With roots reaching back to it’s spiritual home of Seshego, a small township in Polokwane, South Africa. Katlego Ngoepe better known as “Katlego Swizz” has emerged as something of a polymath of the deep, driving electronic afro aesthetic in South African underground house music scene. ‘On The Spot Light’ we have ‘Katlego Swizz, Surreal Sounds head honcho’ and a man with passion for developing musicians. Welcome to it…
Sho!Mag: Thank you for taking some time out of your busy schedule to have a talk with us. Can you tell us who is Katlego Swizz and where is he from?
Katlego Swizz: Well it’s my pleasure. I’m born & raised in Polokwane, at a small township called “Seshego” ko Zone 4.
Sho!Mag: For you where does the love of Music come from especially House Music? How did your journey start and what drew you to house music?
Katlego Swizz: J Ok it all started back in the late 90s where growing up was something else, there was a guy by the name of William, and we used to call him “Willy Pere (Horse)’’, he used to be our fix in regards to new music around our block as ‘youngings’ growing up. Every graduation party, 21st Birthday Shandis, he was our fix guy. Then around 1998 ‘Dj Fresh’ released his ‘House Flava 1’, and I must say that record caught my attention. I was like: “What the hell is this? What do they call this type of music” ..
Then, around the year 2000 ‘Iggy Smallz’ dropped the ever so amazing album/compilation “Another Late Nite Sensation by Solantis Spice” (R.I.P) then that really changed my life. All 13 tracks spoke to me in a crazy way, which they still do even today. I started having this illusion of knowing the main people behind this recordings/music to a point where I used to know the track I.Ds off by heart even with the labels that released this music. Then as time went by, around 2003/4, there was a brother who inspired the thought in me of actually becoming more involved in this deejaying thing, his name is ‘DJ Beef Madcows’, also from here in Polokwane, literally not far from my house. In 2009, ‘Problem Child’ a.k.a ‘Ten83’ taught me how to Deejay, and gave me information about all the relevant fundamental tools I may need to be a pro deejay that I am today.
Sho!Mag: For the benefit of someone out there who might not be know you. What would you say is your role in House Music? Are you a Music Producer or A Deejay or just someone who happened to fall in love with the sound of House Music?
ANS: I’m a label manager by day for Surreal, and a deejay. I’ve started tapping into composing my own music which I’m loving the journey and challenge, I have a track which I produced and it actually took me a period of 6-8 months to complete from actually creating it, mixing it, mastering and even creating a dub version for it. I really take my time on the production side, I don’t want to rush into it because I know how much of a precious thing it is to me.
Sho!Mag: One can only say, ‘you have done a lot of House Music’ and we just cannot overlook your contribution to the Music Industry with Surreal Sounds Music. What was the driving force behind starting that Label?
Katlego Swizz: Well not much that I had done on creating but I was more involved in decision making. At first, the label was ‘Surreal Sounds’ back in 2012, a decision which was taken by me, ‘Da Capo & Punk Mbedzi’ where we create a hub that will actually be a home where everyone can be part of the movement. This was before Da Capo was signed to Soulistic Music & Punk Mbedzi on Under Bridges. Collectively our force was music first, the rest after. Even till today, Surreal stays the same vibe; ‘Music first, the rest after.’
Sho!Mag: Rewinding back to early days. What would you say was the biggest challenge in starting an Independent House Music Label?
Katlego Swizz: Not knowing the correct way of doing things, having to make drastic decisions that might affect your career and not paying attention to the finer details about the music industry. I would list those as my current challenges. Well, the cool part about this is that we learn and we grow. Even today, I still learn there’s a lot that I don’t know of when it comes to the music industry, and besides ‘most things I just learn them along the way’.
Sho!Mag: For some of us music, family or even money inspires us. What would you say is your inspiration when you are just about to give in to challenges?
Katlego Swizz: That crazy rush that says: “Dude are you sure if this is gonna work or are you just going in blind folded” But then again a wiser angel says to you: “Nah you got this, go all in, whole heartedly”.
Sho!Mag: There has been a number of ‘high points’ as well as ‘low points’ through your musical journey with Surreal Sounds Music. To date, what would you say is your ‘ultimate high point’?
Katlego Swizz: The biggest high point in my life is actually achieving the dream I always had growing up, having to know and interact with the House Music legends. I got to work closely with ‘Nick Holder’ when we were about to unleash ‘Da Capo’ to the music scene, this was back in 2009/10.
Fast forwarding today, I’m working closely with the 4-time Grammy Nominee DJ/Producer Kenny Dope who is also a half member for the duo “Masters At Work”, one could say they are some of the ‘Pioneers Of New York House Music Scene’. Surreal works with Kenny/Dopewax via ‘Samurai Yasusa, Karyendasoul, Kunzima Theology / RED9, Cornelius SA, Collen Cohen & Tize’.
Sho!Mag: Ladies are definitely doing it for themselves and from where we stand, ‘they are on point’. Any plans of having a ‘Surreal Sound’s First Lady’ soon?
Katlego Swizz: Well yeah, but that lady has to be very conscious about music, she has to have that conscious ear for music. Most importantly she has to be open minded to new sounds because I tend to have a very broad musical understanding and expect nothing less from those we work with.
Sho!Mag: You have worked with a lot of talent and upcoming House Music Producers and have also played a major part in grooming and ultimately bringing out the best within them. According to you, what does one need in order for them to make it in this industry?
Katlego Swizz: Discipline, taking things easy, not rushing anything, understanding how the business works ‘I still learn this everyday’, understanding yourself as a musician, understanding your sound & being attentive.
Sho!Mag: How is it like working with so many talented Music Producers and Deejays within your Label and how do you ensure that talent is properly managed and natured?
Katlego Swizz: It first starts with knowing where they come from, understanding their dark side. Everyone has their own dark side, so I think this actually gets me to be closer to them and attaching their personal issues to the music they do. Weird as it may sound but this is my formula, I mean if you want to work with someone you never met before in your life and for a long time, you have to know ‘them on a personal level’. To me that is what makes the connection to be even stronger.
Sho!Mag: Are there any particular music projects you are currently working on? What can we the public expect from Katlego Swizz and Surreal Sounds Music in the near future?
Katlego Swizz: More music, more young talented musicians from across the world, not just around South Africa. There is an ongoing project that we are pushing as a label titled “Within Da Beats”, a project where we unearth never heard before creatives. So far we have released music by ‘Stereotic’ from Polokwane, South Africa, the mighty twins from Richards Bay, South Africa “OU & Sizz”, ‘Baardman’ from the U.K, Newcastle and Denilen from Germiston’, South Africa. We have some of other guys on the way to check out: “DeepSouls” (Alberton), ‘’Mike Pieterson’’ (Amsterdam), “Tribe Franko” (Alexandra, Johannesburg) and couple more.
Sho!Mag: Placing you ‘On The Spot Now’, is South African House Music heading towards the right direction? Are we growing or going backwards or just standing in the same spot we were years ago?
Katlego Swizz: Musically, yes!!! we are growing, I have a lot of faith on that aspect. We only need support and backing from the corporate industry. By creating platforms which can be able expose to the world, the talent we have in the underground house music scene.
Sho!Mag: Closing it off, what would be your final message to some ‘young talented bedroom producer’ who is trying to crack open into House Music Industry? Lets face it, they have a huge role to play and House Music is in their hands.
Katlego Swizz: Keep making more beats, more than anything understand your sound, know potential labels that may be the right plug for your sound, search for anything that may take you forward – every right tool you may need, take this as a hard-labour job cause in some way it is. Understand the value of your work, put a price on it if you have to. I constantly search a lot online for anything that may take me and the team forward, it’s not an easy ride but we are the only hope we have to house music.
Katlego Swizz On Social Media
Facebook: Katlego Swizz
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Twitter: Katlego Swizz
Contact Katlego Swizz: k.ngoepe@icloud.com