DJ and musician Motsatsing Nhlapo received the opportunity of a lifetime when she recorded a cover version of a song composed by legendary reggae artist Lucky Dube.
The song, Feel Irie will be part of a soundtrack for the film She is King that will be in cinemas in December.
“I was approached by the producers of the film and was commissioned to specifically record an upbeat version of Feel Irie,” she said. “It was an honour for me to do a dancehall version of the song and do it justice. Recently I have been enjoying reggae and dancehall more, so that’s the kind of music I started producing.”
The cover will be released on 1 December on all digital platforms, the same day the movie is released in cinemas. Nhlapo has been working with Venda dancehall musician Jazo recently, who has helped her explore the genre further.
“The artists I have formed networks with and have gotten to know within the DJ fraternity have influenced the kind of music I listen to and record,” said Nhlapo. “Before, I was just a snob because I studied jazz and was very serious. Having a background in jazz has still influenced how I approach music.”
She wants to use her music to spread a message of love and hope, as well as her beliefs which she strives to uphold.
“I am an activist and I use it as a tool to communicate social issues that plague us such as homophobia and xenophobia. “As a DJ, my set is clean even though dancehall can be vulgar and derogatory towards women and very homophobic. I refuse to play songs that will convey such demeaning messages because that is not what I stand for.”
Nhlapo is not only a DJ and musician but also a creative entrepreneurship trainer and has been certified by Manchester Univerity.
“I want to train creative minded individuals in many aspects that will lead them to success. Being a musician is just as good as being a journalist or accountant. You can make money from what you love but it starts with us musicians. We need to change the image of what the community sees musicians as – lazy and tardy.”
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