Hip-Hop Star Turned Podcaster L-Tido On Deal or No Deal Celebrity

L-Tido on Deal or No Deal Celebrity and counting down his fave SA Hip-hop acts

Many fans of hip-hop star turned podcaster L-Tido may not know he was a financial advisor before quitting his nine-to-five job to pour his heart, soul – and savings – into pursuing his music dream. In the latest episode of SABC 1’s popular and star-studded weekly game show Deal or No Deal Celebrity, his number-crunching flair served him well. By taking calculated risks during his battle with the show’s notoriously tight-fisted banker, L-Tido won R40,016 – a substantial sum in the Deal or No Deal world.

As the A-listers playing the game donate their prize money to a worthy cause, L-Tido’s winnings were added to the Deal or No Deal Celebrity money pot benefitting the Jumping Kids Prosthetic Fund. Jumping Kids is a charity that addresses the needs of children with lower-leg amputations by providing access to prosthetic equipment, rehabilitative care, mainstream education, and sports participation. Many of these kids have garnered medals at international Paralympic Games.

Among the other big-name stars who have already raised funds for Jumping Kids on Deal or No Deal Celebrity are Boity Thulo, Lerato Kganyago Ndlala, and MasterChef South Africa judge Katlego Mlambo. With all these contributions, the show’s Jumping Kids kitty now amounts to nearly R400,000.

While taking on the Deal or No Deal banker, L-Tido also shared some tidbits about his pre-hip-hop life, while show host Katlego Maboe challenged him to count down his favourite South African hip-hoppers of all time.

So, have you ever wondered how this chart-topper, who self-funded, marketed, and distributed his debut mixtape City of Gold, which earned him the 2009 Channel O Music Award for Best Newcomer, came up with his stage name? And specifically, what does the “L” in L-Tido stand for?

On the streets of Alex, where Thato Madonsela was born and raised, Kabelo often becomes “Kabza” and Thato “Tido.” The “L” represents his second, apparently more “serious” name, Lloyd.

However, the hip-hop icon wished to be called “16V” on Deal or No Deal Celebrity, like his soccer hero, Doctor Khumalo. Before bursting onto the music scene, L-Tido’s mom predicted he would become a soccer star himself. With that in mind, part of his strategy to outsmart the banker was to open the jersey numbers of his soccer idols when eliminating the unopened briefcases, which finally determined the prize money he gained.

Being an opinion maker and notably the first artist to be a presenter at the Metro FM Awards, L-Tido’s countdown of his personal Top 5 hip-hoppers in a South African context might just let you add some songs to your music playlist.

Here they are (in reverse order):

5. Maggz. “I think Maggz is so prolific and one of the most underrated but most talented rappers in this country,” L-Tido raved about the Pimville-born musician, singling out “Change” as one of his most-loved Maggz tracks.

4. Nasty C. Although L-Tido’s collection of favourite Nasty C songs is extensive, the one that resonates with him the most is the atypical “Mrs. Me“, which he finds beautiful and poetic. “Go Google this one,” L-Tido told Deal or No Deal Celebrity viewers who might not be familiar with the melodic song in which Nasty C explores themes of longing and missing someone.

3. K.O. The resilience of the rapper, songwriter and record producer who has been in the industry for over 18 years is commendable, according to L-Tido. “He was in group after group, then did the Beyonce thing and took his career to higher heights.” As with Nasty C, the K.O track L-Tido loves to bits is another less popular one. It’s “Askies I’m Sorry.”

2. Pro K. The late rapper was the guy who lured L-Tido to believe in the power of hip-hop when it wasn’t as popular as it is today. “He made me believe we can make it commercially viable,” L-Tido explained. “Soweto” was the first Pro K song he ever heard. It’s also the song that encapsulates everything Pro K represents.

And the number one?

It’s the trailblazer who happened to be the first-ever guest on the L-Tido Podcast. “His catalogue is unmatched. We’ve never seen an artist like that in South African hip-hop, and I don’t know if we will ever again,” L-Tido teased before confirming it’s the legendary A.K.A. Although he regards many A.K.A songs as memorable and exceptional, L-Tido is particularly fond of “Super Soft“. Other songs that received a special mention are “Me and You“, “Sweet Fire” and “Amen“.

Deal or No Deal Celebrity produced by Homebrew Films for Primedia Studios, premieres on SABC1 on Saturdays at 18:00, with rebroadcast on S3 on Sundays at 16:30 and SABC 1 on Tuesdays at 22:00. You can also watch the latest episodes on SABC+.

Want to be a contestant on Deal or No Deal South Africa? Visit the contestant application page here to apply.

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