When there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, it’s probably not a good idea to call DJ Spoko. But if your ’hood wants a lesson in how to bend genres and create music to dance to, this DJ and producer is your man. It’s for this reason that his inclusion on the Cape Town Nu World Festival line-up is exciting.
The festival, which will see the likes of Simphiwe Dana, Kanda Bongo Man, Tcheka and Bateleur perform, takes place at the Cape Town City Hall on Friday and Saturday. DJ Spoko will perform alongside the experimental band, Fantasma, as well as a DJ set titled Spoek (Mathambo) vs Spoko. With an alias that means “ghost”, Marvin Ramalepe, aka DJ Spoko, has ironically had a hand in bringing the sounds of Pitori to life.
He’s just returned from playing the Roskilde Festival in Denmark, but is in Atteridgeville when we speak. Taxis hoot and the bustle of the township is easily felt. He tells me about how the ’hood, and particularly a section called Ghost Town which bordered a cemetery, helped him choose his name.
“It was a difficult place,” he shares. “Ghost Town is where the cemetery was surrounded by houses. We weren’t scared to live there, but it was weird.” When I ask him if his childhood environment influenced his at-times dark solo work, he laughs and says: “Mostly, I don’t see the bad side of it. I’m inspired by what I see and go through.”
A little-known fact is that DJ Spoko co-produced Mujava’s Township Funk for which he became globally known. “Me and Mujava are still cool,” he says, “we’re going to release an EP soon.” DJ Spoko’s also been credited as the face of the Bacardi House movement which has a distinct Pretoria flavour.
“People were getting drunk off the cider when we would play music,” he reminisces, “so people gave it that name and I couldn’t refuse the name given by fans.”
But now, DJ Spoko is embarking on a journey that sees him adopt a new identity.
“I’ve done a lot in Bacardi already,” he explains, “so SycoKillah is the new hip hop project I’m working on. It all started with hip hop. That’s when I want to have fun. I’ve released 20 tracks of underground hip hop.”
His latest single, Falling Se’sfikile, is “about what’s happening in music right now,” he says.
“I’m trying to warn other rappers that Syco is here and they’re going to fall. That’s why people need to buy their tickets to the Cape Town Nu World Festival now as this will be one of my last shows before I go full Syco.”
l Cape Town Nu World Festival, Friday and Saturday. Tickets: www.web tickets.co.za or Pick n Pay.