On the day Nelson Mandela walked out of prison in 1990, a teenager named Nkosinathi Maphumulo was hit by a car during the celebrations. The injury left him with limited use of his left arm.
The teenager became Black Coffee, the South African DJ and producer. In April 2022 he won the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album for Subconsciously, becoming the first African to win the category for original work.
From Durban to Ibiza
Maphumulo grew up in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, and began DJing and producing house music in Durban. He came to national attention after taking part in the Red Bull Music Academy in 2004. His early releases built a following in South Africa, where house music is one of the most popular genres in the country.
He became known for DJing with one hand, working the decks with remarkable control. Over the following decade he built an international career, playing clubs and festivals around the world and holding a long-running residency in Ibiza, the centre of global club culture.
Subconsciously
Subconsciously, released in February 2021, featured collaborations with Pharrell Williams, David Guetta, Diplo and Usher, alongside African artists. It combined soulful South African house with international pop and dance influences.
At the Grammy Awards in April 2022, it won Best Dance/Electronic Album. In his speech, Black Coffee thanked collaborators including Pharrell and David Guetta, who he said had believed in working with “a smaller artist” like him.
South African house
Black Coffee’s success grew out of South Africa’s deep house scene, which has produced a long line of DJs and producers. His rise helped introduce South African house to global audiences, and paved the way for the international success of amapiano in the years after.
Business and influence
Black Coffee has built a business empire including a record label, Soulistic Music, and has invested in other ventures. He has used his platform to support young African producers and artists. His collaborations with Drake, including on the album Honestly, Nevermind, brought house music to a wider hip-hop audience.
Personal life
He was married to the actress Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa; the couple separated, and their relationship was widely covered in South African media.
Why his story resonates
An injury that might have ended a musical career instead shaped a distinctive style. Black Coffee turned a limitation into a signature.
He was hurt on the day South Africa celebrated a new beginning. Thirty-two years later, he stood on the Grammy stage as the first African to win his category for original work.
