God’s Butler: From cleaning classes to being DStv content creator award judge

It was a full circle moment for Tebatso ‘God’s Butler’ Maapola when he announced this year’s nominees in the Emerging Content Creator Award category; he won the same award in 2022.

“An honour and grateful to have won, like I don’t have the words to express the feeling. It felt great being a judge this year,” God’s Butler told The Citizen.

He spoke to the publication at DStv Content Creator Awards nominee announcement at the Radisson RED Rooftop in Rosebank on Thursday.

Tebatso, who is known to many of his followers as God’s Butler adjudicated in two categories, the aforementioned award he won and the Trendsetter Award, which was divided in languages and he overlooked the Sepedi category.

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Together with other judges, God’s Butler judged the many entries and shortlisted the nominated content creators. The eventual winners will be voted for by the public.

The annual awards happening for a third time this year, celebrate the best and brightest content creators, they will take place in October.

“The DStv Content Creator Awards have quickly become a highlight on the digital and social calendar, providing a platform to showcase the creativity and innovation that drives our content creation industry,” said Head of Digital Content – MultiChoice Group Charis Coleman.

There are a total of 17 categories, among those five will be open for public voting, allowing fans to choose who takes home the coveted awards.

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Cleaning classes

Before being the much-loved content creator, he admits that he’s always wanted to be famous and thought acting would be his vehicle to that dream.

“I once applied at Wits for Drama but I failed my auditions because I was nervous and stuttering. They advised that I do sports science and that’s when I decided to take a gap year. I started content creation six years after I was rejected at Wits.”

@godsbutler Thursday workflow! #mamelodi #pretoriatiktok #youtuberslife #duplicatechallenge #southafrican #african #newyorklife ♬ God Save The King – Logical Rhymez

He formally began creating content in 2017; this was when he worked as a caretaker at Rephafogile Secondary School and Mamelodi High School in the Tshwane Township.

“When the kids left school, we would come in and clean the classes.”

He found inspiration to create content from international YouTube vloggers such as Casey Neistat and Peter McKinnon. “I watched a lot of tutorials, learning how to edit, how to shoot,” averred God’s Butler.

@godsbutler Day in my life Vlog 17! #dailyvlogs #iphonevlog #pretoriatiktok #southafricantiktok #mameloditiktok #kasi #couplevlogs ♬ Maybe We'll Meet Again – baegel

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Maapola : ‘I’m not an influencer’

He expresses discomfort about being called an influencer, saying he’d rather be referred to as a content creator.

 “I don’t like the term ‘influencer’ it makes me feel off-ish. I’m just journaling my life through the camera. When I hear the word ‘influencer’ in my head I’m thinking that I now have to be boxed into behaving in a certain way,” he said.

@godsbutler Day in my life Vlog 14! #pretoriatiktok #dailyvlogs #southafricantiktok #kasi #pitori ♬ Cane Sugar – Jharee

“I still want to be able to have my Black Label and have a smoke, even though those aren’t things I do on camera because there a kids watching, but I also don’t want people to be shocked when they see me having a smoke,” said God’s Butler.

The shy content creator said he was still getting used to being recognised by people who follow him. “I love it, but the same time it makes me feel shy, that’s why I don’t go out partying so much,” he said of the fame that’s come with his win.

After winning the Emerging Content Creator Award he was hired by MultiChoice to crate content for the broadcaster on social media.

He says his career growth through the awards shows that South Africans are starting to take content creators serious.  

“Us being here and getting that recognition for our silly internet videos, it boots us to create even more. The fact that I could get a job through something I just started on the streets without going to school for it, it shows that now the world is taking content creation as a job like any other job.”

NOW READ: PICS: Meet 2023 DStv Content Creator Awards winners