Mthokozisi Khathi, known by his stage name DJ Tira is a South African DJ, record producer and Kwaito artist who has an estimated net worth of $2.2 million. Thanks to his very successful career, he is able to afford the choicest of things, including cars such as Ford Mustang, Mercedes Benz S-class, and Mercedes Benz G-CLASS among others. He also lives in a mansion with his family.
With an array of hit songs to his name, DJ Tira is not only one of the highly respected names in the South African entertainment industry but also one with a decent net worth. A disc jockey who is also a record producer and Kwaito artist, Tira has been in the music business for more than two decades. He is one of the people who discovered the Gqom music genre, solidifying his status as a legend in the game. Tira also owns his own record label that is doing quite well, and this puts him among the few artists earning big both as a musician and businessman.
Over the years, he has worked very hard, rising to the very apex of what is obtainable in the South African music industry. He is considered one of the biggest unifying forces for musicians in his country, with events every year for music lovers. DJ Tira loves exotic cars and has a few, including Rolls Royce Ghost, Rolls Royce Cullinan, Ferrari FF and Mercedes Benz G-CLASS among others.
Profile Summary of DJ Tira
- Full Name: Mthokozisi Khathi
- Date of Birth: August 24, 1976
- Age: 47 years old
- Place of Birth: KwaHlabisa, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Nationality: South African
- Marital Status: Married to Gugu Khathi
- Occupation: DJ, Musician, and Record Producer
- Net Worth: $2.2 million
- Education: Mlokothwa High School, the University of Natal now known as UKZN
Music Is DJ Tira’s Biggest Money Spinner
As expected, music is the biggest money-spinner for DJ Tira. Born on August 24, 1976, the 47 year old developed an interest in making music and being a disc jockey when he was a lot younger and in the university. As a matter of fact, he started playing as a DJ in 1996 while still in school.
In 2000, DJ Tira gained some attention by winning the Smirnoff DJing competition. The next year, he put out his first record called Real Makoya which happens to be a compilation album that he did with DJ Khabzela. Years later in 2005, DJ Tira got signed to Kalawa Jazzmee Records. He went to perform under a group named Tzozo En Professor before proceeding to form the group ‘Durban’s Finest’ together with DJ Sox who also was under Kalawa Jazmee Records.
He Has Sold Thousands Of Compilation Albums
In the early stage of his career, DJ Tira made and sold lots of compilation albums. His first compilation album, Real Makoya which was released in 2001, sold several thousand copies. At the time, hard copies were still in vogue and DJ Tira banked on that to win his audiences with his appealing tunes.
His second compilation called Durban’s Finest Vol:1 which he made with Sox and Ncedo M was released in 2004. The album also did very well, selling thousands of copies as well. He quickly rose to become one of the well-known faces in Durban at the time. His third compilation album was released in 2005 and it was called Durban’s Finest Vol:2. It also sold several thousand copies.
DJ Tira’s first studio album called Ezase Afro Vol:1 was released in 2013. It came in form of CDs and was also available for digital downloads as well. This was followed by his second studio album called Ezase Afro Vol:2 and a third called Ikhenani which was released in 2019. This was available on CDs and was also available for digital downloads.
In 2020, he celebrated his 21 years in the music industry by releasing his fourth studio album called 21 Years Of DJ Tira. The album sold thousands of copies and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA). In June 2021, Tira released his fifth studio album called Rockstar Forever. The album was released in South Africa and it caused some buzz.
He Has Good Streaming Numbers
DJ Tira makes a lot of money from the streaming numbers he rakes in on digital streaming platforms. He has so many songs on different digital platforms and they are being listened to by millions of fans. For instance, on his YouTube channel alone, DJ Tira boasts more than 15 million views combined. This means he has raked in thousands of dollars from the platform alone.
DJ Tira also has a huge presence on Spotify. In fact, it is estimated that he rakes in more than 50k monthly streams on Spotify every month and this figure is increasing, fetching thousands of dollars in revenue every year. DJ Tira is also big on iTunes. As a matter of fact, his album Rockstar Forever is reported to have ranked number 1 on iTunes charts in South Africa after its release.
He Earns As A Music Producer
DJ Tira does not just earn money as a musician; he also makes money as a music producer. Music production is a huge money-spinner on its own and music producers around the world can testify to this. Singers depend on them to make beats and bring their sounds to life. So, it is certain that DJ Tira has added a good sum to his net worth as a result of his work as a producer.
Some of his albums including Ikhenani were produced by him. He has also produced for other artists who pay him for his services. DJ Tira is a big name in the South African entertainment scene so his charges would be quite high but it is certain people don’t mind paying much mainly because he is good at what he does.
DJ Tira Owns A Record Label
DJ Tira actually owns his own record label called Afrotainment. The label was launched in 2007 and it has since gone on to become one of the very popular record labels in South Africa. Some of Tira’s works, including all his studio albums, were released under the Afrotainment label.
DJ Tira also manages artists whom he signed to the Afrotainment record label. The first artist to get signed to the label is DJ Cndo, a South African singer. She signed with Afrotainment the same year it was launched. Later on, Tira went on to sign the Kwaito group Big Nuz, helping them put out some of their major works.
Of course, when signing artists to his Afrotainment label, DJ Tira and the artists come to an agreement as to the percentage each party takes home at the end of the day. This means DJ Tira rakes in quite a lot of money not just from his music, but from the artists that he manages under the Afrotainment imprint. Over the years, the DJ has been credited with helping several South African artists to break out in their careers and find the limelight with his record label. Some reports say the Afrotainment record label now has more than 10 artists signed to it.
He Was A Judge On SABC 1 DJ Talent Search
DJ Tira has worked as a judge on the popular SABC 1 DJ talent search competition called 1s and 2s. He served as a judge on the show in March 2021 alongside other big names in the industry like DJ, producer, media personality, and businesswoman DJ Zinhle, and DJ and TV personality Speedsta.
It is also noteworthy that DJ Tira, being a multi-talented man, actually guest anchored on eNCA’s South African Morning show in November 2020.
He Is The Organizer Of ‘Fact Durban Rocks’
DJ Tira is a very passionate musician and this shows in how much he tries to bring people together to take part in concerts and at other such events. As a matter of fact, the musician is popularly known to be the organizer of one of South Africa’s most anticipated musical events called Fact Durban Rocks.
DJ Tira organizes Fact Durban Rocks twice every year and the event has been dubbed as South Africa’s best bi-annual music event which showcases the best in local music yearly. Usually, the Fact Durban Rocks events are packed with music enthusiasts who come to see their favorite artists perform for them. The events are organized twice a year; on the first Saturday of July and on the 31st of December. The one that falls on New Year’s Eve usually attracts more people as thousands of patrons from all walks of life come to enjoy Durban’s cozy weather.
Of course, tickets are sold to fans who want to enjoy the show and so quite a lot of money is made by organizers every year. DJ Tira takes home a huge chunk of the proceeds. It is noteworthy that the events are so big that they host up to 20,000 people at a time.
DJ Tira Earns From Other Performances
Apart from his FACT Durban Rocks events, DJ Tira also makes money by hosting or headlining other events. He is often invited to play at events all year round either as a disc jockey or as a musician. He has visited different countries to perform to the huge excitement of millions of fans around the African continent and beyond.
As expected, DJ Tira rakes in quite a lot of money from these performances. As a huge star, it is expected that he charges nothing short of ‘grand’ as his appearance fees.
He Has His Own Social Media App
Apart from being a musician who makes his own music and produces music for others, DJ Tira is also a businessman who thinks of new ways to rake in money for himself. In May 2021, the music artist launched his new mobile app ‘YouDeh’ and this got his many fans excited about the possibilities the app promises.
Explaining why he launched the app, the DJ revealed that he created it to help fans of movie stars, singers, and other celebrities, gain direct access to their favorite superstar very easily. He noted that other established social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter have already made it easy to keep up with the lives of celebrities but explained that on those platforms, gaining direct access to celebrities is not an easy thing mainly because celebrities rarely respond to direct messages. According to DJ Tira, this is where the YouDeh app comes in.
He said the app gives fans the opportunity to directly connect with a celebrity by paying for their time through private meeting requests. According to him, YouDey is serious business because if a fan says to have access to him, he would definitely give that fan the attention he seeks. He also explained that the app gives celebrities the opportunity to make money for themselves since they would benefit from the subscriptions fans would make to meet with them on the app.
Fans reacted instantly when the announcement of the YouDeh was made, with many saying DJ Tira is the first celebrity they would be connecting with after downloading the app.
- Selling of compilation albums
- Very good streaming numbers
- Music production
- Reality TV show judge
- Record label boss
- Organizes a bi-annual music concert
- Performance at shows
- Owns a social media app
How DJ Tira Spends His Money
There is no doubt that DJ Tira has been able to rake in money for himself over the years with all the different things he does as an entertainer, music producer, event organizer, and host. But, how does he spend the money that he makes?
DJ Tira is a lover of good cars and he has a number of those expensive rides in his garage.
1. Ford Mustang
DJ Tira owns a red Ford Mustang in his collection. The car is said to cost more than R1.5 million and is one of the highly valued cars of the entertainer.
2. Mercedes Benz S-class
DJ Tira also owns a Mercedes Benz S-class. Apparently, this car was specially made for comfort and it reportedly costs about R3.2 Million. DJ Tira is fond of showing this car off.
3. Mercedes Benz G-CLASS
The Mercedes Benz G-CLASS is another Mercedes Benz that Tira owns. The car costs over R3.3 million and is also one of the cars that the entertainer likes to flaunt.
4. Ferrari 458
DJ Tira also owns a Ferrari 458. The car is quite popular with South African celebrities and is one that the DJ likes flaunting as well. The vehicle is reported to cost about R3.8 million.
5. Ferrari FF
DJ Tira also owns a Ferrari FF. The car which is renowned for being very fast is worth over R6 million according to reports.
6. Rolls Royce Ghost
A Rolls Royce Ghost can also be found in the DJ’s garage. The vehicle is worth about R9 million according to Auto Trader.
7. Rolls Royce Cullinan
Apart from the Rolls Royce Ghost, the entertainer owns another Rolls Royce, this time the Rolls Royce Cullinan. This car is one of the most expensive SUVs in South Africa and it is worth over R15 million according to Auto Trader.
Apart from the cars that he owns, DJ Tira also has a mansion that he lives in with his wife, Gugu Khathi, and their children. In April 2020, the music producer shared a video of himself in his home as he works out on camera.
In the video, his massive house and some of his cars are visible. The cost of his house is not a known fact, but going by its massive build, it is nowhere near ‘cheap’. Apparently, DJ Tira is living the best life at the moment and this is well deserved.
Where Does DJ Tira Rank Among The Richest South African DJs?
DJ Tira is apparently a very wealthy man but compared to other disc jockeys in South Africa, he does not have the highest net worth. There are other very influential and wealthy DJs in South Africa. They include DJ Black Coffee, DJ Euphonik, DJ SBU, and DJ Oskido who are all richer than DJ Tira at the moment.
DJ Black Coffee is reportedly worth an amazing $60 million and is the richest DJ in South Africa right now. He is followed by DJ Euphonik who is worth about $3 million. DJ SBU is reportedly worth about $2.6 million while DJ Oskido is worth about $2.5 million. DJ Tira is next with his net worth of $2.2 million.