{{Orphan|date=July 2025}} {{notability|date=October 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = DJ Sley | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Sichile Sapa | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|07|28}} <!-- from Malawi24 article --> | origin = Lilongwe, Malawi | genre = Hip hop, R&B, Dancehall | occupations = Record producer, DJ | years_active = 2004–present | label = Chit Chat Records }}

'''Sichile Sapa''' professionally known as '''DJ Sley''' (born 28 July 1988) is a Malawian record producer and DJ. Since 2004, he has produced hip hop, R&B, and dancehall recordings and earned recognition among Malawi’s top music producers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://malawi24.com/2016/10/13/malawi24-close-dj-sley/|title=Up close: Who is DJ Sley?|publisher=Malawi 24|date=13 Oct 2016|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.faceofmalawi.com/2018/08/14/list-of-malawis-top-producers-in-2018/|title=List of Malawi's Top Producers in 2018|publisher=Face of Malawi|date=14 Aug 2018|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Sapa was born in Lilongwe but originally from Kalembo in Machinga District. He received his secondary education at William Murray Secondary School, then got an Advanced Diploma in Information Technology at the National College of Information Technology in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://malawi24.com/2016/10/13/malawi24-close-dj-sley/|title=Up close: Who is DJ Sley?|publisher=Malawi 24|date=13 Oct 2016|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

He began his musical journey in the early 1990s under the help of his brother Richard, learning piano and composing simple melodies. His other brother, Jeffrey, introduced him to music production software in 2002, sparking his interest in beat-making.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://malawi24.com/2016/10/13/malawi24-close-dj-sley/|title=Up close: Who is DJ Sley?|publisher=Malawi 24|date=13 Oct 2016|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

==Career== DJ Sley officially launched his music career in 2004 with the founding of Chit Chat Records. During his early years, he created instrumentals for local artists such aa Wilson Naming’oma, Panji Kapanga, Gracium Nyambo, Grant Solo, and Davie Nsaku at a Nkhoma studio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://malawi24.com/2016/10/13/malawi24-close-dj-sley/|title=Up close: Who is DJ Sley?|publisher=Malawi 24|date=13 Oct 2016|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

Over the next decade, he produced numerous hits—most notably Malinga’s “Levels” remix featuring Fredokiss, Macelba’s “Alamu Anu,” and Malinga Mafia’s “All I Need Is You.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.faceofmalawi.com/2018/08/14/list-of-malawis-top-producers-in-2018/|title=List of Malawi's Top Producers in 2018|publisher=Face of Malawi|date=14 Aug 2018|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

His collaborative mixtapes and singles include: * Sley’s Chit Chat (single, 2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.malawi-music.com/component/muscol/D/282-dj-sley/337-sleys-chit-chat|title=Sley's Chit Chat (2013)|publisher=Malawi‑Music.com|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref> * How We Dweet (single, 2015), featuring Third Eye, Episodz, Macelba, Gwamba and others<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.malawi-music.com/D/282-dj-sley/682-how-we-dweet/2369-how-we-dweet-ft-third-eye-episodz-macelba-gwamba-synik-krazie-g-big-ta-martse-yung-z-mwanache-shayne-gadda-and-malinga-mafia|title=How We Dweet (2015)|publisher=Malawi‑Music.com|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref> * Chit Chat Team – Life (single, 2015)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.malawi-music.com/D/282-dj-sley|title=DJ Sley discography|publisher=Malawi‑Music.com|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref> * Chit Chat Compilation (mixtape, 2017) including “We Run the City”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.malawi-music.com/D/282-dj-sley/2468-chit-chat-compilation-2017/5787-we-run-the-city-ft-tsar-leo-episodz-hyphen-3rd-eye-cyclone|title=We Run the City (2017)|publisher=Malawi‑Music.com|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

He has produced for a range of Malawian artists, including Tay Grin, Piksy, Gwamba, Martse, Sangie, Young Kay, Third Eye, and Macelba; and internationally for Nigerian singer 2Baba.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://malawi24.com/2016/10/13/malawi24-close-dj-sley/|title=Up close: Who is DJ Sley?|publisher=Malawi 24|date=13 Oct 2016|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition== DJ Sley was named '''Producer of the Year''' at the 2019 Urban Music People (UMP) Awards in Blantyre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/malawi-2019-ump-awards-announce-winners|title=Malawi: 2019 UMP Awards announce winners|publisher=Music In Africa|date=15 Dec 2019|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mwnation.com/wikise-wins-big-at-ump/|title=Wikise wins big at UMP|publisher=Malawi Nation|date=16 Dec 2019|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

Additionally, he was listed as a nominee in the same category earlier in December 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://malawi24.com/2019/12/01/ump-awards-nominees-announced/|title=UMP Awards nominees announced|publisher=Malawi 24|date=1 Dec 2019|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Singles & mixtapes=== * Sley’s Chit Chat (2013) – single<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.malawi-music.com/component/muscol/D/282-dj-sley/337-sleys-chit-chat|title=Sley's Chit Chat (2013)|publisher=Malawi‑Music.com|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref> * How We Dweet (2015) – single<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.malawi-music.com/D/282-dj-sley/682-how-we-dweet/2369-how-we-dweet-ft-third-eye-episodz-macelba-gwamba-synik-krazie-g-big-ta-martse-yung-z-mwanache-shayne-gadda-and-malinga-mafia|title=How We Dweet (2015)|publisher=Malawi‑Music.com|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref> * Chit Chat Team – Life (2015) – single<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.malawi-music.com/D/282-dj-sley|title=DJ Sley discography|publisher=Malawi‑Music.com|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref> * Chit Chat Compilation (2017) – mixtape<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.malawi-music.com/D/282-dj-sley/2468-chit-chat-compilation-2017/5787-we-run-the-city-ft-tsar-leo-episodz-hyphen-3rd-eye-cyclone|title=We Run the City (2017)|publisher=Malawi‑Music.com|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>

==See also== * Music of Malawi * UMP Awards

==References== <references/>

==External links== * [https://www.malawi-music.com/D/282-dj-sley DJ Sley discography at Malawi‑Music.com] * [https://malawi24.com/2016/10/13/malawi24-close-dj-sley/ “Up close” profile on Malawi 24]

Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Malawian record producers Category:Musicians from Lilongwe