SA's Black Coffee Makes History at the 02 Arena in London!

Photo Credit: @realblackcoffee

Black Coffee has once again made history by becoming the first African DJ to sell out the 02!

London, United Kingdom (28 May 2026) – In one of the biggest performances of his career, South Africa’s world-renowned star, DJ Black Coffee – known by name as Nkosinathi Maphumulo – has made history…again!

As of Friday, Black Coffee became the first African DJ to sell out the world-famous 02 Arena in London. His three-hour performance, for over 20,000 people, included a live orchestra, surprise appearances and guest artists, including international star Alicia Keys.

“This past Friday has left me speechless. Every small detail put together created an absolute dream, from the special guests to the orchestra then the choir & surprises sprinkled throughout. This one came from the heart, London. Thank you for joining me on this journey at the [02 Arena]” Black Coffee shared on social media, after his sold-out show.

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This isn’t the first time SA’s globally celebrated DJ makes the history books.

Four years ago, Black Coffee became the first African DJ to win a Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album. A year later, he etched his name into the annals of history again and became the first African DJ to perform at Madison Square Garden in New York.

In conversation with the BBC just minutes ahead of his 02 performance, Black Coffee also spoke about how African artists are perceived on the world stage. Despite being celebrated globally as a pioneer for African excellence – perhaps even in headlines like this one – he’s not a fan of the label.

“I don’t like the wording,” he says. “I just want excellence. If we want to be global players, we should come as global players — not African global players.” he said, adding: “Whatever opportunities we’re not given, we need to create ourselves and stop waiting to be invited to the table.”