Kabza De Small

Kabza De Small, born Kabelo Petrus Motha, is a South African DJ and record producer from Mpumalanga widely regarded as one of the central architects of amapiano, the log-drum-driven house subgenre that emerged from Gauteng townships in the mid-2010s and grew into a dominant force across African and global dance music. Nicknamed the King of Amapiano, he built his reputation through a relentless stream of mixtapes, singles and collaborative projects that helped codify the genre's soulful, percussive, deep-house-rooted sound.

His music is marked by hypnotic log-drum basslines, jazzy keys, spacious arrangements and vocal hooks that reward long-form, DJ-set listening as much as radio play. He has worked extensively with fellow amapiano figures such as DJ Maphorisa, with whom he formed the duo Scorpion Kings, as well as with a wide circle of South African vocalists and producers, contributing to hits like «Sponono» and «Asibe Happy» that helped push amapiano into mainstream South African and pan-African pop culture.

Beyond his own releases, Kabza De Small has been a key tastemaker and mentor figure within the amapiano scene, frequently platforming younger producers and vocalists on his projects. His catalogue spans club-oriented instrumental cuts as well as more song-driven, radio-friendly collaborations, reflecting amapiano's own evolution from underground township sound to internationally streamed genre.