The 10 Best Kwaito Producers

DJ Cleo

Photo via DJ Cleo on Facebook.

In the mid-2000s, DJ Cleo, apart from being a DJ and a house producer, contributed a lot of kwaito jams within a very short space of time. The rise of the kwaito indie label TS Records introduced to kwaito a producer who was ahead of his time (there's no less cliché way to put it).

DJ Cleo used screeching and whizzing synth sounds that were new to kwaito at the time, as heard on some of early productions such as "Amakoporosh" by Mzekezeke and "Puff n Pass" by Brown Dash.

DJ Cleo went on to contribute to the merging of kwaito and hip-hop when he produced the rapper Pitch Black Afro's seminal debut album Styling Gel (2004). The mega hit "Matofotofo" from the album is considered both kwaito and hip-hop. DJ Cleo also produced hits for the likes of Brickz (he produced his first two albums), Mandoza, and later on Bleksem.

Without DJ Cleo, there's no Mzekezeke, Brown Dash, Pitch Black Afro as we know them.

Notable Productions

Mandoza "Sgelekeqe"

Brown Dash "Puff n Pass"

Mzekezeke (ft. Brown Dash) "Guqa Ngamadolo"

Pitch Black Afro "Matofotofo"

Brickz "Sweety My Baby"

Brickz "Estok'feleni"

Brickz "Andapente"

Mzekezeke "Akekh' ugogo"

Mzekezeke (ft. Brown Dash) "Amakoporosh"