist appreciates. But one day I would love to work with Rihanna.”
Prince Kaybee was recently nominated in the Best Remix category for his remixing on DJ Tira’s Don’t Give Up single. “I am grateful for the nomination, it shows people appreciate the craft, I am thankful to God for them.
“This remix came from a thought that Tira, Lady Zamar and I had, that although the original version of the song was accepted and loved, there needed to be a different sound for radio,”
He said awards were important because they keep musicians motivated. His latest single, Charlotte, which features Lady Zamar, has been a hit on radio stations.
“Charlotte is just a tip of the ice berg,” he said. “There is an album coming out this year as well and trust me, it’s going to be amazing.”