South African DJs dominate Spotify Africa’s top DJ ranking comes after popular data account Africa Facts Zone released its latest monthly listeners chart showing amapiano pioneers sweeping the podium, with DJ Maphorisa claiming the crown at 4.12 million monthly listeners, followed closely by Master KG at 3.8 million and Kabza De Small at 3.4 million.
The list, compiled from Spotify’s public artist metrics on December 8, places Nigeria’s DJ Tunez at third with 3.55 million monthly listeners, largely powered by his long-standing role as Wizkid’s official tour DJ and frequent Starboy collaborations.
Fellow Nigerian DJ Spinall sneaks into the top ten at eighth position, while Grammy-winning house legend Black Coffee rounds out the top five despite currently touring North America.
The full top ten DJs
1. DJ Maphorisa (South Africa) – 4.12M
2. Master KG (South Africa) – 3.8M
3. DJ Tunez (Nigeria) – 3.55M
4. Kabza De Small (South Africa) – 3.4M
5. Black Coffee (South Africa) – 3.1M
6. Shimza (South Africa) – 2.9M
7. Major League DJz (South Africa) – 2.7M
8. DJ Spinall (Nigeria) – 2.6M
9. Uncle Waffles (Eswatini/South Africa) – 2.4M
10. DBN Gogo (South Africa) – 2.3M
Nigerians quickly celebrated their representation in the comments, with many pointing out that DJ Tunez and Spinall’s numbers are heavily boosted by featuring on almost every Wizkid and Burna Boy release. “Without Starboy features, some of these positions shift,” one user joked, while another praised Tunez for “carrying Afrobeats on his back every tour.”
South Africans, meanwhile, revelled in the clean sweep of seven spots, with amapiano continuing its total domination of African streaming platforms. Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa’s Scorpion Kings partnership alone accounts for over 200 million streams in 2025, driven by piano anthems like “Khusela” and the viral “Mnike” remix package.
A few eyebrows were raised at Black Coffee sitting only fifth despite his global brand and recent Grammy win. Fans argued his house sound appeals more to international audiences than local daily listeners, with one viral reply reading, “Coffee sells out Madison Square Garden but loses to Maphorisa in the hood. Spotify numbers don’t lie.”
East African DJs felt noticeably absent. Kenyan selector Fully Focus and Tanzania’s DJ Seven both sit just outside the top twenty with 1.1 million and 980,000 monthly listeners, respectively, while Uganda’s DJ Roja & Slick Stuart barely crack 400,000. “We exist too,” commented Nairobi-based DJ Pierra Makena, who has been pushing bongo flava and gengetone fusions.
Spotify Africa top DJ ranking
The ranking has reignited the endless amapiano-versus-afrobeats streaming debate, with South Africans boasting “seven out of ten” and Nigerians countering that their artists still dominate the overall most-streamed songs and albums categories.
Regardless of nationality, the list confirms one truth: African DJs and producers are the new kings of African music consumption, often out-streaming the vocalists they work with.
As amapiano continues its march across the continent and beyond, the December update of Spotify Africa’s top DJ ranking proves South Africa remains the undisputed piano headquarters, for now.
