Back then a dancer would feel highly motivated to come up with all sorts of dancing antics as the DJ's rap egged him or her on. Those were the late 1980s, a period described by the music lovers of the time as the period of unparallel dancing antics.
They say a disco was not a disco without the rapping DJ. Their secret seemed to have been the skill to use melodious raps that would coincide with the highest point in a song being played.
While other DJs used English to power the revellers on, others successfully borrowed from the vernacular and came up with rapping phrases that became popular countrywide. It is not known who first borrowed from a Tswana riddle and came up with a rapping phrase that went like, Se a tampa tampa sa ya go tsalla fale. The rap phrase became popular countrywide.
Rapping DJs were also recognised by recording companies, as a number of disco hits would be re-done with the DJ rapping on it. In the mid 80s, South African DJs would seldom throw their rap chants on some South African disco hits, making those records quite valuable party collections.
That era was also characterised by DJ competitions especially in urban areas.
Music lovers would go and watch as the DJs out- do one another as they rap on popular disco hits of the time. Dance competitions also became a popular thing in urban and rural areas alike as the style infected everyone everywhere.
The concept of rapping DJs and their disco had become a new culture. School kids also did not escape the pulling power of this new brand of entertainment and it was common to come across pupils doing DJ battles among themselves.
Disco halls would be alive with flashing purple lights that made a dancer's attire look different and more colourful.
Peter Maunge, who goes by the stage name of Bisto, now in his early 40s, describes himself as one of the last breeds of rapping DJs to exit the scene.
He was also hailed as one of the best dancers around during that time, as he won one disco competition after the other as DJ and dancer. He remembers the time with nostalgia.
He says there has never been a sweeter music time than the era of rapping DJs, which also saw many varieties of dancing antics being practised almost at the same time.
He recalls that they would dance funk, robot, pantsula and sebadi dances. The genre of music on which the DJs did their rap was South African disco. Bisto says he still loves disco. In fact he continues to release disco music inspired by such legends as Paul Ndlovu, Sox, and Peter Teanet.
"Those were the days man, when everybody seemed to live for dancing. Nowadays DJs are just playing CDs, they do not activate the crowd like we used to," says Bisto his eyes shinning with excitement as he recalls the good times.
Michael Kaote of Radio Botswana (RB) opines that the rapping DJs were rendered obsolete when rap became a genre of music, especially in the United States of America (US).
Kaote says when the rapping DJs were very hot, this part of the world had not experienced commercial rap, but when more and more rapping appeared on the market, it diluted local rap, which was associated with DJs of the time.
A new breed of DJs was born. They did not do rapping, but adopted US and British style of dee-jaying by putting emphasis on mixes.
