Kabza De Small

Kabelo Motha, who operates under the moniker Kabza De Small, is a South African DJ and record producer who is often referred to as the “King of Amapiano,” a subgenre of house music that pairs airy synth pads, bright piano melodies, and low-tempo rhythms with elements of jazz, lounge, and deep house. His diamond-selling 2019 LP Scorpion Kings, a collaborative effort with producer DJ Maphorisa, is credited with having played a major role in popularizing the genre.
Born in Mpumalanga and raised in Pretoria, where he still resides, Motha embarked on a DJ career in 2009 that merged EDM with Afrobeat-infused house. Moving away from EDM and toward the amapiano genre that he helped to pioneer, he issued his acclaimed debut album, Avenue Sounds, via House Afrika Records in 2016, and found bigger success two years later with the singles “Amabele Shaya” and “Umshove,” which featured guest vocals from amapiano contemporary Leehleza. “Bamba La,” another collaboration with Leehleza, appeared in early 2019, followed by the chart-topping DJ Maphorisa collaboration Scorpion Kings. The pair wasted little time in capitalizing on the success of the LP, with a second outing, Piano Hub, arriving in October. That same month saw Motha release his sophomore full-length effort, Pretty Girls Love Amapiano, with a third DJ Maphorisa team-up, The Return of Scorpion Kings, arriving later that November. Even the COVID-19 lockdown couldn’t stop Motha from dropping new music, with the EP Pretty Girls Love Amapiano arriving in April 2020. ~ James Christopher Monger