By Motshabi Hoaeane
0n 19 June, the Dumisani Masilela Theatre turned up the vibe as part of its Youth Month calendar when it brought award winning radio host DJ Sabi, to host his DJing masterclass in collaboration with the City of Ekurhuleni.The stylish, charismatic and down to earth DJ Sabi, mentioned that was his first time hosting a masterclass independently as a brand with the Dumisani Masilela Theatre, although he already had a long-standing working relationship with the City.
Thespian and Dumisani Masilela Theatre Manager, Pascar Dube, who opened the masterclass – welcoming all aspirant DJs and selectors said with all the major establishments and transition happening at the Dumisani Masilela Theatre, taking artists under the theatre’s wings of and training them to new levels of progress and growth is always on approach. “We are excited to have DJ Sabi in our session. We are happy that he is here and we are always looking for people who give more than sessions but who will help our artists connect and network to get their career to the next level.”
Sabi said that while in other industries, you would hear them say there’s not enough doctors – it was rare to hear people say there’s not enough DJs. He said that this reflected how DJing was underrated. He also placed emphasis on how it was motivating to see the government collaborate with brands to support unique trades like DJing, because most people didn’t even get this support from home, saying it encouraging for selectors on the come and a confidence boost for parents that were not sure whether this would be a viable career path for the youth.
The master class was packed with a combination of skills to assist aspiring selectors, artists managers and booking managers to thrive in the music industry – from technical aspects of how to master an entry on the decks, to personal branding of DJs, maintaining professionalism service offerings & rates as a DJ, as well as how to monetise talent using social media channels.
In this master class, DJ Sabi emphasized the importance of having the right type of energy and frequency to shift the energy of a room. “It’s all about the vibes, that certain je ne sais quoi to get people moving in step to what you are playing.The first song is always the hardest song, but it’s exciting – because it gives an idea of where you wanna take your jams. This determines whether you are going to have a good time or not.”
“Sometimes what people take for granted is the ability to humble yourself and go to another place.You might be a big deal in Joburg, but some people might not know you in Cape Town or Durban” he said,emphasising the need for artists to expose themselves to different environments to get well known.
In Masterclass DJ Sabi shared nuggets of wisdom on how to keep rising and shifting as an artist in an industry that demands that you show up as the best of the best, even though you’re still on the come up.
Top 7 nuggets, he shared during his master class;
1)Dress to Inspire: Your look is a sort of communication.
2) Leverage relationships – Be someone who others like being around and want to support.
3) Network actively – Make and keep vital connections.
4) Increase your online presence by creating content and directing traffic to your social media sites.
5) Attract promoters – Give them compelling reasons to book you.
6) Prioritize branding – Take your image carefully and stand out in unusual environments.
DJ Sabi said that with music, it’s all about energy. “Planting yourself and winning certain people over is so much more valuable than any degree or course can provide.”
