Q and A with DJ Soso

Joe Alex June 19, 2025

Q and A with DJ Soso

DJ Soso, born Lebo Motaung, is a growing force to be reckoned with across the continent in the Afro Tech scene. Hailing from the Soweto, Johannesburg in South Africa, DJ Soso has carved a niche for himself with his boundary-pushing sounds, legendary sets, and relentless dedication to the DJying craft. DJ Soso’s journey from a campus DJ during his Wits University days where he studied Law towards becoming among the highly sought-after dance DJs in the country is both inspiring and intriguing. Also a recording artist, DJ Soso is now becoming known for Afro Tech jams, 3 step rhythms, catchy hooks and encompassing horns on most of his tracks. We managed to catch the man before he left for Kenya, on an international tour, and asked him a few questions.

Which three words would you use to describe DJ Soso? DJ Soso is Curious, Visionary, and an Optimist

What are your birth names? I was born Lebohang Ramoabi Martin Motaung but my fans call me DJ Soso

Where were you born? I grew up on Soweto, however I was born in Ficksburg, in the Free State province

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Please share your earliest recollection of encountering music? I recall music videos on BOP TV, taxi music, because I grew up in a family that runs a taxi business, and there was also my late uncle’s cassette collection as he loved music and dancing.

When and how did you start your DJ journey? Although I had aspirations of becoming a DJ in high school, from Grade 8, I only started my DJ journey in 2004 during my first year at Wits Law School. I joined the Wits DJ Society started collecting music, mixing and performing at campus events.

Why did you choose Dance music over other genres? Dance music is what I was exposed to when I took an interest in DJing High school. This was at the start of the compilations era and I immediately connected with House music.

What inspired the shift into production? I guess it was a calling. I started hearing songs in my head. I then shifted to songwriting and production because I wanted to tell my story when it comes to sound. I later realised that the DJs who stood out were those that were also producing their own music. I then invested in developing a team than would help me cook my own projects.

What does your creative process look like, and do you have any routines or rituals when working on a piece?

I don’t have a routine per se. Mostly sounds or Melodies come to me in the morning after waking up. Sometimes when I am bathing. It is pretty much random. I then prepare and send a sound bite to the team so they can develop the sound I recorded further. That’s how most of my songs are born. I’m also a fan of workshopping music. In those, I arrange a studio session, invite session musicians, vocalists, we jam and create spontaneous records.

You are also a professional, can you tell us about what your career? As previously mentioned, I went to Wits University and studied Law. After graduation I became a practicing attorney which I continue to do till today. I do this alongside my DJing and music production.

How do you balance your music brand from your professional brand The brands balance themselves out mainly because a lot of times the Groove community is not really the professional community. It is an interesting marriage of the two with me. It almost feels like I’m in a polygamous marriage and I have to nurture each relationship wisely and fairly.

Tell us about your greatest achievements

There are a couple. Among my greatest achievements was when I became the head of the mobile unit at Wits Campus Radio (VOW FM) at age 18. My responsibilities included setting up sound system for activations and events on campus. Learned a lot about project management and met a lot of brands and industry players.

Then it was travelling to Botswana and Swaziland for gigs while I was a student in the mid-2000s. I became an international DJ at very start of my career. Another highlight was the releasing the song “Izulu” with Vanco via an international deal with a UK based label, ‘Tribe Records’. This was back in 2016.My more recent achievements include establishing my own record label, Ubizo Cafe with quality Afro House singles and Eps being churned out by the label. The music I have been releasing has allowed me to get bookings internationally including West Africa.

You have toured Africa, tell us about your experience I have been doing gigs outside South Africa since I was a student in 2008. I was playing gigs around the SADC region mostly in Botswana and Swaziland. Of late I have been focusing on the larger continent touring West Africa. I was fortunate to be booked for the New Year’s crossover event in 2022 and I got to perform at Polo Beach in Accra, Ghana. In 2023 I was booked in Kenya twice, in July and November.

When it comes to the different experiences of these regions, I can say that Botswana and Swaziland had a more South African feel culturally because they are in the SADC region. My sets there and the general vibe feels just like Free State in SA. Ghana is a totally different experience since it is all the way in the West of Africa. We differ a lot from the Ghanaians culturally and socially but I did not find it difficult to impress the masses. My other time there was during Detty December and Afro Nation so there were a lot of South Africans on the crowd so I played to their tastes and the rest of the crowd caught the vibe. I would really like to visit the country again during normal season to experience the people of Accra untainted.

Kenya on the other hand felt like home from day one. It is very welcoming and the locals consume a lot of South African culture. They love Afro House and Amapiano. If I had things my way, I would have monthly residency the country. I even did a song titled ‘Nairobi’ recorded with a Kenyan artist in celebration of my love for the city.

You are performing in Kenya again this month, can you tell us more I’m performing in Kenya alongside another South African heavyweight DJ, Heavy K. I’m looking forward to the event because the last time I shared a stage with Heavy K was in 2012 in Botswana. We actually drove there and back together. I’m booked by the same Promoter who has booked me before so I suppose I have made an impression. This time around I’m getting my videographer to tag along the trip to document the tour and recording content so I can share the experience with my supporters back home and around the globe.

Tell us about your most recent projects I’m cooking new music. And I’m releasing and promoting singles from my latest 3 Step Afro House EP titled ‘3’ (three), with my long-time collaborators DJ Kafi and Ozyman. I am also busy mixing and mastering another 3 Step project due for release this Spring. This is besides hosting Ubizo Café events, pushing DJ Soso merchandize sales, and creating new experiences for the African dance scene. Oh, I forgot, I have a comic book also in the pipeline, ‘Groove adventures with DJ Soso’, it’s the first of its kind from a South African musician.

What’s next for DJ Soso? What’s next? Growing Ubizo Cafe as a record label and production company. I am also growing my DJ brand and see and international tour in the books. If you are reading this from US or Europe, please book me. My focus is creating value and scaling the business. The plan is to license more music and sign more talent to the label. I see Ubizo Café being a major player in the publishing and distribution game. Watch this space.