Overview
DJ BlaQ t (Themba Khumalo) is a South African DJ, promoter, producer, and creative force whose work spans Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town. A master of what Gilles Peterson christened “freestyle playing,” BlaQt navigates seamlessly between soul, funk, dub, rare grooves, and hip-hop—mapping human emotion through carefully curated sets that can move from a Fela Kuti cut to a Foreign Exchange track, then drop a 1960s James Brown classic with remarkable ease .
Based in Vosloorus on Johannesburg’s East Rand, he wears many hats: founder and curator of the highly regarded Evo Lokxion Sundaze sessions, head of production at Kreative Base Entertainment, and promoter of the renowned Soulfanatics club nights .
Early Life & Influences
Music surrounded Themba Khumalo from childhood. “Growing up around my uncle and my mom’s was just enough to get me hooked. They owned a shebeen and my uncle Moses collected records so music has always been around me,” he recalls . His uncle’s vinyl collection became an early gateway.
His formal journey began in 2002 when he moved to Cape Town to study Public Relations Management. There, he purchased his first record collection from Matolo, an ex-DJ retiring from the craft. He also met Martin “DJ Marr” Mezzabotta, a kindred spirit and record-collecting companion who would later become his partner in founding Evo Lokxion .
Cape Town Years (2002–2008)
The Mother City proved formative. BlaQt co-hosted the Koncious Cycles Mic Sessions with DJ Marr at a club that became a crucible for Cape Town’s hip-hop underground. Regulars included Ben Sharpa, Driemanskaap, Rattex, and Korianda—all sharpening their craft in that intimate space.
He played at Fong Kong Bantu Sound System events and graced the airwaves of Bush Radio’s Level Vibes Show and UCT Radio. One of his most successful Friday night residencies unfolded at Orchard Bank on Long Street, while he simultaneously hosted two shows at online station Mutha FM: one with Boeta G of Fong Kong Bantu, and another called Groove Matters.
2008 marked the release of the Street Flava Mixtape Vol. 1, featuring Korianda—a collection of freestyles, unreleased material, and rare treats that demonstrated his archivist’s sensibility.
The Birth of Evo Lokxion Sundaze
In late 2006, two DJs decided to throw monthly gigs in Vosloorus. One—Themba “DJ BlaQ t” Khumalo—had just returned from Cape Town and dabbled in graphic design. The other—Martin—had worked local reggae sound systems and now worked with leather. The gigs were intended to showcase their skills while simultaneously marketing Martin’s leather goods .
They invited friends and acquaintances to a small house in the township, whose back room doubled as Martin’s leather studio. Martin’s aunt’s house proved perfect because, as BlaQt explains, it allowed people to be closer together, so they could “network and communicate” .
“It was a way of getting street cred,” says BlaQt of Evolokxion’s beginnings. “What’s the point of being out there when people in your own hood don’t know you?”
The idea took off not because of its novelty, but because it drew from the township youth’s rich history of assembly and reciprocity—particularly the reggae sound system culture that had thrived in Vosloorus during the late Nineties .
Growth and Recognition
By February 2008, the 14th edition of Evo Lokxion Sundaze drew approximately 500 people to Vosloorus Stadium’s grassy parking lot. The event served as a farewell for BLK JKS before their departure to New York, drawing what was arguably the largest crowd in the event’s year-and-a-half history at that point .
As BlaQt surveyed the crowd that day, he observed: “This thing is growing way out of proportion. I imagine these people filling up this entire space” .
The February 3, 2008 edition was promoted as “EvO LokxiOn Sundaze #13” and featured an explosive lineup: BLK JKS performing their final local set before jetting to New York, Crack Jazz Foundation (described as “one of Vosloorus’ new hottest four piece band” led by MC Mad Scientist), and UK guest DJ Blunted Stuntman. The Evo Lokxion All-Stars—the trio of dR Mtunga MerO, Website, and DJ BlaQ t—provided their signature “Smash Ups Sets” spanning Rare Grooves, Dub, Afro Funk, and Soul Hip-Hop .
In just five years, Evo Lokxion Sundaze earned respect as one of the first eclectic park jam sessions in the country, attracting attention from all over the East Rand and beyond Gauteng province .
The Spirit of Evo Lokxion
The sessions drew from deep community roots. As one regular named Bat explained: “Back in the day we were very involved in the Rasta thing. It started there, in fact, doing sessions and contributing fruit and ganja and stuff. That’s how those sessions happened” .
Martin added: “Reggae sessions were like the hottest thing here in the late Nineties. They were held every Sunday. Everyone went to church and afterwards you’d know where the place to be was. They’d move around from one place to another” .
What made Evo Lokxion different was its expansion beyond music—shoemakers and fashion designers came to showcase their clothes, creating a holistic cultural experience . Stalls offered handmade leather accessories, designer fashion garments, and T-shirts alongside exclusive music .
Artists Profiled
Evo Lokxion Sundaze has profiled an extraordinary range of talent:
- BLK JKS (before their international breakthrough)
- Impande Core
- Tumi (of The Volume)
- Zuluboy
- Pebbles
- Crack Jazz Foundation
- Zubz
- L8 Antique
- Future History
- FiFi
- Ba4za
- Hempza Mawawa
- International guest Jazz Lee (USA)
As stage manager and producer, BlaQt created a platform where emerging and established artists could share space organically. Reflecting on five years of the sessions, he shared: “Honestly I think it’s been amazing having all those artists perform in my backyard” .
Soulfanatics
Soulfanatics represents a different dimension of his programming—an evening dedicated to soul music and its spin-offs. Usually featuring BlaQt alongside a guest DJ, these nights create what he describes as “a vibe of just good music and people having a good time” .
The musical palette is deliberately expansive: “It could start with a 70’s Donald Byrd cut, up to the early 90’s spin-offs and you’ll never know where it could go next” . Soulfanatics nights have been held at venues including Kitcheners Carvery Bar in Johannesburg and continue to pulse through Pretoria and Johannesburg.
Kreative Base Entertainment & Other Ventures
As head of production at Kreative Base Entertainment, BlaQt handles promotion, booking, and production. Between 2007 and 2008, he hosted and produced the B-side Party, featuring Hempza, Mawe-2, Miss Nthabi, BLK JKS, and DJ Manello Funkikora.
Since 2010, he has served as both performer and stage manager at the annual Jammin’ n Ting Music and Arts Festival, working alongside UK-based DJ Manello Funkikora.
Beats, People & Vosloo
In August 2019, Evo Lokxion Sundaze partnered with JhbLive, BestBeatsTV, and The Akademy to present the first edition of Beats, People & Vosloo, celebrating 13 years since the inception of Evo Lokxion Sundaze. Held at Monate Fela Road House in Vosloorus, the event featured rapper/poet Blindfold with a five-piece soul hip-hop band, with BlaQt joining the Nu-Stalgia trio lineup alongside DJ Medicine and Babaganoush .
Musical Philosophy & Style
BlaQt’s approach to DJing resists easy categorization. He describes his taste as shaped by “the good, the bad and the ugly”—respecting the full spectrum of South African musical expression .
His dream DJ collaborators reveal his influences: Gilles Peterson, Mr. Scruff, and Questlove of The Roots. Locally, he cites DJ Boeta G of Fong Kong Bantu System and the Forgotten Frequencies crew (Rozzano & D-Form) .
Despite the digital turn in DJ culture, BlaQt remains committed to vinyl: “I love my records and won’t stop collecting them. I prefer playing records even though I also have the gadgets… Records are still the in thing for me!”
Production & Discography
Intshanational Beat-Tape Volume One
A digital release produced by Hempza Mawawa of Black Sunday Sessions fame, this beat-tape serves as an introduction to jazz-inflected instrumental works. Produced by Sibusiso “Hempza Mawawa” Ngwalase and mixed by Themba “DJ BlaQ t” Khumalo, it forms part of the creative output shared under the Social Works of the Evo-Lokxion Movement and Black Sunday Arts Academy.
Majola’s Hat (Soundtrack Contribution)
BlaQt contributed to the soundtrack for Majola’s Hat (Nkhari Pictures), a short film that screened at the Durban Short Film Festival—demonstrating his reach beyond club contexts.
Street Flava Mixtape Vol. 1 (2008)
Featuring Cape Town’s Korianda, this release captured a moment in the Mother City’s hip-hop evolution. As Kwanele Sosibo noted: “BlaQt has been sitting on this material since 2006, flashing it like a hobo rocking a trench coat on his blog and elsewhere in cyberspace.”
Career Highlights & Milestones
Tours & Festivals
- Copywrite South African Tour with NucklearHeadz
- Fire on the Mountain Festival – Media Launch (2007, Orchard Bank, Cape Town)
- Soweto Arts Festival (2007)
- Back to the City Hip-Hop Festival (2007 & 2008)
- Inaugural Pan African Space Station music festival (2008)
- Arts Alive 2011 Book Week (Poetry Potion)
- Organik Soul (2011)
- Beats, People & Vosloo (2019)
Radio & Media
- Appearances on Bush Radio (Level Vibes Show)
- UCT Radio
- Mutha FM (two shows)
- etv youth programme Shiz-Niz
- Red Bull Academy Radio Station (Cape Town)
- BBC Food Channel launch party
Recognition
- Hype Awards Nomination – DJ of the Year (2009)
Venues & Residencies
- Orchard Bank (Long Street, Cape Town) – Friday night residency
- Kitcheners Carvery Bar (Johannesburg) – Soulfanatics nights
- Mind Your Head Bar (Johannesburg) – Blowout Good Times nights (2008/09)
- Twilight Lounge – Production & management
- Monate Fela Road House (Vosloorus) – Beats, People & Vosloo
Philosophy & Approach
When asked how he manages production, promotion, DJing, and venue management simultaneously, BlaQt offered a revealing answer: “I’ve never broken it down into separate segments like that, to me it’s one thing and it’s my life. Look around they aren’t many promoters or A&R’s. So I have to get up and do it myself” .
On the state of the South African music scene: “I respect other people’s hustle, so whatever they do which makes up the scene today… I’m not one to judge but I think there’s the good, the bad and the ugly” .
On reaching audiences for alternative music: “I think the biggest challenge has been to reach out to more people cause I believe there are many who love what we do and want to come out not just for a good night but mostly for the music” .
On the feeling of DJ-ing after years in the game: “The feeling will never be the same and even preparing will never be same like when it all started” .
Online Presence
- Blog: djblaqt.blogspot.com
- Evo Lokxion blog: evolokxion.blogspot.com
- Facebook: /djblaqt
- MySpace (historical): www.myspace.com/evosundaze
Legacy & Influence
The quote that introduced him remains apt: “To be young, gifted and black, it’s where it’s at…” — Nina Simone . DJ BlaQ t embodies that spirit through persistence: the quiet, consistent work of digging, connecting, and building.
As one Vosloorus regular observed: “I’m proud of people from this township that end up in the industry. The way they carry themselves—they are wiser on the larger stage” .
BlaQt doesn’t just play music. He archives it, contextualizes it, and pushes it forward. From a back room in Martin’s aunt’s house to gatherings of 500 at Vosloorus Stadium, from vinyl crates to beat tapes, from Cape Town radio to East Rand park jams—his work has consistently prioritized substance over flash, community over commerce.
“To be young, gifted and black, it’s where it’s at…”
Profile compiled from archival interviews and historical sources documenting South Africa’s independent music scene. For current bookings and Soulfanatics events, follow DJ BlaQ t on social media.