A VETERAN in DJing, DJ Tira, has challenged young artists in the field of art to work hard where they are based, not to look and not to tell themselves that they need to move to Johannesburg to be successful.
DJ Tira said so while accepting the Best Kwaito award he won for his song You don’t know me. He sang this song with PCee, Campmasters and General Simamane at the Metro FM Music Awards in ICC, Durban, last weekend.
By winning this award, Tira beat Dladla Mshunqisi and BeastRSA with their song Drive DriveDJ Lag, Zee Nxumalo and KC Driller for the song I am expectedit was Bello B and We Dem Boys for the song Dubai noKamo Mphela, you-Aymos, THAT DJ noJay Music sings this song Party.
“What is happening to me now is proof that we are artists, you don’t have to and you don’t have to move to Johannesburg or other big cities in order to flourish, so I hope this will bring that spirit to others,” he said.
Continuing, he said that this award reminded him of the year 1999, when he won the competition for DJ talent, the Smirnoff Club DJ, which opened the door for him to enter the music industry.
“I’m still holding it as it’s been 27 years since I’ve been holding it in this role and I’m very grateful to the people who have always supported me in my music – which helped me a lot to get to the stage I’m in now,” said DJ Tira.
The song is You don’t know me it’s on DJ Tira’s album and we Smoke Instruments; which has survived many years past, including Ikenani (2019), i-21 Years of DJ Tira (2020), iRockstar Forever (2021), iMalume Way (2023) iGo up (2025) and Goldmax said Voices of Gqom (2025).