‘If I was a white kid I’d be called a genius’: DJ Sbu

By Moipone Malefane

SOUTH AFRICA – If you do a Google search for Sbusiso Leope, popularly known as DJ Sbu, several negative stories about him come up.

They range from being arrested for speeding; peddling an energy drink that is not approved by the SA Bureau of Standards; and distributing a fake cover of the prestigious business magazine Forbes bearing an image of himself.

Leope believes he is not receiving the credit he deserves for his marketing gimmicks.

“I am a human being like everybody else and I do make mistakes. I have taken it upon myself to rise to the occasion and become a leader,” he says.

The 36-year-old would rather have young people looking up to him instead of looking up to the crooks who were glorified as celebrities when he grew up in Tembisa, on the East Rand.

“They [crooks] were the ones with the nicest cars, nice jewellery and nice parties. Times have changed now and I believe everyone can be a leader in their spaces,” Leope says.

While he battles to be recognised as a successful go-getter, he also projects himself as a philanthropist.

In 2005, he established the Sbusiso Leope Education Foundation which focuses on motivating pupils. Through the foundation, he helps young people understand the importance of education. He gives motivational talks in at least two schools a week.

Leope arranges bursaries for matriculants from the schools, and bursary recipients return to their former schools to give motivational talks.

“Companies have come through to help. This year I got 10 bursaries from KPMG for these young people.”

Leope completed a diploma in electrical engineering at Wits Technikon, now part of the University of Johannesburg.

“That’s why you find I will go through media onslaught but I always bounce back.”

He says when his family realised he had an interest in joining the entertainment business they said he had to complete his studies first. His uncle, mbaqanga singer Simon Nkabinde of Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens fame, died poor.

“I am sober-minded that my uncle made headlines having died poor when he was an international icon. I have to change that hence when I got into entertainment [I] had to show my parents I would do things differently. That’s why when I started I opened my own recording company.”

He is currently studying towards an MBA at Henley Business School.

He has also launched Leadership 2020, a project aimed at developing entrepreneurs.

“I make money out of what I love. My plan is to launch an entrepreneurship academy by 2020.”

Leope hosts seminars on one Sunday of each month and people pay between R100 and R300 to listen to a guest speaker and others present their business plans.

“We create a networking platform [and] get seasoned and established entrepreneurs to talk to us. We don’t make it boring, young people want vibrancy. They think seminars are for boring and old people. We incorporate live music, comedy and poetry.”

Leope describes himself as an innovative person who does not wait for hand-outs from the government or some rich uncle.

He implements his ideas and then markets his products from the boot of his car. His first music album, Mzekezeke, became a hit and won awards. His record label, TS, is also successful.

“My track record speaks for itself – that I am not a lazy person but a go-getter. I went to [work at] a Zulu radio station, Ukhozi FM, and performed very well,” he says, though some critics complained about his not-so-polished Zulu language skills.

Regarding the Forbes scandal, Leope prides himself on being able to turn things around.

“The whole Forbes issue was blown out of proportion,” he says.

He is more than willing to explain himself.

“I was branded as a liar but I did not run to the corner and hide myself or switch off my phone.”

So what started off as a bad gimmick landed him a high profile meeting with Forbes.

“I asked them if they knew me and knew the work I have done. I asked if they knew what I represent for the young people of this country. I used that to market myself,” Leope says proudly.

He told Forbes that their brand was amazing but not reaching young people in South Africa who wanted to be in business.

“When they [Forbes] found out who I am and what I do, they agreed to give me a programme that focuses on young, aspiring business people.”

Leope’s energy drink Mofaya was just the beginning.

The market should brace itself for a fruit-and-vodka cocktail in December. He plans to go all out to market the cocktail.

“If I was a white kid I would be called a genius, but I am a black kid so they call me a guerrilla marketer. It is because what I am doing is brilliant. I am one of the best marketers in my generation.”

He has no time for lazy people.

“We have the mentality of self-entitlement. Nigerians do not depend on their government but themselves. A lot of our young people do not appreciate our country enough.”

Since Leope graduated with a diploma, after he was forced by his mother to complete it, he has been working for himself.

At some stage he had dropped out to become a door-to-door salesman. That is how he learned to speak to people and sell products.

“That’s when I learnt to accept rejection. That’s when I gained my confidence,” Leope says.

And that’s how he raised money to complete his studies. Sowetan