‘Trigger’ hitmaker DJ Karri talks about his song going gold, signing with Sony

Musician DJ Karri, real name Karabo Mokgara, has a lot to be grateful for.  He has been putting work in the music industry for more than 15 years and what seems like instant fame took much longer than that.

The hit song Trigger where he features Prime De 1st, BL Zero & Lebzito trended on TikTok when celebs did the #Triggerdancehallenge. It shone a spotlight on him and now it is time for him to reap the rewards of his hard work. He recently received plaques when ‘Trigger’ was certified Gold, and boot the DJ is now signed with Sony Music Africa. 

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, DJ Karri said when the song started making waves in Mzansi, it opened many doors he never thought he would enter.

“I didn't think things would happen so fast I even went international with just one song, I was very happy, even for my boys I worked with on the song.

"I was happy because from being a club promoter to being an international DJ promoter, it was amazing. I still can't believe it. I get calls from Iceland and from the UK. They want to book me. I'm going to Spain on June 29.”

His story, like countless others who try to make it in showbiz, started from the ground up.

“I started as a local DJ.  I went from being a club DJ to promoter. I started in Hammanskraal and around casinos . I started promoting clubs in 2001.  I started DJing two years before that. I've been in this industry for more than 12 years but  nly started producing music in 2020 when we went into lockdown. All this time I wasn't producing, I was DJing and booking artists.”

The self-taught DJ said he was inspired by his brother and mother to pursue music.

“ I started learning back home and from looking at the bigger guys in the industry . I was so fortunate to attend a gig and sit next to DJ Sbu playing and Black Coffee playing years ago. Because I had passion I started learning and making mistakes because I was new. No one taught me how to DJ.”

The Pretorian has an EP and a singles under his belt under his record label Brave Boy Music, but the one that shot him to nationwide fame was Trigger.

“With Trigger, I was like let me try something different from what all the amapiano producers are doing. Most amapiano songs they have the same wave, so I introduced a new wave in amapiano music with Trigger."

DJ Karri said he is dropping another hit called Tornado on 29 April 29 from Sony Music Africa.

“I'm dropping a new single with Sony Music Africa which is Tornado. It sounds slightly similar to Trigger but obviously different. I've noticed the sound of Trigger is loved by people all over the world so I need to give them more. I need to build momentum. There is another song out there its called Sanitiser and it has also been big."