DJ Fresh packs them with The Final Destination'

He was in the country performing at Club Super Rock a few weeks ago and the spinner was in Nelspruit last week Saturday for the launch tour of his latest album ‘The Final Destination’.

That’s 5FM spinner DJ Fresh (Thatho Sikwane) who is widely known as ‘The Dawg’.

Driving in a sleek grey Mercedes Benz, the spinner had to perform at the News Café and the over 1 000 clubbers couldn’t fit in as it is too small.

Many of them stood outside for hours with the uncompromising gatemen promising that if half of the people left, then they would be allowed in.

Those outside included some Swazi fans who had also gone there to have a feel of the latest album, but they were disappointed.

"I don’t know why they decided to use such a small venue for a deejay of his calibre because they knew very well that it would be packed. I came here because I missed his show in Swaziland so I felt Nelspruit is a bit nearer but I am disappointed," said Sihle Mazibuko from Mbabane.

Sikwane said during his last show in the country that the reason why the album is titled ‘The Final Destination’ is because of the fact that as from next year he will not release anything, but will be busy in the studio working on an artist’s album

"I hope the 45 songs will be enough to satisfy my fans so that they don’t forget about me even if I don’t release anything next year," he said.

It looks like his fans are far from forgetting him as witnessed last weekend.

Big Dawg has over 16 house albums under his belt. He has shared the DJ booth with a number of international spinners, including ‘Little Louie’ Vega, Frankie Knuckles, Armand Van Helden, Jazzy Jeff, Hoxton Whores, Terry Hunter and Dominic Spreadlove, and played in Southport in 2000 and at the legendary Pacha in Ibiza in 2001, 2005 and 2007.

Earlier in 2002, Fresh was among a team of South African DJs who performed at the Masters At Work party at the Miami Winter Music Conference.

Big Dawg’s first ever taste of Music production netted him a hit in the track Comm Si Comm sa, which appeared on Mzantsi House, and was also picked up by UK label Slip & Slide for international release.

Although never too eager to delve into production, his few forays into this domain have netted various hits, amongst these: ‘Stay real’, featuring his wife Thabiso; ‘Amazing’, also featuring Thabiso; ‘Afro Samba’ featuring Gugu Shezi, later picked up by Captain Morgan Spiced Gold as their 2005 festive season, theme; and the poetic  "Goddess" featuring Kutlo.

Having threatened to work together for over five years now, DJ Ski vs. Big Dawg has been a long time coming.

Not only is Fresh an awesome and respected DJ, he’s also a father and a loving husband and an entrepreneur. Apart from launching his company, Big Dawg Productions, he’s established the DJ Fresh Annual Scholarship programme, which awards tertiary scholarships to deserving students who cannot afford it. Another of his babies is the ‘Rollback Xenophobia’ campaign, and he has raised money for organisations like POWA and the Cancer Association with unique initiatives like ‘kissathons’.

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