DJ Tira pioneered Durban’s house and kwaito scene in the early 2000s, transforming the coastal city into South Africa’s dance music and entertainment hub. Born Mthokozisi Khathi in KwaHlabisa in 1976, he taught himself to DJ while studying at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the ‘90s. In the mid-2000s, he joined DJ Sox in the pioneering duo Durban’s Finest, who made a name for themselves out of the gate with the Tzozo & Professor single “Woze Durban”. The song introduced Durban kwaito, a strand of the genre that leaned towards house and fit the faster pace of the city’s party scene. Leading the Durban kwaito revolution was DJ Tira’s label, Afrotainment, which broke dance music stars Big Nuz who ran the summer for several years with monster hits like 2008’s “Ubala.” With more than two decades in the game, DJ Tira remains a cornerstone of the Durban entertainment industry, DJ Tira has remained a cornerstone of the Durban entertainment industry, churning out hits and nurturing new talent such as Distruction Boyz, whose 2017 hit “Omunye” ushered gqom into the mainstream.