Arthur prevents a fist fight off stage
PROFESSOR AND DJ TIRA SCREAM AT EACH OTHER
IT SEEMS the reign of DJ Tira and Professor as the tag team of Durban house is over.
Tira and Professor were allegedly involved in a screaming match shortly after Tira, whose real name is Mthokozisi Khathi, and DJ Sox accepted their award for best duo at the Metro FM Music Awards on Saturday night.
According to two sources who were backstage at the time of the incident, kwaito legend Arthur Mafokate had to come in between the two men to stop a fist fight.
“When Tira and Sox got off stage they (Tira and Professor) started arguing about something. I could not hear [properly] because it was a bit loud but Professor appeared very mad,” said the source who wished not to be named.
“Arthur was with them together with DJ Sox when they got off stage, and when they started arguing he came in between the two of them and made them calm down because it looked like it was about to get messy,” he said.
When contacted for comment yesterday Khathi said the argument was just a stage mess-up.
“Professor was cut off when he was speaking during our acceptance speech and we had not mentioned him during our speeches because we thought he was going to get his turn,” he said.
Khathi said Professor real name Mkhonzeni Langa – provided the duo with instrumentals for – the award-winning song. Professor was not the only artists whose mic was switched off during speeches. Rapper Riky Rick was also cut off during his acceptance speech and threw a tantrum backstage in front of hosts Khanyi Mbau and Somizi Mhlongo.
Meanwhile, Mafokate said: “It was a small thing and I am sure you saw that it was managed.
“I adore both parties’ work and I felt we shouldn’t let it [the spat] be seen by our supporters because it would have made wrong headlines. I spoke to Professor and he apologised to me.”
SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said the mic operators were not at fault as Professor had not spoken in the time he was allocated for a speech.
“It’s a live show and every speech is allocated a certain time. The artists were briefed on this.”