Bio
Arthur Mafokate is a South African kwaito musician and producer who was at the helm of the kwaito phenomenon that rose to popularity in the music industry in the 1990s and is known as one of the initiators of the genre.
He was a judge on the first two seasons of the e.tv street dance reality competition Step Up or Step Out, from 2011-2012. He was replaced by DJ Euphonik for Season 3.
Arthur began his career as a dancer, winning various dancing competitions including the Shell Road to Fame and the Town Talk Pantsula Dance Competition.
He made waves in the music industry when he launched the controversial hit song, Kaffir, in mid-1995. While the song was banned by some radio stations, it sold 150,000 copies.
A year later, he released various singles including Oyi Oyi, Die Poppe Sal Dans, Hayi Wena, Koti Koti and Yu Make Me Go Mmmm. In 1998 he won a SAMA award for Song Of The Year for Oyi Oyi.
In 1992 he started producing Kwaito artists under his label 999. Musicians who've worked with the label include Speedy, Mandoza, Trompie, Lira, Jeff Maluleke, Brenda Fassie, Ishmael, Chomee, Lebo and HHP.
He also has a Mr Soweto title under his belt and was a Mr South Africa runner-up. In 2005 he was a judge on e.tv's Backstage EMI Superstar Search.
In 2016 he began hosting his own celebrity talk show on SABC3, entitled A Date with Arthur, in which he interviews celebrities in his home in Midrand.