Shimza

From Tembisa to the global afro house map

Shimza, the stage name of Kholofelo Ashley Raphala, is a South African DJ, producer, promoter, and entrepreneur born and raised in Tembisa, in the Gauteng province. His connection to music began in his teens, around the age of fifteen, and from there he built an identity associated with South African house, hypnotic percussion, and a highly technical way of mixing. In his local scene, he earned nicknames like Effect Master and Vinyl Assassin, a reflection of a language based on cuts, loops, and high-precision transitions.

Technique, community, and first major platforms

After standing out in DJ competitions and making his way into music radio and television, Shimza consolidated his career with Shimuzic Productions and the charity project One Man Show, created in 2009 to support vulnerable children. That community focus became a central part of his artistic brand. In 2013, he joined the label Soulistic Music, a house linked to Black Coffee and Culoe De Song, and in 2015 he released his album Shimuzic, where he solidified his interpretation of afro house and afro tech.

KUNYE and the new African projection

His catalog combines his own tracks and wide-ranging collaborations, from African Woman and Akulalwa to Uwrongo alongside Prince Kaybee, Black Motion, and Ami Faku. He has also signed music on international labels such as Cadenza Records and Knee Deep In Sound. In November 2020, he launched KUNYE, a platform, label, and session series conceived to connect emerging South African producers with the global scene. That same year, he starred in a performance on Robben Island during Nelson Mandela Day, a symbolic live set that united electronic music, historical memory, and social action.

Ibiza, Cercle, and an international agenda

Live, Shimza moves between the deep pulse of afro house, the melodic tension of afro tech, and big-stage energy. He has performed at Boiler Room Johannesburg, RESISTANCE Cape Town, and clubs in New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Manchester, and Ibiza. His Ibiza debut at Destino alongside Luciano opened a European chapter expanded with residencies and his own showcases. In recent years, he has reinforced his reach with the Cercle set at the Citadelle de Sisteron, releases such as BADO, Places, Citadelle, Falling, No Shape Without You, and Fire Fire, and the Shimza&Co residency at Pacha Ibiza.