South Africa’s most successful automotive YouTuber Niyaaz Isaacs speaks to MOTOR about his incredible success.
The world of YouTube can be an exceptionally lucrative business if you’re prepared to put in the work and are keen to get creative about producing consistent and compelling content. YouTube is one of the largest online platforms in the world and automotive content is exceptionally popular with thousands of hours of video readily available. The space is however dominated by international channels but there is one from South Africa that absolutely stands out, LibeRebil. Niyaaz Isaacs started his channel by filming the weekly ‘street to strip’ drag races at Killarney International Raceway and has over the years grown to include reviews of modified cars, new cars, custom builds and has become the leading automotive YouTuber in the county. We sat down for a few minutes to get to know the man behind the camera.
Local motoring enthusiasts know your content well but what does LibeRebil actually stand for?
You know I actually get this question a lot. My original business partner came up with the name back when we had started the channel. As far as I understand it, LibeRebil means to liberate and to rebel and we changed the spelling of rebel to rebil so that LibeRebil can be read backwards too.
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Having started five years ago what was your vision for the channel?
I certainly didn’t know at the time that LibeRebil would end up here or what direction the channel would take but we began LibeRebil to film silly gym skits and I’ve since deleted that content. It was at the end of 2015 when we realised that we were on to something when I filmed the December 26th drag races at Killarney and the video went viral. After that, I filmed every Wednesday night Street to Strip event until covid19 hit.
You have some grave concerns about the management of Killarney. What do think should be done?
Even before covid Killarney was in a bad place. The facility looks dilapidated on the only consistent event held there street to strip was cancelled. There’s a good reason why street racing has flourished and the Killarney management need to accept responsibility for their lack of action. If the track and government can work together drag racers could once again have a controlled space to do their racing.
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Where is LibeRebil headed for the near future?
With the track scene indefinitely cancelled I have plans for LibeRebil to expand. I’ve now gotten new faces behind the camera and plan on looking at different aspects of the automotive world. With my business partnership with Nano Wave masks and LA Customs I’ll continue to churn out the weekly reviews but we’ll focus on bespoke builds too.
To do what you do you need to be passionate about cars. What was the car that sparked your passion and what was the first car that you ever bought?
It was certainly the Nissan 350Z. In primary school I was severly bullied thanks for films like Fast and the Furious and having heard the noise that car made outside my school on day made me happy. While I’ve loved Nissans since my first car was a Honda Ballade 150 with the popup lights.
FROM FILMING TO BUILDING
Over the 2020 lockdown period Niyaaz teamed up with serial entrepreneur Gino Lange co-owner of the Nano Wave mask company and Bradley Abrahams the co-owner of local clothing store Smith and Abrahams. Both Lange and Abrahams had the dream of building their very own American bakkies like the Ford F150 and Chevrolet C10. The pair realised that there was little expertise in regard to these sort of vehicles yet many wanted to replicate their builds. The end result is LA Customs a one-stop specialised automotive shop that does bespoke chassis builds, paintwork, wheel repair and vehicle maintenance. Niyaaz has recently started filming some of the LA Customs clients cars go through the process and we’re certain that for any petrol head this will make for some compelling content.
Words: Damian Adams | Photography: Courtesy Images
