By Siphesihle Dlamini
On a night where stars aligned and basslines dropped like blessings from above, fun lovers witnessed a sonic earthquake as the undisputed ‘King Of Amapiano’ Kabza De Small set Mdzimba View Shisanyama ablaze with an amazing performance.
It was more than a party. It was a movement. A moment. A memory carved in sweat, smoke, sound, and the unmistakable scent of grilled meat and late-night dreams.
Dubbed “Ladies Night,” but open to all lovers of rhythm and revelry, this edition wasn’t just another tick on the weekend calendar. It was a carefully crafted blend of local flavour and global firepower.
Local DJs and performers Castle, Baba, Ayacity, Zulu D, Lady Zee, Obsession, Matamza, SoWhat, Locco, and more set the table with delectable grooves that had the early crowd swaying and sipping with joyful anticipation.
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Each brought their sauce to the mix, blending Afrohouse, old-school hip-hop samples, deep house, and the ever-evolving Amapiano sound into a sonic stew that kept the energy simmering just beneath boiling point.
Then, at the stroke of midnight, like a priest of percussion, a maestro of the mixer, Kabza De Small stepped onto the stage and everything changed.
If the Mdzimba mountains have echoes, they’ll be repeating his name for a long, long time. His aura, quiet yet commanding, Kabelo Motha took his place behind the decks and unleashed a set that didn’t just move bodies, it moved spirits.
From the moment the first beat of “Adwele” pulsed through the speakers, the dancefloor turned into a sea of synchronised chaos. People screamed. They jumped.
They cried. Some dropped their drinks. Others dropped their inhibitions. The set was a journey. A spiritual rollercoaster.
From the nostalgic swing of early Amapiano anthems to unreleased heat that had fans reaching for Shazam in vain, Kabza dug into his vault and served a performance laced with both familiarity and surprise.
Each drop felt deliberate, every build-up like a slow tease. When “eMcimbini” rang out, a ripple of euphoria swept across the venue. Hands rose. Eyes closed.
Lovers found each other. Strangers became dance partners. And the hills of Mdzimba danced along.
While the decks smoked and the dance floor trembled, one humble young artist stood with a different kind of gift. Thembinkosi Mabuza, a rising Eswatini drawing artist known for his soul-penetrating portraits, waited for his moment with a nervous yet proud glint in his eye.
After Kabza’s set, he stepped forward and presented a hand-drawn portrait of the star, meticulously shaded, rich with detail, and capturing not just Kabza’s face, but his essence.
Kabza, visibly moved, accepted the piece with a wide grin and an embrace that said more than words could.
Mdzimba View Shisanyama has hosted more than a show, it has hosted a cultural moment.
A night that blended the best of Eswatini’s creative firepower with one of South Africa’s greatest musical exports.
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From the sizzling grills to the rumbling bass, from portrait art to pitch-perfect drops, the experience was an ode to what’s possible when music, art, and community collide.
If this night is anything to go by, the creative heartbeat of Eswatini is alive and drumming. Mdzimba View Shisanyama has thrown down the gauntlet, and the bar has been set sky-high.
As if that wasn’t enough, Kabza De Small was also gifted a replica kit from Ezulwini United Football Club, solidifying him as not just an artist of the people but an honorary member of the local sporting community. A night of stars, and he was one.
If you’ve been somehow floating outside the Amapiano galaxy, it’s time to pull up a chair and tune in. Kabza De Small is not a DJ. He is a genre.
Born Kabelo Motha, he’s the silent storm behind the Amapiano revolution. A master producer, meticulous curator, and tireless innovator, Kabza carved out a new sonic identity for South African youth and, by extension, the continent.
Before Amapiano became the playlist of clubs and car rides across Africa, Kabza was in the lab crafting sounds like “Umshove” and “Amabele Shaya.”
These tracks didn’t just trend, they transformed. They baptised a generation into log drums, airy pads, and soulful keys.
His historic partnership with DJ Maphorisa gave birth to Scorpion Kings, a project that redefined collaboration in African music.
Together, they made “Vula Vala,” “Lorch,” and “eMcimbini” household bangers. They didn’t just top charts, they changed the musical DNA of a continent.
