From Five to Ten the Why...Radio Heads

Top 5 Radio Jocks ..is what l was asked to share but l believe in perfection, 10 is a number of perfection an Radio for me is just that perfect when in order and it's a theatre of the mind in it's real essence! Dj's, Presenters and Hosts be aware what and who's on your radio at any given time.

With over 15 years in the entertainment industry l am sure l can get away with a list of the best radio jocks. I must confess of late it's painful listening to radio it's just not inspiring, people are just trying to hard to be relevant without authenticity. At most the sound of radio now is copy cats and dogs with no tails driven by ego without depth.

My list will be based on what the DJ's and Radio Presenters brought on air. Please note there is a difference between a DJ's,Presenters and Radio Hosts style of delivering radio.

1. Kansas City - Personality Gang (PG rated)

Personality for me is the best asset any on air person should bring to the table plenty of it, real personality not pseudo on stuff, engaging the person l would like to hang with cos the will be no dull moment very colorful and anything can happen. Almost out of control approach ruled kinda don't apply here.

Kansas City was the epitome of that fr me on radio,tv and off. He inspired a style of motor mouths on radio that would keep any listener one their toes. Most African language station have that guy who's like that on their morning or afternoon drive.

The names that come to mind here are  Chomane Chomane on Lesedi, Brian at Mungana Lo Nene, Gareth Cliff,  Glen Lewis alone on the afternoon drive, Anele Mdoda her early days at Highveld as the evening host wt Grant as a sidekick. Twasa on Lesedi afternoon drive and Dineo Ranaka on Drive.  Mark Gilman 5fm breakfast show.

Bongani Kansas City Mchunu was Radio Zulu's king once upon a time before it was Ukhozi.

Dineo was on too something...

Gareth is Howard Stern's Stan!!!

She's been shocking listeners from day one and now she's doing it on TV! No female can get away with it SA cos managers on stations have no balls to back a girl up.

Mind Set : Shock Jock territory here most make a concerted effort to be shocking whilst most are just shocking by what they are able to say if you listen closely.

Most radio dj's try to hard to emulate this man it's not not possible cos he's not acting it's who he is!

2. Khabzela - individuality they stand alone!

Man On  A Mission, Short Life With Impact!

There's little difference between this group and the one above the individuality guys and girls though are mission driven very purposeful about their madness on air.  Equally full of personality yet with a uniqueness that's incomparable! The are driving an audience to a point even if it's a sound or concept at times they are the only ones on that mission. They are capable of breaking new ideas.

Think Khabzela and his YPG, Prison Letters!

The are almost a breed on their own Linda Sibiya is in this group with motivations talks he had a chance to work with Kansas City so you know hist style runs deep, Alex Jay back in the day - "He is one of the few competent DJs in South Africa. It is not often you find a talent like his, a natural, intelligent broadcaster, at ease behind the microphone. Kenny Maistry on Mafuta Jams Metro Fm,  Tich Mataz Radio Bop,  Bob Mabena on MetroFm afternoon drive captures the sound of rap/hip hop for his generation and Morning Glory Breakfast Show not as Uncle Bob on Kaya Fm.  DJ Fresh on the Yfm drive he made house music the sound track of the afternoon the fore crowning himself it's radio king killing kwaito slowly. Phat Joe and hip hop club mixes, dissing anybody and every body with parody - An imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect) also on Kaya Morning morning drive.  The worst thing you can do to this bunch is bring an unwitty co-host to be in their team or an ignorant programme manager to stand in their way. How can I forget the then highly rated breakfast host Jeremy Mansfield and Justice on Radio 2000 currently to sharp on any given link.

The Radio Big League Is For The Big Boys! And  A Few Girls!

Bob at Bop, The Jammer at Radio Metro, Uncle Bob on Kaya FM...

Pushing an agenda through and through...

He's changed radio contracts more than any one else l know...Phat Joe

Mr Mafutha Jams...

Stuff that Legends are made off - the ability to evolve is what they will need to keep doing it right.

Took Celebrity News to new heights...

3. Grant Shakoane - The Lover.... M.I.O - radio concept and audience connection via music.


Grant is the king of smooth, Eddi Zondi, Wilson B Nkosi, Msizi Shembe, even Thabo Mokwele are a product of a guy who plays for the ladies and men love him for it. The are the alter ego of every men who listen to radio the plus is the do it in broad day light not as late nite jocks. Music is their poison and they say the simplest things over and over again and play the same music but people keep coming back for more torture! Now that's a skill! This guys are responsible for a lot of heartaches, heartbreaks and heart attacks even because at one point or another they messing with someone's heart strings via their "Lover Boy'' Ladies Man" voice that can make any man feel inadequate and most women believe they are the perfect man they should be with! Dangerous stuff but very good for ratings especially late nite and Sundays.

                                                  imaginary Boyfriends Brigade!

1st Generation....Grant is the guy in the blue shirt, now don't ask me how he did it with the ladies!

The Heir still standing.... Eddie Zondi baby.

The Spare watching closely...Wilson B Nkosi Poetry in Motion..

International Connections: Steve Harvey is the king don-father of this gang at the moment "Think Like A Man....

.


4.Shado Twala - Breaking Stereotypes - Beautiful and Brainy Bunch
 Femininity, depth,culture consciousness, original with estrogen.

Only few women get on radio and give the boys a run for their money with sass and depth at the same time. To cut across relevance,content,authority, influence with personal style as girls takes guts and nerves of steel in a world full of testosterone .. Shado leads the pack hands down for me Zandile Nzalo was that at Radio Bop! Kgomotso Moeketsi, Redi Thlabi, Lethabo on Thobela, Ursula Chikane as Brown Suga on5fm, Zuraida,  Twasa and Anele, Lee Kasumba still sit in this group the only thing that stopped most of this women from prime time and equal pay was male ego's, but someone like Anele is a benefactor of the force that started way back.
These are radio personalities not chicks on air or pretty women on radio they meant and mean business from day 1. My personal hero"s the just stand out without trying!

Her Majesty....

She brings it on, just ask any Politician...

Ursula with the same style and grace but don't be fooled by the look....she's hard! 

Breaking New Ground On Drive...

Don't mess with KG...

5. Ian Segola -  dance music king/ international boys

The ultimate club jocks on radio, hits after hit they can get any one on the dance floor whilst live on the radio, Evidence Kemp on Metro Fm was the guy who's playlist you can trust every Friday nite. Oskido is the new generation king of that, they play the dance tunes but their personality also get's you  hooked they also have the ability and depth to cultivate a new sound from their own back yards.

Oskido....  

The is truly remarkable – more so if you consider he was selling hot dogs,boerewors rolls outside a nite club in Hilbrow in the early ‘90’s when he was invited to come play the closing session, talk about ready for your break. Oskido also received his first club experience in 1988 under the guidance of a master.. Ian Segola.

6.Ben Dikobe and George Manyosi - best combo and synergy

On air collaborations are just stuff of genius they can't be manufactured they either work or not.  Personally l make a terrible co's my mind is at a speed of it's own. Co hosting is about two people who know what's going on in the other's head because for the listener it must flow and complete a thought, it's not about arguments on radio as l've heard some collaborations, bad if it's a male vs female it's unattractive it kinda get's every one listening in a bad mood too. Ben and George on the Jolly Good Show were the epitome of synergised thinking radio, Anele and Grant who l still feel left me hanging cos of how special their combination was. Another unfished story is Fresh and Thato should have gone together to 5fm, Unathi and Rude Boy Paul also had great sparks. Think Tom and Jerry, Bonnie and Clyde type of a thing when the left and right brain work on a a radio. Match made in radio heaven. 

George Manyosi currently on Kaya Fm.

Ben Dikobe is a special ingredient.... 

Sizwe and Scoop are that bad combo it works.....

7. Vusi Letswalo - Smooth Operators

King of the smooth the musical doctor himself, he's the reason behind the smooth day time boys, Bad Boy T is another, Mo Flava is a great contender in the current SO's,  these bunch are just naturals on being smooth, they are your trusted radio presenters not dj's get that right no highs or low's here they just flow like a river in one direction almost perfect in a way. It almost feels like they are prone though to being too content it's kinda difficult to find fault with them. This guys have had proper role models lsaak Phaahla, Ernest Pillay still smooth to this day. The girls who have given the boys a run in this group are Miss E, Brenda Sisane, Bertha Charuma and Metro Fm's  Azania.

Young Edgy Bad Boy hungry...

 vs

Nerdy Mature Thomas... you choose

I miss old Bad Boy T with no co -hosts just him, the mic and me the listener best hip hop on my stereo.

The Future Of Smooth Operations...

Still Going Strong...

Boogie Babe now with Radio2000 in black..

8. Tim Modise - Talk Radio

The masters of talk on urban radio have been legendary in their own right, they make sense of  some senseless content to the urban audience with such panache. Tim broke no sweat with talk , Lawrence Dube was the epitome calm behind the mic driving a conversation with a lot of soul connection, Given Mkhari a hip hop head turned business men did it with swag, Thabiso Sikwane on KayaFm brought the awkward family conversations to your car every evening and you found yourself part of a problem out side of yourself. Pity she chose her home over the Kaya Fm listener. 

Home with bo Mkaya  VS

Home with home boy!

No breaking a sweat on tough issues...

9. Lady D - Dudu Khoza - Radio Cultish Behavior Captains

Over here we have what l call radio cult leaders, you see we are dealing with an irritating concept on radio but the presenters have he most patient to handle it an listeners worship them for it? Dedications,Song requests, Agony Aunt advise you catch my drift. All l remember about Phindi Gule on Yfm is dedication request from her listeners calling her Sis Phindi on a youth station, Song requests with Georgie on KayaFm, Top 10 at with Tbose and dilemma or was it dile e ma   during his Metro Fm days it's the same thing as office power play the music kinda drives the content.  Radio listeners will  kill for their favorite wish maker on air.  I respect this group for their patience day in day out it sounds like they are having fun always. Lady D on Ukhozi is my hero here cos she's mastered the art of really duplicating the same concept to real empower her audience rather than just tuning out their favorite tunes she gives them food for thought with her topics thatch work for the music and dedication by applying their minds to daily 
challenges of life.

10. Max Mojapelo - The Count Down Royalty!


Pace set's apart a radio count down, even not packaged the show gotta hold suspense until you get to the No1 song with drops and picks in presentation as the songs change positions too. The count down is for master creatives with skill Max Mojapelo on Thobela could sell you any artist on any given Saturday, Sammy T on the Coca Cola Top 40 on Metro Fm would make any one want a Coke, Tich Mataz is another on Radio Bop if l remember well. Ursula Stepfelt now Chikane made it rain with hot hits too on 5fm.

Max The Mixer On Thobela FM!

                  Others ... Presenting the current possible future....     

           

Worth noting those who have presence on radio via other platforms and personal brands that create a keen interest on them on the airwaves. 

He's back on Umhlobo KC...

He's driving Ligwala gwal audiences...

He's been every where.. Metro Fm, Yfm, Ukhozi he keeps popping up.

Limpopo's own bad boy... Thobela FM, Capricon Fm maybe GP will be next..

He was the next Khabzela most believed then he joined Ukhozi  Fm back to YFM now he's on Metro Fm weekend  let's see what's next.

Pabi started at Highveld, 

SA VS USA - Jozi or New York decisions, decisions time will tell.

From Trafffic Girl to News Reader, Radio Prenter and Club Dj she  means business.

Your Girl B on radio anything is possible  l'm watching closely...

The hips don't lie but can she really hold it down on air it's still the early days...

How bright is the future of radio?

There you have it, my thoughts feel free to share yours and disagree with me, who know's we might just inspire a whole new generation of radio heads!

The Phly One...