DJ Shimza shares his insights on the music an entertainment industry.
Image: Instagram
“I sent him a screenshot of how much I am getting paid.”
These now-famous words from DJ Shimza, whose real name is Kholofolo Raphala, reflect his response to a comment made by Amapiano producer DJ Maphorisa, real name Themba Sekowe.
In a recent interview with MacGyver "MacG" Mukwevho and Sol Phenduka on "The Podcast and Chill Network", Shimza opened up about his experiences in the music and entertainment industry.
During the conversation, he was asked whether he had influenced DJ Maphorisa to return to deejaying Afrohouse music.
Shimza recounted, “I posted a video of myself playing in Dubai, and Phori commented on it: ‘Ey udlala di pinna tsa Makgowa (Ey, you’re playing white people’s music).’ I just kept quiet, and I sent him a screenshot of how much I was getting paid.”
Despite the clapback, Shimza and Maphorisa remain good friends.
Earlier this year, Maphorisa announced on social media that he would be shifting his focus from amapiano to Afrohouse.
“Amapiano is in good hands; I am going back to my roots where it all started: AFRO!” he wrote.
With the support of Shimza, Maphorisa recently performed his first Afro set at Kunye in Kenya.
He thanked Shimza, the founder of Kunye, for providing him with a platform to showcase his skills.
Shimza also praised Maphorisa, stating that his set was the highlight of the show.
During his interview, Shimza also acknowledged that while Afrohouse may not be a dominant genre in South Africa, there are significant opportunities for financial success on the global stage.
“You can take deejaying to that level. So the reason why I decided to make sure that I document everything I’m doing is to really show people that it's possible.
"Some people see me as a peer from Thembisa and like they can relate to me. They don’t know how big this thing can get. So if I can document that and show people, it will inspire someone to take this deejaying thing seriously,” Shimza explained.
The DJ also revealed that he is the second biggest export in terms of gigs, following DJ Black Coffee, whose real name is Nkosinathi Maphumulo.
In 2025, Shimza took nearly 400 flights to various destinations around the world to perform.
“You have to travel; it’s like taking a taxi to work every day. Travelling is part of the job. We often get paid more for travelling than for deejaying,” he noted.