The South African DJ and producer will bring a specially curated Afro House set to the Grand Parade this December. A century of African music is getting another dose of contemporary energy as DJ Maphorisa joins the line-up for Gallo 100: The Sound of a Century, taking place at Cape Town’s Grand Parade on 15 December 2026. The celebrated DJ and producer will bring a specially curated Afro House set to the festival, adding a modern pulse to an event built around 100 years of African musical history.
Maphorisa
The announcement comes as Gallo Record Company celebrates its centenary. For 100 years, the label has recorded, preserved and championed artists and sounds that have helped shape Africa’s musical story. With Black Coffee already announced as the headline act, Maphorisa’s addition brings another contemporary voice to a celebration that stretches across generations.
And there is plenty of musical history to work with.
Gallo
Gallo’s extensive catalogue spans jazz, mbaqanga, isicathamiya, maskandi, gospel, reggae, soul, kwaito and house, documenting the evolution of African music across decades. Gallo 100 brings that history into conversation with the sounds currently moving South African dancefloors and reaching audiences around the world. Maphorisa is a natural addition to that story.
Talent
As one of South Africa’s recognisable DJs and producers, his career has crossed house, Amapiano, hip-hop and Afro House, reflecting the increasingly fluid nature of the country’s contemporary music scene. For Gallo 100, however, audiences can expect him to explore a different side of his artistry with a dedicated Afro House set. The festival itself is being positioned as more than a traditional concert. Gallo 100: The Sound of a Century brings together live performances, archive-led storytelling and contemporary African sounds, creating a space where musical memory meets what is happening on today’s dancefloors.
It is also a reminder that African music has never stood still. It has borrowed, evolved, collided, reinvented itself and crossed borders often while making the rest of the world dance along. With more artists still to be announced, the Grand Parade is shaping up to become a meeting point between generations of African music and the sounds defining its future. On 15 December 2026, Cape Town will celebrate a remarkable musical milestone.
One hundred years. Countless songs. Generations of memories. One sound.
