DJ Maphorisa

Gauteng’s DJ Maphorisa wields a quiet power over South Africa's biggest music trends. For several years he remained behind the boards, producing some of the country’s biggest tracks to date—including Mafikizolo’s “Khona” (winner of 2014’s MTV Africa Song of the Year), Uhuru’s “Y-Tjukutja”, as well as “Ngud” by Kwesta and Cassper Nyovest—before striking gold with his own star-studded, highly celebrated 2016 release, Blaqboy - EP. One of Mzansi’s most famous exports, this Soshanguve native—whose real name is Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe—is credited as a co-producer on Drake’s “One Dance” and has also crafted hits for international acts like Major Lazer, Jason Derulo, Trey Songz, Wizkid, Runtown, Davido and Vanessa Mdee. As a true musical polymath, DJ Maphorisa has successfully broken new ground in various genres: Afropop ("Soweto Baby"), Afro-house ("Lahla" by Busiswa), trap (“Check My”), pop (“Snapdatsh!t”) and gqom ("Midnight Starring”).