Thabiso Khati

Popularly known as Hip Hop Scholar, Thabiso Khati is a music and marketing executive who has spearheaded prolific aspects of the evolution of South African urban culture. The proud Sowetan started out as an intern at Sony Music in the mid-1990s.

Here, he established the Nativz Street Team – the first street team in the country – that comprised DJs and students who were at the forefront of the cool at a number of tertiary campuses across South Africa. Specialising in music marketing, Nativz Street Team serviced record companies as a marketing and promotions entity using innovative below-the-line campaigns.

Sony Music, Universal Music (which was then known as Polygram) and BMG were just some of the major players that were on Nativz Street Team’s client list. Soon, Thabiso began managing rappers like Amu (formerly known as Amunishn). He then worked as an A&R and project manager on what would become South Africa’s first ever hip hop compilation album: The Muthaload.

By 1998, Thabiso had established himself as an expert in urban youth culture so becoming a partner in a budding advertising agency called King Size Entertainment was a natural fit. Here, his clients included SABC TopSport, YFM and Mr Price. In 1999, Thabiso established his independent record label, Nativz Entertainment that was distributed by Sony Music.

Nativz Entertainment focused on hip hop and r&b and although it was a bold new step in the culture – which included signing acts like Amu – the label did not garner commercial success.

Armed with the skills he’d learned in the record business, in 2003, Thabiso became Gallo Record Company’s head of promotions and publicity. He was instrumental in signing rappers and strategizing a hip hop takeover as this would be the first time a South African major record label saw the genre as commercially viable.

At Gallo, Thabiso was in charge of marketing and promotions of the likes of Skwatta Kamp, Pro Kid, Mr. Selwyn and Mizchif. But his scope also included leaders in other genres who included Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lucky Dube, Kalawa, 999 Music, Phuzekhemisi, Miriam Makeba, Thandiswa Mazwai, Simphiwe Dana, Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse and others.

After Gallo passed on signing Hidden Force, a rap group discovered by Thabiso, he boldly started a new independent record label called Street Music and the Thokoza-based group promptly became his first signees. After releasing the critically acclaimed The Takeover album, the group parted ways and Thabiso signed two of its members as a duo. The pair, named Deep Level, went on to win a South African Music Award.

In 2007, Thabiso left Gallo to become the area manager for SADC (and later the Sub-Saharan Africa) for Blinck International BV. The Amsterdam-based mobile content business operated in over 30 countries and while here, Thabiso generated revenue, grew market share with the aim of being the market leader, maintained and established relationships with partners. He was responsible for the overall running of the business unit with an annual marketing budget of over R 40 million.

By 2009, Thabiso was ready to start his own marketing agency, which he called 360 Street. Til today, the company consults and develops below the line campaigns for FMCG brands that target the 18 – 35 black demographic group. Some of 360 Street’s clients include Hansa Pilsner, Miller Genuine Draft, Castle Milk Stout and the Eastern Cape Aids Council.

In 2013 Thabiso co-founded Cashtime Life, the hip hop powerhouse that helped change the South African music landscape and ushered in a new wave of independent labels. It’s been five years of leading the pack and although he is still the Hip Hop Scholar, Thabiso has now also become the teacher.