Black Coffee
Afro House
Black Coffee is Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo, a South African DJ, producer and songwriter born in Durban on 11 March 1976 and raised in Mthatha. At 14,…
Biography
Black Coffee is Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo, a South African DJ, producer and songwriter born in Durban on 11 March 1976 and raised in Mthatha. At 14, celebrating Nelson Mandela’s release in 1990, he was hit by a car that drove into the crowd, and he lost the use of his left arm.
He studied jazz at Technikon Natal and sang backing vocals for Madala Kunene. Being chosen for the Red Bull Music Academy in 2003 opened doors in dance music. In 2005 he set up his own label, Soulistic Music, to release his self-titled debut, famously built on basic software with a mouse. Have Another One (2007), Home Brewed (2009) with “Superman”, and Africa Rising (2012) made him the biggest name in South African house.
From there he went global, with a long Ibiza residency, work with Drake, and albums including Pieces of Me (2015) and Music Is King (2018). Subconsciously (2021) won the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album. His other honours include eight SAMAs and four DJ Awards.
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