Thabiso "Thaso" Tsotetsi

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Profile: If you have had the opportunity of listening to the sound of Zola, Hip-Hop Pantsula, Metswako, Morafe, Spykos, Bravo and Tuks, you might have learned that the man behind the sound produced for those stars is none other than Thabiso “Thaso” Tsotetsi. This maestro producer, who hails from Mabatho in the North West province, has been through ups and downs in his music producing career but has battled all odds to come out on top.

If one thinks that being a music producer always needs a qualification, think again. Thaso calls himself a young cat from the bundus [rural areas] – and he never went to any school to study music production, everything he knows about production is self taught.

Thaso, who started producing in 1993, agreed that his attempts to break into the mainstream industry were met with difficulty and frustration. Before this Ghetto Ruff producer started composing beats, he was an artist unhappy with the production process and never fully satisfied with the results his producers created. He then decided to get a music sequencer in order for him to create the beats he wanted on his songs. It was at this time that Thaso realised his interests lied more in the production than performance; going from Thaso the artist, to Thaso the producer.

Thaso continued composing music heavily, meeting many of the household names in the industry. These very same people would promise to assist him in taking his music production into main stream channels. “Most of the well known industry players always promised to work with me but they never kept their promises”. As soon as Thaso realised that people where continuously making empty promises, he decided to go out and do whatever he could to show the nation that he had something unique to offer the music industry.

While pushing the boundaries none stop, he was offered a job at a Cape Town based label - Mother Mix Record Label as an assistant producer. When Thaso thought he had finally got the break of his career, little did he know that the route he had chosen was a tough one. “When I worked in Cape Town , I got ripped off so badly that I even had to sue the company I was working for to be given compensation. I went to court and won the case but still, I was not given what was owed to me”.

Not giving up in life, Thaso went back home in Mabatho where he bought quality studio equipment with the money he had saved while working for Mother Mix.

It was not long after his experiences in Cape Town when he came across Beat Maker who had listened to what Thaso had composed. “Beat Maker was blown away by my music, so much so that he asked for a few samples, which he then took to Johannesburg”.

A few weeks down the line, Thaso received a call from Ghetto Ruff founder, Lance Stehr, who asked him to come to Johannesburg as he wanted to meet with him. “That one trip down to Jozi was the turning point in my career and it was the last time I produced music in Mabatho.”

Thaso who runs his own record label – Impact Sounds , said when he came to Jozi he brought a group by the name of Metswako with him – since at that time they were working on completing the groups album. As soon as Thaso settled in Gauteng he was given the immense task of producing Zola's album – Bhambatha . “Working with Zola was a huge challenge because of his star quality and successful reputation and I couldn't afford to mess up his project. At the beginning, I doubted myself and felt like I was not ready to produce for artists like Zola”. But as the production processes were put in place, Thaso said he regained his confidence and managed to produce the necessary results; the album featured hit tracks like X Girlfriend , Bhambatha and Don't Cry, which went on to win a SAMA award.

Thaso, who also did brief stints with Afro Dope Records, believed that Zola's Bhambatha project helped introduce him to the broader SA industry and put him on the map. “After Zola's album, there was the Hip-Hop Pantsula project which popularised the tracks Hebanna , Tswaka and Harambe, and confirmed my producing capabilities”.

For this producer, laying the groundwork for many of the Ghetto Ruff artists was a huge learning curve, allowing him to create a unique sound for every single artist he has ever produced for, challenging audiences to find Zola's trademark sound on any other production he's worked on.

How does he [Thaso] ensure that the artist he is working with is satisfied with the sound he has produced? “There are times that an artist might not like my work, in most cases we will sit down and try to find suitable beat material that complements the lyrics an artists has. I never compromise where quality production is concerned; at the end of the day I'm entirely responsible for the production process and it needs to be satisfactory for all parties concerned”.

Talking about the gear he uses in his studio, he said that currently, the Logic sequencer does wonders for him but in the past he has used Reason , Nuendo and Yamaha QY300 . As far as hardware is concerned, he pointed out that there is a lesser need for hardware in music production, other than having a high-speed computer, quality sound card, sound module and vocal compressor.

On the concept of aspiring producers, Thaso speculates that there are some people who want to get into the music industry for the wrong reasons – because of fame and money. “The music industry is not all about bling, but also about what a person can offer”. Thaso, who is the man behind the sound of Tuks, the latest addition to the SA hip-hop scene, said the love of what one does and the focus involved will ensure the development of your skills, which will mature over time and deliver successful results.

For wanna-be producers, Thaso stated that for one to be a successful producer, it requires the skill of playing most musical instruments, creativity and the art of combining/mixing those instruments to make the final product interesting.

When asked how he helps artists put their projects together, he said “Sometimes if an artist has impressed me, I can assist that person financially if no funds are available for the project. But the favour must be returned at some stage because we're all in this industry to assist one another and succeed”.

Don't think however, that if you approach Thaso with financial backing for your project that he will automatically climb on board. Thaso remains adamant that production fees aside, he wouldn't touch a project where the music didn't meet his standards. “I cannot work with someone whose material is not on par with my production standards. As a producer I also need to look after my name and credibility.”