He was what I wanted to be: DJ Cleo honours Magesh with a mix

DJ Cleo has paid tribute to former member of TKZee Tokollo “Magesh” Tshabalala with a kwaito mix.

Magesh died on Monday morning after an epileptic seizure.

The DJ's kwaito mix, which has been shared on social media, contains some of his classic songs.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Cleo said the compilation aimed to educate people about Magesh's legacy.

“I felt the need to educate a bit and have a smooth blend between Magesh the solo artist and Magesh the TKZ member.

“How the cookie crumbles in entertainment, people move on to the next hit thing. But for us kwaito fans, real fans and music purists, we value and uphold.”

While he only met Magesh once, Cleo says he's always been a fan.

“Growing up I was, and still am, a huge fan of TKZ. You could never tell me anything about TKZ and Mdu Masilela. Magesh meant a lot me, he was an icon, he set a bar, he was what I wanted to be.

Recalling the conversation he had with Magesh when they met, Cleo said: “It was about 10 years ago and I told him of the memories etched in bold ink in my head of the times I’d seen him on TV, live or from a distance. He’s an icon and it can’t be erased. I’ve had the same conversation with Zwai and Kabelo.”