15 May 2018

New York-based DJ Ketshephamang Baleseng has called for the improvement of showbiz business in Botswana.

International disc jockey, Baleseng known to the showbiz stage as DJ Spax-Vybz, said showbiz in Botswana needed a lot of improvement especially the deejaying part of it.

According to DJ Spax-Vybz, there were still some promoters who were in the business to rip off DJs; by not paying them appropriate and livable fees.

DJ Spax-Vybz indicated that the industry neeed to create an association that would work hard to implement policies that were fair to artistes broadly.

With an association in place, DJ Spax-Vybz said the industry fee for all artists could be standardised. He further explained that the association could further streamline metrics that look into the fan base of the artists and ticket sales.

“With all that data we could then establish percentage based commission for artists,” he said.

DJ Spax-Vybz was born in Serowe, and studied music in production and DJ at Scratch Academy in New York.

His love for music started in the dusty neighbourhood of Tsholofelo in Gaborone in 1999 where him and his childhood friends had a dance group by the name, Manyora.

DJ Spax-Vybz said it was through this entertainment group that they would advertise their talents in various social events like weddings and freshers’ balls. It was then that his love for entertaining manifested and he rigorously fed on it when he relocated to New York in 2005.

With a career span of 12 years in the US, DJ Spax-Vybz said he had come across challenges in life as expected in any profession.

However, he said living in a bustling city like The Big Apple, where everyone was trying to make it, perseverance and hardwork paid for him.

He said discipline and  believing in oneself were key when one was trying to catch a break in a big city that could make or break you as a person and your career.

DJ Spax-Vybz persevered and kept the hustle and grind until he got a gig as a radio host.

He hosts a radio show called Origins on New York’s WHCR FM (90.3fm), The Voice of Harlem. DJ Spax-Vybz explained that the gig was not just a radio show but a movement to bridge the local and global community through the culture of house music.

Having worked with big acts like Black Coffee, Louie Vega, DJ Fresh, Oskido, DJ Venus, Black Motion, Monique Bingham, Kafele Bandele and many more, DJ Spax-Vybz has released a couple of records as an independent artist.

Being an independent artist gives him the freedom and flexibility to find a suitable label of his choice to release his music.

DJ Spax-Vybz has also collaborated with some regional powerhouses in the likes of Groove Cartell, Zeus, Ms Kells, Kinetic P and Boogie Sid.

Some of his works include Penda Curios featuring Koku Gonza, Gift of Happiness which is a tribute to Georges Mashokae, Never Settle where he features his production partner Kafele, Resistance and Gods of Botswana.

All these releases are in digital stores (iTunes, Traxsource, Beatport, Amazon and others). Currently, he is working on releasing his fourth single, Keep it Moving, which features Drumetic Boyz and Fey.

DJ Spax-Vybz said the single will be followed by another EP, which is still under production.

Besides brewing music, DJ Spax-Vybz also has a production company, which he named after his last name, loosely translated to English as ‘Let’Em’ Entertainment, which later incorporated to Let’Em Entertainment Inc. as a fully-fledged chattered corporation. Under Let’Em Entertainment Inc, along with other fleet of DJs and music production experts they produce, promote and plan events, offer state of the art professional sound equipment for rental, CD production as well as bookings of other Southern African and Global celebrity DJs for special guests’ events in the USA.

DJ Spax-Vybz indicated that Let’Em Entertainment Inc. is all about bringing music and people together to create a prolonged experience through energy and sound. His love for music was ignited by his father who was very passionate about music.

He said it was through his father that he was exposed to music from a very young age adding that he was grateful to the experience and joy that music brought into his family.

As his company grows it into a household name, he wants to create a platform for young upcoming DJs. Recently, since being home, DJ Spax-Vybz has been pushing the musical platform and getting bookings for gigs as well as appearing as guest DJ at RB2, Yarona FM and Gabz FM radio stations.

Currently, he is doing a weekly Touchdown Mix every Wednesday on RB2 on the Easy Drive show with DJ Sly.

He has also been networking with fresh new talent to sign under the Let’Em Entertainment Inc. “I wants platform for mentorship where we can help artists find growth in business and personal brands, I want my company to not just be profitable but to instill these tools as part of our corporate responsibility charter,” he said. ENDS