User talk:41.13.1.24/DJ BlaQt - Young, Gifted & Black

Shades of BlaQ….

It’s hard not to get affected by a DJ BlaQt set. Themba Khumalo is, to put it simply, a master of what Giles Petersen christened freestyle playing. Whereas other chancers may struggle with freestyle, BlaQt maps human emotion to deliver seamless mixes of soul, funk, dub, rare grooves, hip-hop and music that hasn’t been named yet. “It goes without saying that you need deep crates to pull that off with finesse”….. When he steps out the club, BlaQt wears many hats. He doubles as a promoter, a booking agent and head of production at Kreative Base Entertainment, home to the songstress Noban2 and rap outfit Nuklear Headz. He also promotes the Soulfanatics club nights that take place in Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Quietly, from his Vosloorus base, BlaQt stays working. He recently contributed to a short film soundtrack “Majola’s Hat” (Nkhari Pictures), which was shown at the Durban Short Film Festival. He also released the Intshanational Beat-Tape Volume One (Digital Release) produced by Hempza Mawawa of Black Sunday Sessions fame. He is also a stage manager for Evo Lokxion Sundaze sessions which have featured some of South Africa’s emerging and established talents such as Zuluboy, Tumi, Zubz, L8 Antique, Future History, FiFi, Ba4za, Blk Jks and Jazz Lee (U.S.A), to name a few… Between 2007and 2008, BlaQt hosted and produced the B-side Party, which has featured the likes of Hempza, Mawe-2, Miss Nthabi, Blk Jks and DJ Manello Funkikora. He also plays and produces the annual Jammin n’ Ting Music and Arts Festival with the UK-based DJ Manello Funkikora since 2010. Early history… BlaQt’s career kicked off, in earnest, in the Mother City, where he studied Public Relations Management in year 2002. This was where he bought a collection of records from Matolo, an ex DJ who was giving up playing, and where he met Martin “DJ Marr” Mezzabotta, a friend with whom he collected records. Soon, he was co-hosting Koncious Cycles Mic Sessions with DJ Marr in club called …. which the likes of Ben Sharpa, Driemanskaap, Rattex and Korianda where regular guests on the mic. He also played at Fong Kong Bantu Sound System events and appeared on Bush Radio (level vibes show) and UCT Radio. DJ BlaQt held one of his most successful Friday night residence at Orchard Bank, Long Street while doubling up as a radio host at Mutha fm, an online radio station doing two radio shows, one with Boeta G of the Fong Kong Bantu Soundsystem and a show called groove matters. Some Career highlights… * Copywrite South African tour with NucklearHeadz, * Arts Alive 2011 Book Week by Poetry Potion,* Organik Soul 2011 * Nominee list for Hype Awards DJ of the Year 2009. * The inaugural Pan African Space Station music festival in 2008, * Released the Street Flava Mixtape vol. 1 featuring Korianda (Cape Town) 2008. * Played Fire on the Mountain Festival – Media Launch 2007(Orchard Bank, Cape Town) * Soweto Arts Festival 2007 * Blowout Good times nights at Mind Your Head Bar what year???? (Jhb), * Appearance on etv youth programme, Shiz-Niz. * Played Back to the City Hip-Hop Festival in 2007 and 2008 * The BBC food channel launch party, RedBull Academy Radio station (CapeTown)

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