Kabza De Small

Kabelo Motha performs as Kabza De Small, a South African DJ and record producer widely recognized as the "King of Amapiano." This house-music offshoot fuses airy synth pads, bright piano lines, and restrained tempos with jazz, lounge, and deep-house ingredients. The diamond-certified 2019 album Scorpion Kings, recorded with fellow producer DJ Maphorisa, is widely acknowledged for accelerating the style’s mainstream breakthrough.

Although born in Mpumalanga, Motha grew up in Pretoria and continues to live there. He launched his DJ career in 2009, merging EDM with Afrobeat-tinged house before shifting focus to the amapiano sound he helped shape. His first album, Avenue Sounds, appeared on House Afrika Records in 2016. Two years later he scored wider attention with the singles “Amabele Shaya” and “Umshove,” the latter featuring vocals from amapiano artist Leehleza. Early 2019 brought another Leehleza collaboration, “Bamba La,” followed by the chart-topping Scorpion Kings project with DJ Maphorisa. The duo quickly followed with a second joint effort, Piano Hub, issued in October. That same month Motha delivered his sophomore album Pretty Girls Love Amapiano, and the pair returned in November with The Return of Scorpion Kings. Even during the COVID-19 lockdown Motha kept releasing music, issuing the EP Pretty Girls Love Amapiano in April 2020.