Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo (born 11 March 1976), better known by his stage name Black Coffee, is a South African DJ, record producer and songwriter. Coffee established his own record label Soulistic Music, and released his debut self-titled album Black Coffee (2005), which incorporated elements of R&B and jazz. His career began around 1994[5] and became prominent after participating in the 2004 Red Bull Music Academy,[6] since then he has released nine studio albums,[7] as well as a live DVD. Throughout his musical career his accolades include: 8 SAMA, 4 DJ Awards, 2 Metro FM Awards and 1 Grammy award. Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo was born on 11 March 1976 in eThekwini, South Africa. He later moved to Umtata, the town 29 km away from the home of Nelson Mandela Qunu village, staying at the Ngangelizwe township. On the 11 February 1990, whilst celebrating the release of Nelson Mandela, he was involved in a taxi accident that left him with a brachial plexus injury resulting in him losing the use of his left arm. He majored in Jazz Studies at Technikon Natal, now known as the Durban University of Technology,[13] before working as a backup singer for Madala Kunene[14] together with then schoolmates: Mnqobi Mdabe (Shota) and Thandukwazi Sikhosana (Demor).[15] Maphumulo, Shota and Demor later formed an Afro-pop trio called SHANA (Simply Hot and Naturally African) which was signed to Melt 2000, then headed by Robert Trunz. He was chosen as one of two South African participants in the Red Bull Music Academy in 2003, jumo. In 2005, Maphumulo launched his career with a remix of Hugh Masekela’s 1972 hit Stimela.[19] Later that year he released his self-titled debut album,[18] and created his record company Soulistic Music.[20] The album sampled songs of notable South African artists like Thandiswa Mazwai, Hugh Masekela and featured Busi Mhlongo, among others.[21][10] He was well received in the country and was quickly lauded as a “rising star.”[22] His album, ‘Black Coffee’, was created using very basic music-making software. Maphumulo himself stated, Maphumulo married actress and television presenter Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa in 2011.[82] They have two children together and he has two more from a previous relationship. In 2014, the couple made news when Sunday World, a South African tabloid,[84] reported that Maphumulo had allegedly cheated on Mlotshwa with a local model and that a woman from the Free State region was behind the allegations, and was demanding R100 000 from Maphumulo after coming into possession of a sex tape which verified her claims.[85] In August 2018, the DJ admitted to the affair, which he explained was the result of “being young and being overwhelmed by fame”. The couple was involved in another cheating scandal in June 2019. This time stemming from an Instagram post by Cathy Guetta, the ex-wife of fellow DJ and collaborator – David Guetta, which lead to social media users alleging this was proof of further infidelity from the DJ. Following this, the couple did not immediately respond to the rumors; however, it was noticed that Enhle had removed all pictures of the couple together from her Instagram. Maphumulo later took to Twitter to deny the allegations whilst also commenting on the way on the “lynch-mob mentality” of the users involved in spreading the allegations.The couple was involved in another cheating scandal in June 2019. This time stemming from an Instagram post by Cathy Guetta, the ex-wife of fellow DJ and collaborator – David Guetta, which lead to social media users alleging this was proof of further infidelity from the DJ. Following this, the couple did not immediately respond to the rumors; however, it was noticed that Enhle had removed all pictures of the couple together from her Instagram. Maphumulo later took to Twitter to deny the allegations whilst also commenting on the way on the “lynch-mob mentality” of the users involved in spreading the allegations. The couple separated in July 2019, with divorce proceedings beginning later that year.[89][90][91] The divorce proceedings continued into 2020 and with them came further scandals. This included the publication of a leaked set of documents allegedly showing some of the financial demands being made by Mlotshwa. The now divorced couple made headlines once again in April 2021 when TrueLove, a division of South African media juggernaut Media24, reported that Enhle Mbali had filed for a protection order against her ex-husband alleging that he had assaulted her at her birthday dinner held at a home still shared by the couple. The allegations were made during a time of public outrage against the extremely high levels of Gender Based Violence (GBV) that were being experienced in South Africa. The report came following a statement from Mbali confirming that she was seeking a protection order and that, according to her, it was her “duty as a woman to not only fight for myself, but for every single woman in South Africa”. She further went on to mention two widely known cases of alleged GBV, including that of Reeva Steenkamp, and that she wanted to help bring an end to these cases. The DJ immediately responded to the allegation in a series of Tweets in which he denied the claims of assault whilst also recounting the GBV he witnessed within his own household whilst growing up. He further implied that this was an attempt by Mbali to separate him from his children and “their” home. He ended the Tweets with one which explained that he, “as a law-abiding citizen”, would be observing the demands of the interim order but would fight against the permanent installation of the order. On the 7th of May 2021, the DJ once again took to Twitter to share the news that the South African Court had ruled in his favour and set aside the interim protection order whilst also dismissing Mbali’s case.[94] In a since deleted video on Instagram, Mbali announced that she “would no longer protect” Maphumulo and would be speaking openly about the abuse she alleged to have suffered as well as further alleging that Maphumulo had also emotionally tormented their children. Mbali then announced that she would be a holding a press conference in which she would publicize evidence, text messages and “everything else that was lied about”. The press conference announced by Mbali would never materialize, but on the 12th of August 2021, the actor made an Instagram post teasing an upcoming production titled “Voice”. This was released in the following September as a docu-series posted to her Instagram in which she recounted her life story. In an interview in February 2022, Mbali shared her reasoning for making and releasing the documentary, as well as expressing her disappointment in the South African Court system and that she believed it had failed her.
