Entertainment

#MCM: My Journey To Success With DJ Lag

Jul 22, 2024

Following the success of his singles ‘Hade Boss’, ‘Hade Boss Re-Up’, ‘Oke Oke’, and ‘Iza Ngamandla’— garnering praise from music critics globally, DJ Lag, the undisputed King of Gqom, released his highly anticipated sophomore album, The Rebellion’, in June. He opens up to KDanielles Media about how he broke into the music industry and his success tips to young people

Give us a glimpse into your life. What sparked your passion for music and your decision to make a career out of it?

Growing up in Claremont, KZN, kwaito was the sound that I got hooked up on from the very start. I can say that it’s the one sound the shaped everything and I always wanted to be like Msawawa [the youngest kwaito recording artist in the country, who shot to fame at age 10].

What would you say were the challenges you faced when you started your music career?

It was hard to play Gqom anywhere when I just started because people didn’t understand the sound and it was still a late-night underground scene at the time, even in Durban. It took some time to get my music played but quickly we realised we had to create our own spaces and reach the people through house parties. It didn’t take long until the clubs picked up on it and from there, we knew we have a following to build on.

In late 2016, you made your live global debut at the Unsound Festival in Poland. How were you able to secure these international gigs during the early stages of your career?

I did my first international tour with Nan Kole who organised everything. After that tour, everything started moving by itself as I started to meet promoters and fellow artists and expanded my network.

Would you say producing ‘My Power’ for Beyonce heightened your music level to the top, especially globally? What have been the highlights of your journey thus far?

I can say working with Beyonce was the most significant highlight of my career, so for, as well as playing back-to-back with Diplo and going to the Grammy’s. These things definitely heightened my profile globally, but at the same time, I do feel like all the moves I was doing before building my career step by step were the foundation to build on.

What inspires the songs you produce? Take us through your composition journey.

It varies really. There’s South African culture and music, of course, and I have a deep love for hip-hop and music I’ve been exposed to since childhood. I still discover music touring around the world. All of these things play a part when I get into the studio, but ideas come as they come, many times just during downtime at home or hotel rooms during the tour, and collaborations with other producers and artists, which I enjoy. Once I get started, I just follow the feeling the initial idea presents and then follow the vibe that has been established.

Tell us about your new album, The Rebellion. What message did you want to share through it and why did you select the people you collaborated with?

The album is about me experimenting with different sounds but still keeping the Gqom vibe in it and many of these collaborations are born from budding friendships I have with most of my collaborators. These are people whose music I admire as well.

Apart from gigs and a new club you are building, what other goals do you aim to tick off your checklist?

There are definitely artists and events I still want to tick off my checklist, but my team and I are constantly on a mission to go bigger and harder. I feel like it’s always better to reveal these things as they happen.

What is your definition of success and could you please share your success tips with other young people?

Success, for me, is being able to live the life I’ve always dreamed of through the music that I’ve always hoped and believed would change my life. So, to advise the young ones who are still out there pushing, the biggest tip I can give is stay consistent with your passion and love it always because success never comes easy, but when it’s here, you’ll enjoy the fruits of your hard work, and forever appreciate it.

Make sure to connect with DJ Lag online, request his latest single ‘Iza Ngamandla’ from your favourite radio stations, and stream or download his sophomore album today: https://platoon.lnk.to/the-rebellion

TRACKLIST:

Iza Ngamandla (feat. Sykes, Vanco)
Bamba (feat. Workaholics, Matthew Otis)
Hade Boss (feat. Mr Nation Thingz, K.C Driller)
Trouble (feat. NovaBoy)
Yebo (feat. Thobeka)
Dubula (feat. Da Man)
Oke Oke (ft. Jazz Alonso)
Ubhiya
Kwenzakalan (feat. Blxckie, Leodaleo, Dezzodigo)
Shay’sana (feat. Kamo Mphela & Robot Boii)
Yeyeyeyeye (feat. Sane, Charlie Magandi)
Umlio (feat. YoungstaCPT, Dee Koala, Holy Alpha, Kay Faith)
Hade Boss Re-Up (Feat. DJ Maphorisa, Kamo Mphela, Robot Boii,Mr Nation Thingz, 2woshort, Xduppy, K.C Driller)