He is proudly Tsonga & his name is Rito Ngobeni, AKA Rito Ngobest! And, quite frankly, he’s the reason I became interested in Tsonga music.
A graduate of the University of Mpumalanga, Rito graduated for the second time in 2026 with a BA Honours in Cultural and Heritage Studies, specialising in Museum Studies.
His academic journey and his life as a content creator may seem worlds apart, however, Rito sees them as two sides of the same story — both are about documenting, celebrating and making sense of culture.
Rito’s work is unapologetically African and unmistakably his own. He has collaborated with major brands including Adidas, FNB, Starbucks, SHEIN and Mr Price.
This is Rito Ngobest’s story.
You’re incredibly confident on camera. Has that confidence always been part of who you are, or is it something you’ve had to develop over time?
I think confidence has always been part of me but being confident on camera is definitely something I had to develop.
When I first started creating content, I was still figuring out how comfortable I was with people watching me and having opinions about what I was doing.
The more I created, the more I realised that I didn’t have to try to be like anyone else. I could just be myself, speak the way I speak, dress the way I want to dress and create content that feels natural to me.
I think that helped me become more confident. Now, when the camera comes on, I don’t really overthink it – I just become Rito.
What inspired your decision to study Cultural and Heritage Studies?
I’ve always been interested in culture and where people come from. Growing up in South Africa, you are surrounded by so many different cultures, languages, traditions and stories and I wanted to understand those things beyond just experiencing them in everyday life.
Studying Cultural and Heritage Studies allowed me to look at culture from an academic perspective and understand why it is important to preserve and share our heritage.
I also have an interest in museums, so the degree connected with that part of me.
What’s interesting is that even though my career is now heavily focused on content creation, I still see a connection between the two.
Content is also a way of documenting culture, fashion, language, music and the way people live.
How do you craft your video ideas? There are many trends you have set, particularly with the dancing videos.
I usually start with something that catches my attention, it’s usually a song, the look or fashion, and music videos I watched growing up. I don’t always want to just follow a trend exactly as everyone else is doing it.
I like taking an idea and putting my own personality into it. That’s where the different characters, different versions, dancing, fashion and sometimes different South African languages come in.
I also pay attention to what my audience responds to but I don’t want analytics to completely control my creativity. I want people to watch a Rito video and immediately know it’s me.
Fashion is a big part of your identity online. Who influences your personal style?
My style is influenced by a lot of things, the artists I grew up watching with alter egos and multiple personas in one video, streetwear, fashion, music, people I see around me and just my own mood at the time.
I don’t think I have one person who completely dictates my style. I usually buy what I feel at that moment. Some days I want something more relaxed and baggy then other days I want to dress more formally.
For me, fashion is about expression. I don’t want to dress just because something is trending. I want to be able to put an outfit together and make it feel like Rito.
You’ve worked with brands ranging from Adidas and FNB to Starbucks and SHEIN. Share some personal tips on how you negotiate your rate.
My biggest advice is to know the value of what you’re offering. Your rate shouldn’t only be based on how many followers you have. I look at the deliverables, the amount of work involved, the platforms being used, my audience, my analytics, usage rights and what the brand expects from me.
If they want a concept that requires a lot more creativity, shooting or editing, that also needs to be considered.
I also don’t negotiate from a place of desperation. I try to be professional and understand the brand’s budget but I also know the value of my work. Content creation is my business, so I treat it like one.
Many people see the finished video but not the work behind it. What does a typical content creation day look like for you? And which video took you longer to edit?
A content day can actually be quite busy. It usually starts with planning the concept, choosing outfits, getting everything I need for the shoot like tripod, travelling to specific locations, food in the middle of the shoot if we ever get hungry, changing clothes, filming different takes and then going through the footage afterwards.
Sometimes people think you just press record and post, but there is a lot that happens before and after that. I can spend a lot of time choosing the right clips, editing, adding text, finding the right sound and making sure the timing works. Also, these editing tools and apps need subscriptions so you have to spend.
The videos that usually take me the longest are my multi-character videos (it’s usually 2-3hrs but in-between I take breaks) because I’m basically creating several versions of myself and making them interact with each other.
I have to film each character separately and then make everything look like one conversation. It’s a lot of editing but I enjoy the process because the final result feels different.
Here’s a link to one of my longest videos to edit here
The shortest video to edit:
What’s one business lesson you’ve learned since becoming a full-time creator?
I’ve learned that creativity and business have to work together. You can love creating content but once it becomes your income, you also have to understand contracts, rates, deliverables, deadlines, payments and communication with brands.
I’ve also learned not to undervalue myself just because I’m passionate about what I do. Being creative is a job and the work behind the content has value.
What responsibility comes with having hundreds of thousands of people watching your content every day?
There’s definitely a responsibility that comes with having a large audience because people don’t just see the content, they also see the person behind it. I try to be conscious of what I put out because I know there are young people watching me who might look at my journey and think, “I can also do this.”
I also want to show that you don’t have to fit into one box. I have an academic background but I’m also a creator, I love fashion, I dance and I work with brands. I want people to understand that there are different ways to build a career and express yourself.
Is there a dream collaboration, whether with a brand, designer or fellow creator, that’s still on your vision board?
I’d love to work with both Puma and Coca-Cola.
I would also love collaborations with African designers and creators where we’re not just being included as an afterthought but where African culture and creativity are actually central to the campaign.
For me, the dream isn’t only the name of the brand. It’s being part of something that can make people look at African creativity differently.
Quick Fire Qs;
Last song added to your playlist?
Lea Chancer Bafana by Razolo, it’s the last added song on my playlist and I’m obsessed with that song, the vibe…it’s just currently one of my favourite songs.
Last Netflix show/film watched?
Breaking bad
Who is Rito Ngobest at your core?
At my core, I’m someone who is creative, ambitious and unapologetically myself.
I’m someone who loves fashion, music, dancing and culture but more than that, I love creating things that make people feel something…whether that’s making them laugh, making them want to dance, inspiring them or simply making them stop scrolling.
I’m also someone who believes you can have different sides to yourself. I can be an honours graduate, a fashion creator, a businessman and just Rito at the same time. I don’t want to limit myself to one identity.
That’s probably the biggest thing about me: I’m still becoming and I’m enjoying the journey.
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