For a long time in Kenya, disc jockeys (DJs) were associated with radio stations and night clubs. However, with increased demand for their services, it is not uncommon to find the turntablists being hired in various campaign product promotion services, live TV programmes and there are even Nairobi matatus that employ DJs to entertain passengers.
DJ Lyta is one of Kenya’s pioneer entertainers who have revolutionized the sector. Out of curiosity, he started his career in Nairobi immediately after he was done with his college studies.
Real name
His real name is Samuel Mwangi.
Education – DJ Lyta studied at Bishop Mahianini Academy in Murang’a and later joined Gituru High School in Nyahururu. After secondary education, he enrolled for a diploma in information technology at Zetech College.
Family
Lyta is a second born in a family of 5. Details about his children or whether he is married remain scanty.
Career
Famed for his street DJ tag, Mwangi began his career immediately after college education, something that didn’t go well with his parents who had paid his school fees for an IT course.
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“My dad just couldn’t believe I had lost interest in information technology after easily getting a diploma within a year, fortunately, I had made up my mind and wouldn’t flinch, despite pressure from my family,” he told Nation in a past interview.
“After they (parents) realized that I had made major moves, they began appreciating,” Lyta told Kiss TV.
He started by experimenting with virtual DJ software before he enrolled for a 6 month training in audio productions at Eagles production studios in Nairobi. Lyta was mentored by DJ Syd who taught him the basics of being a quality entertainer.
As they say you don’t have to see the entire staircase for you to take the first step, Lyta began by selling his mixes recorded in compact discs to matatus in Kayole. At that time, he was only charging ksh100 per CD but got exploited by matatu crew who burned the CDs and resold to others. The good thing is that the unscrupulous drivers spiraled his career by marketing his skills to other Nairobi routes.
The resolute mixmaster’s career began booming when he finally got invited to perform in various Nairobi clubs.
Earnings
At the start Lyta revealed to Kiss TV that he was paid ksh 3500 after performing at a night club.
“At that time I couldn’t complain because I was just coming up and didn’t know there was a lot of money outside there,” he said.
By 2015, Lyta revealed that he couldn’t take anything that was less than ksh40,000 in any event. He also carved a niche for himself on the international stage and was paid ksh 100000 in a single performance in Dubai (2016).
On Youtube, he has amassed a whooping 11.4 million views meaning he has made over ksh 500,000 on the platform.
