He's all about being creative. Whether it is behind the decks or the stove, he wants to give his customer the best.
Siyabonga Mduduzi Zikode is a 39-year-old DJ, best known as DJ Kotin. He has worked with the likes of Big Nuz and DJ Tira to name.
With eleven years of experience in the music industry, often touring the country, he's always wanted to also provide for his audience in a different way.
The native of Mandeni in KZN has branched out into the restaurant business and has opened a new eatery in the Durban CBD that he says is doing very well.
It’s called Nkonzo’s Kitchen and based in the CBD and it is popular for always having famous faces around and unique African food.
"I grew up working in a family business, so I learnt how to spot a gap and I did and I grabbed it," he says.
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He likes getting directly involved with the operations of his business.
“I’m a very hands-on person, when I do something, I put in a lot of effort.”
The whole outlook of his establishment is to serve wholesome homegrown meals like inhloko, isgwaqane, mogodu, samp and idombolo.
The DJ and businessman also has a new single out now as he begins to test the waters for his next full-blown project.
“It has always been my dream to work with Big Nuz and Mr Thela. So, I gave Mr Thela a call that I wanted us to work together on something, we made the beat. I played it for Danger, and he said let’s go play it for Mampintsha than the rest was history.”
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He says he is hard at work in the studio shaping his future which you can expect to involve, “a lot of good music”.
"Things have been going nicely considering that I ended opening my own record label and signing artists like Sithelo and Sneziey," he boasts.
The full roster at the Durban based Kotin Records includes Sneziey, Big Nuz, Fey, Mondli Ngcobo, Naima Kay, Sithelo, Skillz and Cici.
He believes having solid role models and mentors afforded him the opportunities he has enjoyed in the music business and he values the insights he was given by a few legendary local acts.
“Having had role models like Oskido and Mdu Masilela had a big influence on me wanting to be a producer, to own a record label and work towards producing quality music.”
He is proudly from the Durban kwaito and gqom movement beneath the umbrella of house and laments the direction that local music has taken in recent years.
“I think it’s one sided which is not fair to other genres,” he says.
“I think other genres are slowly but surely coming back. Plus, we have more artists doing international gigs now so we’re good.”
