DJ Maphorisa became the unofficial face of the viral Shabang dance trend on TikTok and other platforms over the weekend.
The trend, tied to a new song by Canadian-American rapper Drake, exploded when users paired an old energetic clip of Maphorisa dancing (pretending to wipe away sweat, as he bobbed up and down) from one of his live sets with the catchy tune.
It quickly spread globally as the go-to dance for the song, with people calling it “the Shabang dance”.
Origins
Shabang is a track by Drake from his 2026 album Iceman (one of three projects in a surprise triple-album drop).
American fans have called it a potential summer anthem because it aligns with the confident, playful energy, flow switches and quotables that the rapper has come to be known for.
Although Maphorisa did not produce or feature on the track itself, he previously co-produced Drake’s massive hit “One Dance” with Wizkid and Kyla.
How did we get here?
The dance clip originally comes from a clip filmed while Maphorisa was performing and vibing to Lwetse, a 2026 Amapiano track by Xduppy & Angekebabuye Mc that he features on. Someone swapped the audio to Drake’s Shabang“, and it took off.
Maphorisa fully embraced his unofficial title as the face of the trend and leaned in. He recreated the dance in new videos (including ones promoting his Papta merchandise developed in collaboration with Kabza De Small).
Reactions to the trend were mostly mixed but largely positive, filled with praise for his influence and global reach. Some online commentators also hold the view that the trend highlights South Africa’s ongoing soft power in global music/dance culture, after celebrities like Migos rapper Offset participated in it as well.
