DJ Maphorisa: Twitter Influencer Apologises After Claiming South African DJ Has Nigerian Roots
- X influencer @busiwe_bubu posted in apparent disbelief that DJ Maphorisa was Nigerian, days after his sold-out Scorpion Kings show at FNB Stadium
- The post caused an uproar online, with fans defending the Soshanguve-born DJ and questioning the influencer's motives
- On 1 October 2026, @busiwe_bubu issued a public correction and apology, tagging Maphorisa directly
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Getty Images
An X influencer found herself in hot water after falsely claiming that DJ Maphorisa is Nigerian, only to walk back the statement weeks later in what many fans believe came after pressure from the DJ's legal team.
On 20 September 2026, one day after Maphorisa and Kabza De Small hosted a sold-out Scorpion Kings Live concert at FNB Stadium, influencer and blogger Lavish Living, who goes by @busiwe_bubu, posted on X:
"Haibo. Am I the only one who didn't know that DJ Maphorisa is Nigerian? 🫣"
The post immediately drew pushback from fans who pointed out that the DJ was born and raised in Soshanguve, a township north of Pretoria, South Africa.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Who is DJ Maphorisa?
DJ Maphorisa's real name is Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe. He grew up in Soshanguve in the Gauteng region, and his upbringing was deeply rooted in Pretoria's cultural landscape. While several biographies have described his father as Nigerian and his mother as South African, Maphorisa himself disputed this during a September 2026 interview, clarifying that it was actually his grandfather who was from Mozambique, not his father from Nigeria.
Despite this nuance, @busiwe_bubu's original post presented it as a revelation that the DJ was Nigerian, which many fans called both misleading and poorly timed, coming right after a major career milestone.
Mzansi reacts after influencer apologises to DJ Maphorisa
On 1 October 2026, @busiwe_bubu issued a correction, writing:
"I need to correct something I posted earlier. I said DJ Maphorisa is Nigerian. That is not true. He is South African, and I was wrong to say otherwise. I apologise for the mistake and for any confusion it caused. @DjMaphorisa"
Read the correction post that sparked reactions:
The apology triggered a wave of reactions, with many suspecting legal involvement:
@TheGyal_ speculated:
"You got that famous Musa Khawula letter 😭😭🤣🤣"
@realnorma_kay laughed:
"You got the letter from lawyers fam😭🤣🤣🤣"
@Rabs2013 joked:
"Lol, you really have confused us unnecessarily, so I'm glad you clarified. Otherwise prepare 500k"
@Bee_Maluleke had sharper words:
"Uyaphapha nawe😂.. But you caused a lot of damage with what you posted; it was meant to be a moment of celebrating his achievement, and you took that away for engagement money. That love letter should have come with a percentage cut for Phori because you used him for clout."
@IamWisba offered broader context:
"He has been called many names before, but being labelled as a Nigerian is where you hit the nerve 😤 I don't blame Phori; even Nigerians don't want to be called Nigerians, go check Nigerians especially in the UK🤣"
@Mphakskea added:
"Lol, you can call a black South African basically anything you want, but never call them a foreigner in their own country 😂. They take it personally because these are people who have been fighting colonisers for centuries for their national identity, where millions died in the process."
Source: Instagram
Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa's before-and-after photos
Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that the before-and-after photos of the Scorpion Kings duo, Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa, left fans inspired.
The pictures emerged days after the pair headlined a historic show at FNB Stadium on 19 September 2026 with a line-up of over 50 top SA artists.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Source: Briefly News
