A closer look at RISE FM’s Vibe

What’s your real full name and age?

Khutso Mamabolo and I am turning 30 on November 21. Man, 30? I’ve been around, hey!

Where does Vibe originate from?

Vibe the Presenter came from Barberton, where I started at a community radio station called BCR. That’s the place that changed my life. I was born in Limpopo in a township called Lebowakgomo.

What was your radio experience before RISE FM?

Before coming back to the province, I was in the North West for some months, working at North West FM. Had some serious fun there, I must say… but then again I was doing radio, it’s hard not to enjoy it.

What time do you wake up to prepare for your show on RISE FM?

I do my show prep the day before and refresh everything in the morning. I get up at 04:00 or 04:15, depending how much I snooze the alarm. But I get to the station at 05:00 every morning.

Now that you are on the busiest show on commercial radio, RISE FM Breakfast, how do you keep up to speed?

I have the best team ever. Zingi puts the news together, Bono does the sports and H does entertainment.

So we get together and discuss what we’ll be chatting about that day. And if I approve or not, they make the show what it is. Their hard work plus my charm – and we have a winner.

What’s the most difficult part about your job?

Besides guys calling me and asking for H’s number, it has to be getting people on the line at that time of the morning. Someone would agree to an interview at say 06:20 and when you call them, they don’t pick up because they are still sleeping.

They have to understand that if I don’t get you at that time, I can’t do the interview at that time – and it’s not going to happen.

What else does Vibe do as a brand outside of RISE FM?

I MC events and I’m still deejaying. I want to put the best brand out there, you know. And I also just started with Vibe de la Vibe, the company – we do events, stage and sound hire, printing, radio adds, production.

And I’m thinking of opening a cooking school, because I think I need to impart some of my skills to my brothers.

Who do you look up to as a person who does radio really well?

It has to be Phat Joe.

Any special person in your life, besides your mother?

Yes, there is. Full stop!

Follow Khutso on Twitter @vibedelavibe or call his manager, Karabo Tlala on 082-227-2687.