There are few South African entertainers who have reinvented themselves as many times as DJ Sbu. From radio decks to boardrooms, studio sessions to motivational stages, he has built a career defined by constant reinvention and an unyielding hunger for growth.
Over the years, he has been a radio DJ, music producer, musician, television presenter, author, philanthropist, entrepreneur and motivational speaker. At the height of his music career, he introduced the country to the masked sensation Mzekezeke and delivered timeless house favourites such as Remember When It Rains. Then, at a time when many expected him to double down on his success, he shifted his focus behind the scenes.
DJ Sbu says the decision to step back from the spotlight came from a deep desire to grow beyond the entertainment industry.
“I didn’t think building Mofaya into a stable business would take this long. I needed growth. When my daughter was born, the type of lifestyle I was living and the work I was doing in the music industry was incredible but at the same time, being out every weekend and repeatedly being out there became very repetitive for me at the time and I feel like I needed a challenge. It wasn’t necessarily about taking a break, it was about growth; becoming a businessman. I wanted to write books and grow my brand but I also wanted to learn new things,” he said.
At the time, he was also building Massiv Metro, the online radio station that later suffered severe setbacks during the Covid period. As the industry shifted, he adapted again, launching a podcast that went on to become one of the biggest in the country.
“Simultaneously, I was also building ‘Massiv Metro’ which unfortunately had to go through a difficult time during covid. I then started a podcast which became one of the biggest in the country and I grew in that space. Being online kept me relevant all these years and I think that’s the reason the SABC called me back to host the Radio2000 breakfast show. It’s been quite an incredible journey,” he added.
Despite not releasing new music for more than a decade, DJ Sbu never turned away from the craft. He continued writing and recording, particularly during the Covid lockdowns when creativity became an emotional outlet for many artists. Now, he says the time feels right for a full return.
The Tembisa-born media figure has confirmed that he has both a mixtape and a new album ready for release. His comeback to music comes alongside his return to radio, which he sees as a natural pairing.
“Having to explore music again goes hand in hand with my return to radio because we’re exposed to thousands of people who are our listeners. Music comes as second nature to me. I’ve had to go learn business, I was not trained and it’s been the most difficult thing I’ve had to do over the past decade but it’s a decision that I’m glad I took. I’ve always felt like when the time is right, I will go back and give people some music and that’s why I decided to explore it,” he said.
Given the amount of material he has created, his upcoming projects will be released in phases. The first will be a two-part mixtape arriving on 5 December and 16 December, before the release of his full album. The album will launch alongside his new book, Born 4 Purpose: Becoming weNkosi. He describes the mixtape as soulful, jazzy, house-inspired and AI-infused, while the album will be “100% spiritual.”
“They don’t have to be hit songs, it’s my creative work that I want to see live on forever and create generational wealth for my children. The book explains the journey of everything I’ve done over the years, the decisions that I took – why was I hugging trees, why did I go sell Mofaya in the streets, what happened with the music contracts and relationships we had with the likes of Sis’ Zahara, what happened to Massiv Metro, being fired from MetroFM and now returning to radio,’’ he shared.
For DJ Sbu, the theme connecting all these endeavours is purpose.
“This is all under the topic of purpose. The purpose is me basically following my name. As much as it was intentional, it was a purposeful target. It also gives you a glimpse of the pain I had to go through, spiritually with learning about my (biological) family, losing both my fathers and changing my surname to a double-barrel surname,” he said.
As part of his official comeback campaign, DJ Sbu is also embarking on a collaboration with VW Woodmead, which will release limited-edition Mofaya-branded vehicles to support the rollout of his music and books in the coming months.
After years of navigating the music business, entrepreneurship, personal challenges and reinvention, DJ Sbu is returning to the space that first made him a household name—this time with new purpose, new music and a new chapter of growth
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