How Lance Stehr celebrates 35 years in music industry

Prolific music producer and director Lance Stehr has celebrated his 35 years in the South African music industry with the release of a 100-song soundtrack for the second season of Mzansi Magic's Spinners.

Titled Born In iGusheshe, the soundtrack brings together artists from different genres, including gqom, hip hop, Afro-soul, amapiano, maskandi, deep house and Afro-house.

It features established and emerging artists such as Mlindo The Vocalist, Danya Dev, Zola 7, Kabelo Mabalane, Ishmael, Ben Major, DJ Sneja, Miiss Makoti and Seshmoola, among others.

According to information received, the soundtrack was released on October 23, two days before the premiere of Spinners Season 2 on October 25.

Stehr's career in the music industry dates back to 1990 when he worked on Prophets of Da City's album Our World, which won Best Rap Album at the South African Music Awards.

He later helped establish South African hip hop through his work with the group, whose song Neva Again was included in the New Musical Express (NME) magazine's Top 10 Singles of the Year in the United Kingdom in 1995.

In 1997, Stehr won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival for his work on Prophets of Da City's Understand Where I'm Coming From.

His career also extended into television and film, where he worked as music supervisor on Yizo Yizo seasons one and two in 2001.

He later served as music consultant on the soundtrack of Tsotsi, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006.

Stehr also worked on several television productions, including SkyRoom Live, Fly Chix and Jozi Moving the City.

His work in artist development contributed to award-winning albums by musicians including Vusi Nova, Nathi Mankayi, Malik and 047.

In recognition of his contribution to the industry, Stehr received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the South African Hip Hop Awards in 2013. He was also inducted into the South African Hip Hop Museum Wall of Fame in 2019 alongside Prophets of Da City.

His more recent work includes artist development for Onesimus, who has received several awards, including AFRIMA and HAPA honours.

Stehr said the new soundtrack represents an effort to bring together different generations of South African musicians.

"I've spent my career trying to put South African music where it belongs, at the centre of the story," he said.

He said the soundtrack brings together established artists and emerging talent for a television series that will be broadcast in 56 countries.

Spinners Season 2 premiered on October 25 at 8pm on Mzansi Magic, DStv channel 161, with a French premiere on Canal+ scheduled for October 26.