One of South Africa’s brightest talents, Shimza, whose real name is Ashley Raphala, has risen from an aspiring young artist to a leading light of the global Afro-house scene.
The Tembisa-raised DJ, producer, and promoter began developing his musical skills at fifteen, supported and encouraged by his family. His rise includes wins in a string of high-profile DJ competitions and the launch of his One Man Show event brand—a large-scale outdoor party held every Christmas Day to raise funds for underprivileged children.
The philanthropy-focused initiative, started in 2009, sponsors school uniforms and stationery for children in his hometown of Tembisa while supporting job creation. Over the years, the event has showcased some of South Africa’s leading artists, including AKA, Cassper Nyovest, Riky Rick, Black Coffee, Mi Casa, and Black Motion.
Shimza’s altruistic work is matched by his musical talent and technical skill. In 2013, he signed to Soulistic Music, joining a roster that included Black Coffee and Culoe De Song. His full-length album Shimuzic, collaborations, and singles such as “African Woman” and “Akulalwa” established him as one of South Africa’s leading house music producers.
Nicknamed the “Effect Master” and “Vinyl Assassin”, Shimza is known for an infectious, creative playing style. His precise cueing and looping shape the signature Afro-tech sound he brings to the dance floor.
His international career grew through touring in Europe and North America, including appearances in New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Manchester, and Sicily. In 2016, Shimza made his Ibiza debut at Destino’s Closing Party alongside Luciano and was subsequently profiled by Spanish publications and Ibiza music outlet Essential Ibiza.
In 2017, Shimza released the two-track Destino EP on Djoon Experience, including a remix by Karizma. Cadenza Music then released the four-track Ascendent EP. In 2018, he began a four-month residency at Privilege Ibiza, headlining SuperMartXé parties every Thursday from 7 June to 4 October.
The residency solidified Shimza’s international footprint and gave him another platform to take his sound to audiences around the world.
A continuing story
THE NEXT CHAPTER / 2018—2026
From a season-long Ibiza residency to global stages, a new generation of records and platforms built to carry African electronic music forward.
01 / 042018—2020
Sound into structure
The four-month SuperMartXé run at Privilege Ibiza in 2018 gave Shimza a weekly international stage. Across Eminence and Kings and Queens, his drum-led sound grew heavier and more electronic, while Hang Awt 1632 created a new gathering place in Thembisa. The gold-certified collaboration “Uwrongo” followed in 2020. When dancefloors closed, his broadcasts helped turn lockdown into a shared musical space; in November 2020, KUNYE launched to connect South African electronic artists with listeners around the world.
02 / 042021—2023
A platform travels
The six-track KimberleyEP returned Shimza to Cadenza in 2021, while “Fight to Love” opened another vocal chapter. KUNYE moved from streamed sets into physical rooms—including London—as its event and label arms grew together. “Higher” arrived in 2022, the same year viewers chose Shimza as Favourite DJ at the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards. In 2023, “That Organ Track,” “Embers” with CamelPhat and Julia Church, and his peak-time rework of “Mnike” traced the widening reach of his Afro-tech language.
03 / 042024—2025
Bridging worlds
“Darling” with Aloe Blacc and “Places” with Elderbrook sat alongside “BADO,” “Citadelle” and the DreamingEP in a prolific 2024. A Cercle performance from the Citadelle de Sisteron turned that catalogue into a global broadcast, while KUNYE continued its growth across cities and continents. In 2025, Shimza's community work supplied 2,000 school shoes to learners in Thembisa, and Shimza & Co became a curated Ibiza residency. DJ Mag Issue 663 closed the arc with Shimza as a solo cover star: a portrait of an artist now helping define Afro-tech on his own terms.
04 / 042026 / AUG
The next room
In 2026, Shimza took the Shimza & Co concept to London's Camden Roundhouse, shared Coachella's Quasar stage in an Afrojack × Shimza set, and led the first Shimza & Co residency at Pacha Ibiza. “Fire Fire” with AR/CO and Kasango won Afrohouse Song of the Year at the 2026 Miami Electronic Dance Music Awards, while “Falling,” “Missing You,” “No Shape Without You,” a remix of Shakira and Beéle’s “ALGO TÚ,” and the Sunset In Pretoria EP kept the studio story moving. The scale has changed; the impulse—to connect a room through rhythm—has not.
The cover moment · 2025
South Africa to the world
DJ Mag's Issue 663 cover recognised two decades of technical craft, creative collaboration and the platforms Shimza has built around the music. The official post is embedded here with photography credited to @flashtag_official.
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