Born Kabelo Motha Mahlangu, you probably wouldn’t recognize him from his government name, but if put next to Amapiano, a music genre synonymous with Kabza De Small, you would have no problem recognizing him. Kabza De Small has been a household name in the South African music industry but recently his fame has taken on an altogether unprecedented popularity with the rise of Amapiano.
Here are five things you probably didn’t know about the South African DJ and music producer.
In 2020 a documentary called Shaya, looked at the origin and dramatic popularity of the music genre. In the short documentary, Mark Khoza highlights that in as much as the unique sound has always been a part of Kabza De Small’s music catalogue, the name ‘Amapiano’ was actually given by MFR Souls a popular music duo in the industry. And before it was popularized as Amapiano, it was known as ‘number’. Despite that, Kabza De Small is arguably regarded as the King of Amapiano, releasing an album by the same name.
During the lockdown of 2020, Kabza De Small wowed fans when he released a 27-song album making him the first South African artist to do so. This creative milestone has set the bar in the music industry with many arguing that it would be difficult for other music producers to not only release 27 tracks but to also have it feature so highly on the streaming charts. “I am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust” is an eclectic album and has won Kabza the affection of his fans throughout the African continent and globally.
For a man with the moniker ‘De Small’, Kabza is anything but. His diminutive figure is misleading, mostly because most of his appearances happen behind DJ booths. The average height for South African men, who rank 47th globally, is 166.7 cm (5’5), Kabza is a cool 20cm taller coming in at 185.9 (6’1). At this height, Kabza towers over most men in the country physically and creatively.
Many have caught onto the coat tails of his more recent successes with Amapiano but the South African music producer has been around for a lot longer. Kabza De Small’s career in the music industry began 12-years-ago as DJ in 2009. It would be 7-years before he released a music project of his own, with a debut album titled ‘Avenue Sound’. For the loyal fans, his official introduction to the industry was followed up by two notable singles in 2018, ‘Amabele Shaya & Umshove. The rest as they say, is history.
Coronavirus brought the world to a standstill and for many it has been an incredibly trying time facing health issues and the passing of friends and family. In April 2020, as many South Africans faced the worst of the pandemic, Kabza teamed up with DJ Maphorisa to bring the Kabza De Small Lockdown Houseparty. He invited his fans to join him and Maphorisa on YouTube for a candid and unfiltered hour of nonstop music. This prompted other artists to do the same, allowing fans throughout the country to experience a little joy during the pandemic. He recently released another one in March of this year, earning the affection of his fans worldwide. Read more about what the Amapiano King has been up to here
