Scorpion Kings are DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small, a South African Amapiano duo from Pretoria. They formed in 2019 after DJ Maphorisa booked Kabza for one of his shows. Their debut EP sold triple platinum in South Africa within months of release. Together, they are the 2 most influential architects of Amapiano’s rise from Pretoria’s Gauteng townships to global festival stages.
The Scorpion Kings name carries weight far beyond South Africa. DJ Maphorisa co-produced Drake’s “One Dance” and Major Lazer’s “Particula” before the duo formed. Kabza De Small became the most streamed South African artist on Spotify in 2020 while the partnership was still in its first year. Since joining forces, they have released 5 collaborative projects, performed at Sónar Festival in Barcelona, won multiple South African Music Awards together, and helped push Amapiano into a genre the whole world now recognises.
Who Are the Scorpion Kings?
The Scorpion Kings are the Amapiano duo of DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small, both from Pretoria, South Africa. DJ Maphorisa is the older and more experienced producer, having built his name across house music, gqom, and Afropop before Amapiano became a global movement. Kabza De Small is the self-titled King of Amapiano, a DJ and producer whose output from 2018 onward defined the modern Amapiano sound for an entire generation of South African youth.
Both artists were already being called “godfathers” of Amapiano separately before they joined forces. Their collaboration started when Maphorisa booked Kabza for a show and they immediately connected in the studio. In their own words from a Mixmag interview: “We hit the studio and created magic. We then decided to make loads of music and that was really the birth of the partnership.”
Scorpion Kings Members: Profiles at a Glance
| Detail | DJ Maphorisa | Kabza De Small |
|---|---|---|
| Real Name | Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe | Kabelo Petrus Motha |
| Born | November 15, 1987, Soshanguve, Pretoria | November 27, 1992, eMalahleni, Mpumalanga (raised Pretoria) |
| Nickname / Title | Madumane, The Phori | King of Amapiano, Kabza |
| Record Label | BlaqBoy Music (Sony Music) | PianoHub Records |
| Career Start | Early 2000s (performed at teenage events) | 2009 |
| Breakthrough Moment | Co-produced Mafikizolo’s “Khona” and Drake’s “One Dance” | Breakthrough single “Umshove” featuring Leehleza |
| Forbes Recognition | Ranked on Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 | Ranked #18 on Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 |
| Notable Solo Album | Rumble in the Jungle (with TRESOR and Kabza) | I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet and Dust (double platinum) |
DJ Maphorisa: The Man Behind the Scorpion Kings Sound
DJ Maphorisa, born Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe, is a South African DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter from Soshanguve, Pretoria. His mother sang gospel music and his 2 uncles were musicians. That household shaped him into a musical thinker from childhood. By his teenage years, he performed at local beauty pageants, birthdays, and weddings. He dropped out of school at 17 to chase music professionally, a decision his parents opposed but could not stop.
Maphorisa signed to Kalawa Jazmee Records early in his career, where he produced hits for Busiswa, DJ Zinhle, Professor, and Shekinah. His single “Y-Tjukutja” as part of the band Uhuru became a South African chart hit. His biggest international production credit came when he co-produced Drake’s “One Dance” alongside Black Coffee and Nasty C producer Kiddominant. That record became the first track involving an African artist to surpass 1 billion Spotify streams and spent 15 weeks at Number 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart. He also produced Major Lazer’s “Particula” featuring Nasty C, ILoveMakonnen, and Mr Eazi.
After leaving Kalawa Jazmee Records, Maphorisa founded his own label BlaqBoy Music in partnership with Sony Music. The label signed and developed multiple South African Amapiano artists. He also received the African DJ of the Year award at the Soundcity MVP Awards held at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos. His biological brother is South African DJ and producer Myztro, who frequently appears on Scorpion Kings projects.
Kabza De Small: The King of Amapiano
Kabza De Small, born Kabelo Petrus Motha, is a South African DJ, record producer, and record label owner from eMalahleni, Mpumalanga, raised in Pretoria. He started making music in 2009 at 18 years old with very limited resources. He released his debut album Avenue Sound in 2016. Two years later, back-to-back singles “Amabele Shaya” and “Umshove” featuring Leehleza made him a South African household name overnight. “Umshove” alone earned him his first platinum certification.
He founded PianoHub Records as his own label and imprint for Amapiano releases. His 2020 studio album I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet and Dust became double platinum certified in South Africa. Apple Music recorded it as the most streamed South African album in history at the time of release, reaching 8 million streams in its first 2 weeks on the platform. Spotify named Kabza the most streamed South African artist on the platform for 2020 and for December of that year.
Forbes Africa ranked Kabza #18 on its prestigious Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list. Rolling Stone magazine featured him for his musical career. GQ South Africa named him Musician of the Year, presented by Bisquit. His South African Music Awards record includes 13 SAMA wins, 5 Metro FM Music Awards, 3 Amapiano Music Awards, and 2 Mzansi Viewers Choice Awards. He announced his upcoming solo studio album Tutu via Instagram and released “Impilo” featuring Mkeyz as the lead single.
The Scorpion Kings Albums: Full Discography
The Scorpion Kings have released 4 collaborative studio projects as a duo plus 1 collaborative album with TRESOR. Every release reached platinum certification in South Africa, and each one expanded Amapiano’s sound into new territory.
| Album / EP | Year | Certification | Key Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scorpion Kings EP | May 2019 | 3x Platinum (South Africa) | “Amantombazane,” “Lerato,” “Dubai,” “We’Mama” |
| Piano Hub EP | October 2019 | 3x Platinum (South Africa) | “Sandton,” “Lorch,” “Korobela,” “Gibela” |
| The Return of Scorpion Kings | November 2019 | Certified (South Africa) | “Abuyile Amakhosi,” “Qoqoqo,” “Hilili” |
| Scorpion Kings Live | 2020 | Certified (South Africa) | “Piki Piki,” “Emcimbini,” “Energy” ft. Focalistic and Tyler ICU |
| Rumble in the Jungle (with TRESOR) | April 2021 | Certified Platinum (South Africa) | “Funu,” “Abalele” ft. Ami Faku, “Folasade” |
| The Konka Mixtape: Sweet and Dust | May 2023 | 25 tracks collaborative | Full collaborative drop across 25 tracks with Amapiano artists |
Scorpion Kings Songs: Their Biggest Tracks
The Scorpion Kings have produced over 50 original tracks across their collaborative projects. These are the songs that built their reputation and defined the Amapiano sound for both South African and international audiences.
- “Amantombazane” featuring Samthing Soweto and MFR Souls from the Scorpion Kings EP became one of the most-played Amapiano tracks in South African clubs and streaming platforms after release.
- “Sandton” featuring Focalistic, Kamo Mphela, and Bontle Smith from the Piano Hub EP placed Focalistic in the mainstream Amapiano conversation for the first time. The track became a South African streaming hit and a dancefloor staple.
- “Abalele” featuring Ami Faku from the Rumble in the Jungle era debuted at Number 4 on Spotify South Africa and hit Number 1 on the Official South African Music Charts. The combination of their log-drum production with Ami Faku’s vocal phrasing created one of the most memorable Amapiano records of that period.
- “Lorch” featuring Semi Tee, Miano, and Kammu Dee from the Piano Hub EP named itself after Orlando Pirates winger Thembinkosi Lorch and became one of the most-shared football-adjacent Amapiano tracks across South African social media.
- “Emcimbini” featuring Aymos, Samthing Soweto, Mas Musiq, and Myztro from Scorpion Kings Live became a Coachella-level showstopper. The track blended Zulu vocals with piano-driven Amapiano basslines in a way few songs from the genre had achieved.
- “Gibela” featuring Tallarsetee is widely cited as one of the defining deep Amapiano records of the Scorpion Kings catalogue. Its log drum pattern and bass interplay became a template other producers copied.
- “We’Mama” featuring Sha Sha showed the duo’s range, pulling the sound into emotional territory with Sha Sha’s distinctive vocal delivery over restrained Amapiano production.
- “Piki Piki” featuring DJ Maphorisa, Cassper Nyovest, Vyno Miller, and Myztro from the Scorpion Kings Live project became one of Cassper Nyovest’s most-streamed Amapiano collaborations.
How the Scorpion Kings Formed
The Scorpion Kings partnership began in 2019 when DJ Maphorisa booked Kabza De Small for one of his shows. They had been aware of each other through the Amapiano circuit for years. After that booking, they went straight into the studio. According to Maphorisa in a Mixmag interview: “We hit the studio and created magic. We then decided to make loads of music and that was really the birth of the partnership.”
Their debut Scorpion Kings EP dropped in May 2019 and went triple platinum in South Africa within its first release cycle. They immediately followed it with the Piano Hub EP in October of the same year, also triple platinum. The Return of Scorpion Kings arrived in November 2019, making it 3 major releases in a single calendar year. No South African Amapiano act had moved at that pace before them.
The planned Scorpion Kings Live concert, announced for Sun Arena at Times Square in Pretoria, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it eventually happened, it produced the Scorpion Kings Live album, one of the most celebrated live Amapiano documents released to that point. Kabza described their creative chemistry in a Mixmag interview as follows: “When I started creating Amapiano, I knew this genre was going to change my life, but for it to travel this far at this rate is truly an honour.”
Scorpion Kings and International Amapiano Recognition
The Scorpion Kings performed at Sónar Festival in Barcelona, Spain, one of Europe’s largest electronic music festivals. That appearance placed Amapiano on a European festival stage it had never formally occupied. They have also performed at major South African venues including the Sun Arena at Times Square in Pretoria and multiple sold-out shows across Johannesburg and Durban.
DJ Maphorisa’s international production portfolio gave the Scorpion Kings instant credibility outside South Africa from day one. His credits on Drake’s “One Dance” and Major Lazer’s “Particula” meant international music journalists already knew his name when the Scorpion Kings project launched. Kabza’s Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 ranking and his Rolling Stone feature added editorial credibility alongside chart performance. At the most recent Grammy Awards, Tyla’s “Push 2 Start,” rooted in Amapiano, won Best African Music Performance. That win confirmed that the genre the Scorpion Kings helped shape now operates at Grammy level.
Scorpion Kings Awards and Recognition
The Scorpion Kings have won multiple South African awards, both together and as individual artists. Their award tallies reflect the depth of their combined impact on South African music culture.
- Kabza De Small SAMA wins: 13 South African Music Awards across categories including Male Artist of the Year, Best Amapiano Album, and Duo or Group of the Year.
- Kabza De Small Metro FM wins: 5 Metro FM Music Award wins covering production and performance categories.
- Kabza De Small Amapiano Music Awards: 3 wins at the South African Amapiano Music Awards.
- Kabza De Small DStv Mzansi Viewers Choice Awards: Favourite DJ and Favourite Rising Star wins.
- DJ Maphorisa awards: Best African Act at the MTV Africa Music Awards, Best African DJ at the Humanitarian African Prestigious Awards, and Best Producer at the Mzansi Kwaito and House Music Awards.
- DJ Maphorisa Soundcity MVP Award: African DJ of the Year, presented at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos.
- Kabza GQ South Africa: Musician of the Year, presented by Bisquit.
The Scorpion Kings and Amapiano’s Global Push
The Scorpion Kings are widely credited as the duo most responsible for Amapiano’s international expansion after its South African origins. Before them, Amapiano was a genre that spread primarily through South African taxi routes, WhatsApp audio sharing, and township parties. After them, it reached Coachella, Glastonbury, BBC Radio coverage, and international streaming chart positions across Europe and North America.
Maphorisa stated in a Mixmag interview: “Amapiano hasn’t even reached its full potential globally. The genre has so many variations at the moment, and regardless of which direction it goes, it will always be Amapiano.” Kabza added: “Amapiano in its own right has sounds that can adapt in different markets. Its strength really lies in its ability to change but still be Amapiano.”
Artists like Focalistic, Kamo Mphela, Samthing Soweto, Young Stunna, and Uncle Waffles all built significant parts of their profiles through Scorpion Kings productions. Focalistic’s international career in particular accelerated directly after “Sandton” placed him with the duo. Uncle Waffles, who later brought Amapiano to international festival stages with her acrobatic DJ performance style, credits the Scorpion Kings production era as foundational to her own artistic direction.
Artists Featured on Scorpion Kings Projects
The Scorpion Kings have collaborated with over 30 South African artists across their combined catalogue. Their featured artists represent both established stars and emerging Amapiano talent.
- Samthing Soweto on “Amantombazane” and multiple Scorpion Kings projects.
- MFR Souls on “Amantombazane” from the debut EP.
- Focalistic on “Sandton” from the Piano Hub EP.
- Kamo Mphela on “Sandton,” which also contributed to her mainstream breakthrough.
- Ami Faku on “Abalele,” a Number 1 South African chart hit.
- Sha Sha on “We’Mama” from the debut Scorpion Kings EP.
- Cassper Nyovest on “Piki Piki” from the Scorpion Kings Live project.
- TRESOR on the full Rumble in the Jungle album, bringing Afropop vocal textures to Amapiano production.
- Bontle Smith on “Lerato” and “Sandton.”
- Busiswa on “Hilili” and “Abuyile Amakhosi.”
- Mlindo The Vocalist on “Qoqoqo.”
- Young Stunna on multiple post-Live releases.
- Vigro Deep on “Vula Vala” and “Dubai.”
- Myztro on “Emcimbini” and the Scorpion Kings Live project. Myztro is DJ Maphorisa’s biological brother.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Scorpion Kings are DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small, a South African Amapiano duo from Pretoria. DJ Maphorisa’s real name is Themba Sekowe. Kabza De Small’s real name is Kabelo Petrus Motha. They formed the Scorpion Kings in 2019 after meeting through the South African Amapiano circuit. Their debut EP went triple platinum in South Africa and launched one of the most successful collaborative partnerships in African music history.
The Scorpion Kings’ biggest songs include “Amantombazane,” “Sandton,” “Abalele,” “Lorch,” “We’Mama,” “Emcimbini,” and “Gibela.” “Abalele” featuring Ami Faku hit Number 1 on the Official South African Music Charts. “Sandton” featuring Focalistic and Kamo Mphela became a defining Amapiano dancefloor track. “Amantombazane” featuring Samthing Soweto and MFR Souls is one of the most-played Amapiano tracks from their debut EP.
The Scorpion Kings have released 6 collaborative projects together. These are the Scorpion Kings EP, Piano Hub EP, The Return of Scorpion Kings, Scorpion Kings Live, Rumble in the Jungle with TRESOR, and The Konka Mixtape: Sweet and Dust. All 6 are certified platinum or multi-platinum in South Africa. The 3 projects released in their first year together showed a pace of output no other South African Amapiano act had matched.
Yes, DJ Maphorisa co-produced Drake’s “One Dance” alongside Black Coffee. The track became the first song involving an African artist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify and spent 15 weeks at Number 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart. Maphorisa also co-produced Major Lazer’s “Particula” featuring Nasty C, ILoveMakonnen, and Mr Eazi, giving him 2 major international production credits before the Scorpion Kings formed.
Kabza De Small alone has won 13 South African Music Awards, 5 Metro FM Music Awards, 3 Amapiano Music Awards, and GQ South Africa’s Musician of the Year. DJ Maphorisa has won Best African Act at the MTV Africa Music Awards, African DJ of the Year at the Soundcity MVP Awards, and Best African DJ at the Humanitarian African Prestigious Awards. Together, they have won multiple Duo or Group of the Year and Best Amapiano album categories at South African ceremonies.