DJ Speedsta likes to vibe with all the youngsters
Recently performed for matrics at Rage Festival
FOR THE past few hours, DJ Speedsta has been posting seemingly random, uncaptioned pictures on his Instagram account. In most of them, he’s grinning broadly as he walks around shirtless with his friends, proudly displaying his slightly rounded belly.
A closer look reveals a deliberate chronology of images documenting his stay in Durban, where he was performing at the Rage Festival. It’s appropriate that he documents his journey this way, because his life really does seem like a movie.
It was 8pm on a Thursday evening and, ordinarily, the 24-year-old DJ, born Lesego Nkaiseng, would be preparing to host YFM’s Hip-Hop Floor. But that night wasn’t an ordinary night, it was the Rage Festival and he wanted to vibe with the kids.
Despite his range of talents within entertainment, Speedsta considers radio his first love: “I get to talk about hiphop and I get to express myself. I get to engage with people, pick their minds and play music,” he says over the phone. “I love people, and I love sharing and engaging with them.”
His passion for DJing was set in motion when his older brother, a DJ who threw parties in their hometown in the Vaal, would ask him to fill in whenever another DJ was late.
It was then that he decided that he didn’t want to just be a temporary replacement, he wanted to master the craft. “I fell in love with it right away because when I DJ and play music, I (get to) make people happy and put smiles on their faces. The moment I had that connection I was like: ‘Okay, this is for me’.”
Despite a fondness for punk rock in his formative years, hip-hop has since become his genre of choice.
Last year, Speedsta released his debut mixtape, The Guy, which featured his two massive singles, Celebration, featuring Bucie and KiD X, and Special Somebody, featuring heavyweights Cassper Nyovest, Riky Rick and Anatii.
When I ask him about his latest single, Mayo, and what its breakout success meant to him, he took a deep breath and went quiet for a moment, as if he was still trying to fully make sense of it.
“It’s special, man, it’s really special,” he starts. “It’s so close to my heart. What I love about the song is that the country, or whoever is hearing the song, gets to get somewhat of an idea of my personality. So whether you listen to the song, speak to me or look at me, it must always be one vibe, you must always get one message,” he goes quiet again. “Eish, Mayo is crazy, it’s changed my life.”
Did you expect this type of response? I ask.
“No, I was just trying to make good music. It’s crazy and it’s also very scary at the same time. As much as I want the best and most for myself, I’m a very ‘top five’ kind of person. So keep me in the conversation, let me be there because that I can sustain. I don’t like number one, because it comes with too much sh*t.”
He quickly apologises for swearing. “I never ever in my life expected Mayo, of all the songs that I’ve made, to do what it’s doing but with all of that said, it’s really nice.”
Despite his star being on the rise, Speedsta comes across as grounded and unassuming. He doesn’t seem to yearn for the spotlight, or hold any particular importance to the status that it comes with – he just wants to make music and have fun doing it.
Speedsta’s active involvement as a voice in youth subculture has also attracted interest from big brands. Later this month he’ll be embarking on a road trip for a campaign by Steers that sees him curating and sharing social moments that are mjojo (cool and trendy) to him.
Earlier in the day, MTV Base debuted the first half of its third annual Base Hottest MCs list (which ranks the top 10 South African rappers of the year). Speedsta, who’s currently travelling with his friend DJ Capital, one of the show’s panellists, shared his personal top five: Shane Eagle, Youngsta, A-Reece, Nasty C and Reason.
With the current influx of young, talented musicians, he believes South African hip-hop is in a healthy state, but there’s room for improvement.
“My whole thing, and what I wanna try and achieve with hip-hop, is to tell everybody to chill because everybody’s so busy trying to be the man. It gets very messy.”