Tembisa is one of many places that has a vibrant night life which keeps its residents and visitors up the whole night.
This Tembisa entertainment lifestyle is not by fluke or a result of a routine emanating from lack of sleep.
“There are individuals who work hard to engineer the fun life that keeps our visitors coming back for more.
We have renowned event organisers, music promoters and disc jockeys,” says DJ Flameboy Oz.
He is amongst the troops of entertainment engineers who ensure that Tembisa Township remains on the lips of party animals around Gauteng. Flameboy Oz, born as Osborn Netshifira, is a hip hop DJ who works tirelessly to keep his audience sweating on the dance floor.
He said he used to work as a technician at an air-conditioning company before he left to pursue his dream in the local entertainment industry.
“Music is in me. It goes back to my growing up in a Church choir. My influence in music is Jazz and Soul music – an influence I took from my father. He is a court clerk.
Later on, I ventured into Reggae which I took from friends and when I got to high school I got introduced to hip hop”.
He said he liked Reggae because of its consciousness in the content.
“Reggae talks about history, the slave trade and the liberation of an enslaved people.
Hip hop is different with various subjects and different beats for different MCs.”
He said he polished his DJ skills under the watchful eye of his friend and colleague DJ Neophonic.
“I asked to play with him when he delivered his sets and that is where he began to show me the basics.
He gave me the opportunity and I started off by playing old school hip hop. I felt very good about myself.
I practised to perfect my sound and as soon as that was sorted out I ventured into new school hip hop”.
Flameboy Oz said after a month of doing various DJ stints he was offered an opportunity to become a regular feature at Philip’s place.
“At first I was told hip hop customers don’t spend a lot and the more they tried to convince me to change hip hop, the more I grew a passion for the genre.
“I became a resident DJ at Philip’s place. I later moved to Caprivi Lounge. My potential was also appreciated and I was, as a result, made resident DJ.”
He said the journey took him seven years and today he entertains Boiketlong Pub and Grill’s patrons who are head over heels with his weekend sets.
He said in the future he wants to train aspiring DJs and promote hip hop music.
“Hip hop is culture. I want to teach young people about the culture and help them to become better Kasi hip hop artists.
Many of the local hip hop artists have no clue as to how they can advance their careers.
It is also the responsibility of Kasi DJs to expose young talent and hook them up with more opportunities wherever they can,” said Flameboy Oz.
