Popular South African DJ and producer DJ Maphorisa has acknowledged the role played by Zimbabweans living in the United Kingdom in popularizing the Amapiano genre across the globe. The comments were made during an episode of the I Believe Podcast that premiered on Friday, 28 August 2026, and have since gone viral on social media platform X.
Piano People’s Grassroots Push
During the interview, Maphorisa reflected on how Amapiano moved beyond South Africa, crediting a group called Piano People for organising early gigs in London. He recalled a specific event after lockdown restrictions eased as a turning point for the genre’s international growth. When asked about early audiences, he listed Zimbabweans, Nigerians, and South Africans in the diaspora, adding that the Zimbabwean community played a big part in building the fanbase on the ground in London.
Maphorisa was particularly warm in his praise of the Zimbabwean community, suggesting they were significant contributors to the genre’s early overseas traction, alongside their Nigerian and South African counterparts. He said, “I feel like, well, but they’ve played a big part of that and then also Nigerians and South Africans, so I feel like yes. I mean community and stuff.”
The clip has sparked mixed reactions online. Some fans praised the acknowledgement, while others felt the DJ could have been more explicit in his credit. Some social media users commented that he “danced around” saying it directly, while others noted the contributions of other African communities. The debate also touched on issues of diaspora recognition, with a few users making pointed remarks about anti-immigrant sentiment.
In the same interview, Maphorisa gave a shout-out to Piano People, describing their efforts as a genuine grassroots push that helped Amapiano find its footing internationally before the genre became a global phenomenon. The recognition from one of Amapiano’s leading figures is likely to resonate with Zimbabwean music fans both at home and in the diaspora, highlighting the country’s cultural influence beyond its borders.
