From rap music to leather 

…Adontši’s 12-year journey of crafting shoes 

…and celebrating icons through new brand Kemeli 

Moroke Sekoboto 

FOR the past 12 years, rapper-turned-leather manufacturer, Sibusiso “Sadon” Adontši, has quietly built one of Lesotho’s most recognisable custom footwear brands, transforming his creativity from the recording studio to the workshop floor. 

The man who once captivated audiences with his lyrics and stage performances now spends his days cutting leather, stitching soles and designing custom-made shoes. Yet, in many ways, he says nothing has really changed. The creativity that once flowed through his music has simply found a new outlet. 

Through his company, Leather Sole Works and Suppliers, he has weathered economic challenges, cultivated a loyal customer base across Africa and beyond, and recently launched a new brand, Kemeli, aimed at celebrating people who make a difference in their communities. 

The former hip-hop star says the company’s newest venture is about more than selling shoes. 

“Kemeli is our new brand under Leather Sole. It is a movement that seeks to promote people who stand out and can stand up for what they believe in,” Mr Adontši told the Lesotho Times this week. 

He explained that the brand is designed to celebrate ordinary people doing extraordinary things and to inspire positive values among Basotho and Africans at large. 

“Kemeli seeks to connect people’s walks with their entire lives; that way, people can feel seen even as they make small changes in their communities and lives.” 

The story of Leather Sole Works, however, began long before the launch of Kemeli. Mr Adontši’s roots in the leather industry run deep, having grown up in a family involved in the shoe component supply business. 

“For years, my father was in the shoe accessory and supply business. Shoemaking was not foreign to us; it was a transition from selling shoe components to creating them,” he said. 

Like many businesses, Leather Sole faced its greatest test during the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions brought operations to a standstill while salaries still had to be paid. 

“COVID was by far the biggest challenge, but thank God we survived it. Having your business not listed as an essential service and having to pay at least 12 people at that time without any revenue stream was hard,” he said. 

He added that local manufacturers continue to grapple with the high cost of importing raw materials, particularly leather, due to Lesotho’s landlocked position. 

“Being landlocked and having to bring in raw materials like the leather in Lesotho is sometimes very costly. It becomes hard to be competitive in pricing when transport costs continue to rise.” 

Despite these hurdles, the company has steadily grown and now employs 10 at its workshop located at Metcash Building in Maseru. It has also developed a six-week training programme aimed at nurturing new talent in-house. 

According to Mr Adontši, one of the company’s biggest milestones has been developing products capable of competing on the international market. 

“We have people all the way from America, Ghana, Botswana and Eswatini who have endorsed our product and remain loyal customers,” he said. 

Leather Sole’s formal footwear has gained a strong following largely because of its customisation model, which allows customers to participate in the design process. 

“We allow the customer to dictate what they want their product to look like. That sense of ownership helps the clients to form a relationship with their products.” 

Over the years, customer feedback has also reshaped the business. 

“In the past, we were more focused on durability, but now we have realised that comfort plays a major role in customer retention,” he said. 

Reflecting on more than a decade in business, Mr Adontši says perseverance has been his greatest teacher. 

“The greatest lesson is that the longer you stay, the better you become. Every challenge that you triumph over becomes your competitive edge in business.” 

The entrepreneur also credits his faith, family and team for helping him remain resilient. 

“My main support in business is God, family and a team that understands the vision.” 

Although Leather Sole’s primary focus remains footwear, the company has diversified into producing bags, belts and other leather accessories in-house. 

Looking ahead, Mr Adontši says the company wants to become more than just a successful business. 

“In the next 10 years, we hope to have impacted many communities to believe that Africans can swim with sharks and stand out. 

“While we want the profits, we want our story to impact many other stories while we build an ecosystem of success in Africa.” 

Long before he became a shoemaker, Mr Adontši was one of the pioneering figures in Lesotho’s hip-hop movement. Under the pseudonym, Sadon, he rose to prominence through socially conscious music and community activism, with his 2015 hit single Easy To Love becoming a Valentine’s Day anthem. His music, including tracks such as Books of the Bible, reflected his Christian upbringing and sought to demonstrate the relevance of faith in modern life. 

He was also known for mentoring young creatives through songwriting and creative writing workshops organised by groups such as The Hub in Morija. 

Despite leaving the stage behind, he admits music remains a part of him. 

“Giving up on something you love haunts you for the rest of your life. I miss rap and performing; I won’t lie, but I also see traces of my creativity in the business. So, I guess I still rap, just that the creativity has now been turned into shoes.” 

For young Basotho aspiring to venture into entrepreneurship and manufacturing, his message is simple: 

“It is okay to fail; just make sure that you turn your failure into a positive song.” 

The post From rap music to leather  appeared first on Lesotho Times.