He started his music career twenty years ago and Dj Kabila has not looked back. Real name, Siyanda Makhanya from Umtata in the Eastern Cape, wheelchair-bound Dj Kabila surprised many when he reunited with his old friend and internationally award-winning DJ and Producer DJ Black Coffee.
SHARING THE STAGE WITH THE BEST
The two friends shared the stage at the sold-out Madison Square Gardens in New York, USA last month. As if that was not enough, Dj Kabila has been nominated in the Best Dance Category at the South African Music Awards (SAMAs). Speaking to ZiMoja, the DJ and producer who has been in the music for more than 20 years said he is where he is today because of respect for others. "It was an honour for me to get an invite from Black Coffee to come and share a stage with him on one of the biggest stages globally. It became a turning point for me as I never thought that it was going to open many doors for me. I feel very honored especially after I have been through so many challenges in life and being a person living with disability, it was quite exciting and it is something I will never forget," he said.
GIVING UP IS NOT AN OPTION
Kabilla told ZiMoja that at one stage, he wanted to give up on music but Black Coffee believed in him and encouraged him to work harder. "I knew Black Coffee even before he became this famous. We had always been friends and I don't want to lie and say playing in Madison Square was a minor thing. It was a big opportunity for me and I grabbed it with both hands and now I've traveled around the world showcasing my deejaying talent," he said, adding that it was a great feeling for him as he recently dropped an album where he featured the legendary Madala Kunene. "I never expected it to be nominated for the SAMAs. "That alone is proof that you may take your job for granted only to realize many people respect your craft. Young people must learn to believe in everything they do, negativity will always be there. They must not allow social media to pull them down. I'm wheelchair bound but my talent has taken me to world stages and I'm standing here today because I believed in myself despite my condition," he said.
