Amapiano stars DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small have become the centre of online debate after videos from their recent London performance circulated on social media.
The duo, popularly known as the Scorpion Kings, recently took their sound overseas with performances in Ibiza and London, including an appearance alongside internationally acclaimed DJ Black Coffee at Hi Ibiza.
While their international bookings highlighted amapiano’s growing global reach, not everyone was convinced by the reception they received abroad.
A video from their London set began trending online on Monday, 25 May 2026, with some social media users claiming the crowd appeared unenthused during the performance.
Although others praised the pair for representing South Africa internationally, critics argued that the audience did not fully connect with the amapiano sound.
“The crowd is not inspired. Black Coffee invited them to show that he is the only boss in this industry. Kabza and Madumane have learned that they still have a long way to go,” one user commented.
Another person wrote: “It’s too quiet, it’s not making sense. I think this crowd came for something different, not them.”
Despite the criticism, loyal fans quickly came to the duo’s defence, arguing that international audiences react differently to slower-paced genres like amapiano.
“First, the crowd was not bored, but that’s how the crowd reacts to that type of music. Amapiano is super slow for those types of spaces,” another user explained online.
The viral clips have since fueled conversations about how amapiano translates on international stages and whether different audiences respond to the genre in the same energetic way South African fans do. Regardless of the mixed reactions, the Scorpion Kings continue to cement themselves as some of the leading ambassadors of amapiano across the globe.
Kabza De Small rocking the Crowd at Piano People in London 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/KRzBRGwjP1
— Peché Africa 🇿🇦 (@pmcafrica) May 25, 2026
