DJ Black Coffee (born March 11, 1976) is a South African celebrity disc jockey and record producer. He is one of the most iconic DJs in EDM alive.
Black Coffee Biography
Black Coffee, also known as Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo, was born in Durban on March 11, 1976. Although he was born in Durban but raised in the Eastern Cape.
He moved in with his mother following his parents’ divorce. Black Coffee was involved in a taxi accident in 1990 when people celebrated Nelson Mandela’s release on the streets of Ngangelizwe. He was paralyzed, and his life was forever changed.
Mamphumulo was a Jazz Studies student at Technikon Natal. He dropped out of school and became Madal Kunene’s backup singer with some of his friends from Technikon Natal with whom he had dropped out together.
Real Name
His real name is Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo.
Career
Thandukwazi Sikhona, aka Demor, and Mnqobi Mdabe, aka Shota, were two of his closest friends. The trio decided to form their Afro-pop trio, Simply Hot and Naturally African (SANA), after gaining experience as backup singers. On the other hand, Coffee was more interested in electronic music production than the rest of the group, so he left to learn more about it.
He was selected for the Red Bull Music Academy in 2003. Coffee’s exposure at the academy aided him in producing his first hit, ‘Happiness.’ In 2005, he debuted his DJ with a remix of Stimela, a 1972 hit by Hugh Masekela.
This was a huge break for him, inspiring him to keep working on his debut album with Soulistic Music later that year. Busi Mhlongo, Hugh Masekela, and Thandiswa Mazwai, to name a few, were among the artists who contributed to the album. He recorded this album in his office, which was also his bedroom, using very cheap software and under his label.
The album won him an award at the 2006 MTN SAMA awards, which exceeded his wildest expectations.
By 2007, Black Coffee had established himself as a household name in the South African DJ scene, with his tribally infectious, vocal-laced beats tearing up dance floors.
The following year, he released “Have Another One,” his second studio album, which included “Wathula Nje,” a remix of Victor Ntoni’s jazz ballad “Thetha” from 2004. “Wathula Nje” and “Even Though,” both featuring Bantu Soul, were later released on vinyl and digitally in Europe by the European label Realtone Records. Siphokazi, Busi Mhlongo, and Kwaito sensation L’vovo were among the artists featured on the twelve-track album, which also introduced Culoe De Song, a then-17-year-old high school producer from Eshowe, Kwa Zulu Natal, who became Soulistic Music’s second artist. On the afro-electronic dub 100 Zulu Warriors, Black Coffee discovered Culoe De Song and collaborated with her.
During this time, Little Louie Vega, Alix Alvarez, Franck Roger, Charles Webster, DJ Spinna, and Osunlade were invited to perform at the Red Bull Music Academy Lounge at the Sonar Festival in Barcelona, where he played alongside the cream of local and international DJs.
In 2009, Black Coffee released his third album, “Home Brewed,” which featured Ringo Madlingozi, Zonke, Hugh Masekela, Zakes Bantwini, and others. He won two awards at the South African Music Awards 2010 for Best Urban Dance Album and Best Male Artist, and later that year, he won Best Produced Album and Best Dance Album at the Metro FM Music Awards, as well as Channel O’s Most Gifted Male for his track “Juju.”
Between 2009 and 2010, Black Coffee began a new growth phase with a string of new Soulistic Music signed releases from Culoe de Song, Tumelo, and the great Zakes Bantwini, all of which achieved gold and platinum sales. At the MTV Europe Awards in 2011, he was nominated for Best Worldwide Act in the Africa/Asia/Middle East category. Since launching his label, Soulistic Music, Black Coffee has toured with fellow label artists in Sydney, New York, So Paulo, Luanda, Los Angeles, and Athens.
When Black Coffee DJed 60 hours nonstop at Maponya Mall in 2010, he was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records.
Africa Rising was launched in 2011 and had its first performance in front of an audience of 8,000 at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, with a live band and 24-piece orchestra; the concert was filmed for the Africa Rising DVD.
Culoe de Song’s “Elevation,” Sai & Ribatones’ “Here and Now,” Boddhi Satva’s “Invocation,” and the label’s “Soulistic Music Cuts” were among the four Soulistic Label releases in 2011.
In 2012, Black Coffee’s “Africa Rising” DVD and CD (triple CD) went double platinum in a month and won Best Dance Album at the 2013 South African Music Awards. This occurred shortly after Soulistic Music announced the signing of DJ Shimza, a new club DJ. On the album “Africa Rising,” Black Coffee featured creative artists such as Bucie and the soulful musician Toshi Tikolo on the international House hit “Buya.”
Black Coffee continued to perform on international stages, such as Southport Weekender, Panoroma Bar, Circo Loco, and Boiler Room in 2013, as well as at music conferences such as ADE and RBMA in Johannesburg. Collaborations with Mi Casa and Black Motion are among the notable collaborations 2013.
In 2013, Black Coffee was a featured speaker on the tour of his friend Vusi Thembekwayo. Black Coffee was featured in several publications in November 2013, including the glossy Destiny Man magazine.
Black Coffee returned to his home country to release his fifth album, Pieces Of Me, after a world tour on January 12, 2015, at Circoloco at Blue Parrot in Mexico and ended on August 31, 2015, at Circoloco at DC-10.
Pieces Of Me was released in the second week of September and drew immediate criticism for its cover and title, which were nearly identical to those of US singer “Ledisi.” Musically, the album received positive feedback on social media and charted on iTunes ZA, with the song “We Dance Again,” featuring Nakhane Toure, reaching the top of the charts by September 30. Azola, Portia Monique, Ribatone, Nakhane Toure, Mondli Ngcobo, Kensy, NaakMusiq, and Lungi Naidoo collaborated on this album.
Two weeks later, he traveled to Pacha, Ibiza, Spain, to attend the Dj Awards, where he was a “Breakthrough Dj Of The Year” nominee on September 29, 2015.
Pieces of Me was certified platinum in South Africa on October 23, 2015.
He performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts and Ultra Music Festival 2016. Black Coffee was also the first South African to win the Best International Act: Africa award at the BET Awards 2016 2016.
Is Black Coffee Rich?
He is extremely wealthy and the richest South African entertainer in 2022. Scroll below to see his net worth, or click here.
Is Black Coffee paralyzed?
His left arm has been rendered immobile. This occurred after he was engaged in a car accident in his hometown on the same day that Nelson Mandela was freed from jail in 1990, which he survived. He sustained a brachial plexus injury due to the collision in which he was involved. According to the medical lexicon, the brachial plexus is a bundle of nerves that begin in the spinal cord in the neck and descend the arm. These nerves are responsible for controlling the muscles of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand, as well as providing sensation to the upper arm and hand.
Black Coffee Age
As of 2024, he is 48 years of age.
Black Coffee Songs
Some of his songs include:
- Superman
- Ready for You
- Someday
- Extra Time on You
- We Are One
- The Chameleon
- Even Though
- Lost
- Juju
- Flava
- Time
- Stuck in Your Love
- Inkodlo Kamashimane
Black Coffee Wife
Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa is a South African actress, television presenter, and fashion designer previously married to Black Coffee. Tshisa, a South African television series, is where she made her debut and is where she is most known. In 2015, she launched the maternity apparel line SE Preggoz in South Africa and New York. According to reports, the pair parted ways in 2019.
Is Black Coffee married?
No, he is no longer married; he divorced his partner in 2019.
Why did Black Coffee get a divorce?
According to reports, Black Coffee and Enhle Mbali split in 2019 due to allegations of infidelity. Since the divorce, Enhle Mbali has made abuse charges against the DJ and has filed a petition for a protective order against him, citing an event at her birthday party as justification, according to court documents.
Black Coffee House
The superstar DJ has a mansion in Johannesburg. He once hosted politicians and celebrities at a luncheon. Below is a picture of the breathtaking mansion.
Black Coffee Social Media
View this post on Instagram
God if I’m not where I need to be, please align me with your will and lead me there.?? pic.twitter.com/rzoKr1g7Dd
— Black Coffee (@RealBlackCoffee) September 12, 2021
You can follow him here.
Black Coffee Net Worth
His estimated net worth is R1,129,635,000 billion.
