Sizwe Dhlomo and Lekau Sehoana Defend DJ Maphorisa’s Intellect: “Very Thirsty for Knowledge”

• Businessmen Sizwe Dhlomo and Lekau Sehoana sang DJ Maphorisa's praises on social media after photos of the books he was reading surfaced online
• Despite several users questioning the DJ's intelligence, Dhlomo and Sehoana said he was far smarter than many people realise, describing him as someone who is always thirsty for knowledge
• Their appraisal was met with a cocktail of reactions from the online community, where several users seemed to agree, while others continued to question Porry's apparent smarts

Sizwe Dhlomo and Lekau Sehoana recently took to social media to passionately defend DJ Maphorisa’s intelligence after pictures of his reading list sparked an intense debate online.

The online chatter ignited when images surfaced on 2 June 2026 showing the Shabang viral sensation apparently diving into some heavy motivational literature. In the pictures, the books on display were none other than James Clear’s global bestseller Atomic Habits and Napoleon Hill’s classic Think and Grow Rich.

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According to online commentators, posting his books seemed to be a direct response to controversial music executive Nota Baloyi’s frequent public criticisms of the DJ. One social media user pointed out the timing of the picture, suggesting that Maphorisa had seemingly taken the fierce critic's advice to heart and was actively working on bettering himself.

"Phori took Nota's advice."

While everyday netizens were quick to crack jokes and question whether the music producer was actually reading, former Kaya FM presenter Sizwe Dhlomo immediately set the record straight. Having known the DJ for years, Dhlomo emphasised that Maphorisa's intellect is often underestimated.

"Phori actually reads a lot & is very thirsty for knowledge. He’s the type of guy who always wants to learn. Been that way for a long time."

Echoing Dhlomo’s sentiments, Drip Footwear founder and serial entrepreneur Lekau Sehoana jumped into the comments to add his own high praise for the music mogul and Amapiano pioneer. Sehoana, who has built a massive sneaker empire, noted that Maphorisa possesses the sharp mind of a master strategist.

"Full of ideas and concepts. One of the smartest guys I’ve ever met. You actually realise he’s not where he is by accident. Very calculative," Sehoana added.

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See the businessmen's posts below.

Social media reacts to DJ Maphorisa's pictures

Many supporters agreed that Maphorisa's decade-long dominance in the music industry was proof of his high business IQ.

Hlela_Lulubel said:

"Phori has been reading for the longest time. Yes, it might look like content, but he’s always hungry for knowledge."

Thabi_kaNkosi wrote:

"The real issue is people who judge your knowledge by how well you speak English, not by what you actually know."

blivashe defended DJ Maphorisa:

"People undermine Phori a lot. This guy is smart."

Phesh6210 added:

"It takes knowledge and intellectual capability to apply what Phori has done. You rebrand after many years in the game and go on a crazy run with a new genre takes a lot of brains."

Meanwhile, others remained sceptical, claiming Porry shared the images merely for content.

nobkwelo2 was not convinced:

"You can see on F2 that he was just taking a photo, and he never even read the book."

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LwaziMBK teased DJ Maphorisa:

"Does he know those books have no pictures?"

might_be_kb said:

"You can see he's just doing this for content; he's never finishing that book."

BossPhila1 wasn't buying it:

"No way he reads and finishes those books."

Cassper Nyovest takes shots at Nota Baloyi

In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to Cassper Nyovest dragging Nota Baloyi.

After the outspoken critic questioned Mufasa's extensive discography, the rapper took to social media with a cheeky remark, questioning Nota's intelligence.

Source: Briefly News