South African music is now more globally recognized than ever, and people from all around the world now listen and enjoy these songs. Recently, music trends like electronic music and kwaito have become more mainstream, and the masterminds behind this trend are none other than the South African music duo, Major League DJz.
They are a South African Kwaito/Hip-hop music band whose members happen to be twin brothers Bandile and Banele Mbere. These musically gifted twins have broken massively into the music business due to their very advanced and unique deejaying abilities.
How the Major League DJz Became Famous
They became particularly famous after they popularized the New Age Kwaito trend – the latest South African music craze in the past year. Not only did they get everyone talking about this new trend, but they’ve also transformed kwaito music, pimping it into a modern type, urban music genre. Indeed they have achieved so much – putting South Africa back on the world map, where it belongs. These young men unequivocally embody the spirit of energetic youth, passionate ambition, and an overwhelming desire to achieve, all at once.
Major League DJz is famed particularly for its usually sold-out “Major League Gardens” concerts. These concerts are huge, heavy-budget projects that include live music performances from the world’s top artists. In less than a year, attendance of their concerts has nearly quadrupled, and we can only hope to see more South African music reaching millions of people, notwithstanding cultural differences.
The Duo Comprises Bandile Mbere and His Twin Brother, Banele
Before now, you probably might already have known that these two men who make up South Africa’s favorite music group were brothers. It turns out they are a lot closer than brothers: Major League DJz are twins! Born within minutes of each other on January 3, 1991, Bandile and Banele Mbere are identical twin brothers. They were born in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States but were eventually brought back to their motherland, South Africa, to be raised according to their culture.
The two boys grew up with their parents and two older brothers in the South African capital of Johannesburg. Having been influenced by music from when they were very young, Banele and Bandile grew up listening to many RnB, Jazz, Soul, HipHop, and Gospel music courtesy of their father and older brother. In addition to their uncanny love for music, the twins began playing the piano, even when they were still in Primary school.
There appears to be no information on any of the schools which the musical twins attended. All that the public has been able to glean of their educational statuses has been that they began pursuing music almost immediately after leaving high school. However, they pursued a degree in Mass Communications before dropping out of university to focus permanently on music. The current 33-year-olds had always been irrevocably drawn to music after all, and have severally admitted (with a tinge of pride) that “music is what we live for.”
The Famous DJs are Children of a Former South African Ambassador
One thing Major League DJz would tell you is that nobody else had the single significant impact on their musical career that their father had. A former South African ambassador to Rwanda, Mr. Mbere singularly influenced his sons’ love for different types and genres of music, the impact of which can be heard and felt in their work these days. He was a professional pianist, and he was the one who taught his sons to read and write music and play the piano.
The upbringing given to Banele and Bandile could be defined as a proper American-style upbringing that was common for kids of rich folks who were born in the eighties and nineties, especially after the end of South Africa’s apartheid rule. Quite sadly, Mr. Mbere passed away after a sudden heart attack while he was away on a foreign business trip. His loss was a big blow to their erstwhile stable home, and the financial quality of their lives nosedived.
However, their mother, who was a director at the South African Department of Social Development, had to step in to take care of her children. The famous twins have spoken of how she tried to encourage them to pursue different career paths, as she was well aware of the slippery slope that fame presented. Regardless of her motherly concern, Banele and Bandile went on to beat the odds and have emerged very successfully indeed.
Meet Banere Mbere of the Major League DJz
- Full Name: Banele Mbere
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: January 3, 1991
- Age: 33 years old
- Ethnicity: Xhosa
- Nationality: American, South African
- Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Single
- Children: 1
- Siblings: Bandile Mbere
- Net Worth: $2 million
- Famous for: Being one part of the Major League DJz
- Instagram: @_aluwell_
- Twitter: @MAJORLEAGUEDJZ
- Facebook: Major League Djz
Apart from his work as a DJ, Banele is also known for his romantic involvement with the beauty influencer Mihlali Ndamase. According to some reports, both began seeing each other in 2017 and dated all through till late 2021 before decidedly calling it quits. The 33-year-old music maker is also a father of one. However, he has made sure to keep his son’s identity and whereabouts away from the public.
Banele himself has a reasonable social media presence, with almost 130k followers on Instagram alone. These days, Banele Mbere wants to make music with his twin, focus on his money, and become a bigger brand both within the country and without.
Meet Bandile Mbere, The Second Half of Major League DJz
- Full Name: Bandile Mbere
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: January 3, 1991
- Age: 33 years old
- Ethnicity: Xhosa
- Nationality: American, South African
- Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Single
- Siblings: Banele Mbere
- Net worth: $1.2 million
- Famous for: Being one part of the Major League DJz
- Instagram: @bandz_majorleague
- Twitter: @MAJORLEAGUEDJZ
- Facebook: Major League Djz
Bandile Mbere is the twin brother of Banele and the other member of Major League DJz. Born on January 3, 1990, in the US, Bandile and his brother were foreigners in every sense of the word. That is until their parents figured it was a wonderful idea for their kids to be close to their motherland. After returning to South Africa, he began to take piano lessons with his father, and soon enough, Bandile was making his beats.
Today, he is a member of a successful music duo and is responsible for several hit songs that have rocked South African airwaves recently, especially if it’s Amapiano. According to his LinkedIn bio, Bandile used to be the events coordinator for a company named Soul Candi Graphic. Soul Candi is known for organizing the most eventful music concerts in the country. Bandile worked with them for four months before moving on to other businesses.
He also had an internship with Barloworld Logistics as a graphics designer from January till May in 2008. Now thirteen years later, the 33-year-old DJ is back in full force, a fact that we are especially appreciative of, considering that Bandile was involved in a ghastly motor accident that put him in a cast and on crutches for months. It was a harrowing experience for both he and his brother, who was also involved but escaped unscathed. Together they are focused on taking their music around the globe, literally.
They Adopted The Name “Major League DJz” Following Their Rise To Fame
Having been exposed to different sounds and genres of music from a very young age, Major League DJz had quite an easy slide into the entertainment world. With the clear vision to unite African youths through their music, these two determined young men began to tweak well-known sounds into something different. They transformed South Africa hip-hop as we used to know it by fusing elements of house, EDM, and Jazz.
Their rise to national and international fame can be traced back to 2006 when they decided to venture into music on a full-time, professional basis. They began hosting weekly ‘Urban Breeze’ events in the township of Alexandra, successfully integrating hip-hop into an area known for its preference of House music.
In 2008, the group name, Major League DJz, was born. The name is an ode to the fact that they were the first Blacks to play major league basketball during their brief stay in college. The Major League DJz began hosting parties for widely known musical acts, including Fat Joe, 50 Cent, and Akon. Soon, they became the default guys to hire for any deejaying job, like evening events and after-parties.
Other musical acts they have performed alongside include local and international names such as Kid Cudi, Kanye West, DJ Trauma, Euphonik, DJ Woo Kid, Roger Goode, DJ Fresh, and many others. The twins have become so big that they are now regular fixtures at all the country’s huge and reputable clubs and parties.
They are now official DJs for all Khuli Chana and Soul Candi events, putting them at the forefront of the music market. These days the enigmatic duo provides weekly music mixes for radio stations, uKhozi and Mafikeng FM, and also double as brand influencers for the McDonald’s Street Rhythm campaign. They are rightfully seen as pioneers of the now popular Kwaito music, and they run a music show called Major League Gardens, which is now the rave of the moment.
Major League DJz Were Snapped Up By Mabala Noise Entertainment in 2016
After over a decade of making wonderful music, South Africans have started to pick out their favorites from Major League DJ’s extensive discography. Widely considered the trailblazers of ‘New Age Kwaito,’ Major League DJz discography extends across national borders.
In 2016, not long after they came into the scene, the twin brothers bagged a record deal with Mabala Noise record label. They were put on board by their friend Riky Rick, who was also a star in his own right. This music collaboration proved to be one of the most profitable deals for the record label that year. In the months that followed, Major League DJz partnered with two of the country’s biggest acts: Cassper Nyovest and Anatii.
These collaborations turned out to be massively successful, and so these talented twin brothers became instantly more marketable. Unfortunately, the music terrain is full of rough patches which take you up or down as the tide determines. In Major League DJz’s case, it was down as they ended their record deal with Mabala Noise records, citing numerous breaches of contract on the part of the record company.
List of Major League DJz Songs, EPs, and Albums
Together, the dynamite duo has produced and released numerous hit songs, a couple of mixes, and two extended play albums. Some of the hit songs, which they are known for include: The Bizness, Sgetit (Umgulukudu), Do Better, Zulu Girls Love Life, and Slyza Tsotsi.
Mixes
- “Amapiano Live Balcony Mix“
- “Destination South Africa Hip-hop Mix”
Albums
- Amapiano Effect (2020)
- Ase Trap Ke Pina TsaKoKasi (2019)
- Groovers (2020)
- Outside (2020)
- Pianochella! (2020)
- Prayer (2021)
- What’s The Levol (2021)
Songs
- ‘Alu’ feat. Abidoza, Bandile & Banele Mbere
- ‘Bambelela’ feat. Abidoza, SenzoAfrika, and Riky Rick
- ‘Buya La’ feat. Abidoza, LuuDadeejay, and Bandile Mbere
- ‘Careless Whisper’ feat. Abidoza, Jay Sax and Bandile Mbere
- ‘Dukesoul’ feat. Abidoza and Major League DJz
- ‘Ghetto Anthem’ feat. Abidoza and Maxxrated
- ‘Ho Monate’ feat. Abidoza, Kamo Mphela, Cassper Nyovest, and Ntate Stunna
- ‘Impi’ feat. Abidoza, Tman Express, and Tsiliso Molokoli
- ‘Miami’ feat. Abidoza, Bandile Mbere and Banele Mbere
- ‘Mshimane’ feat. K.O., and Stino Le Thwenny
- ‘Mshimane 2.0’ feat. Khuli Chana, K.O., and Stino Le Thwenny
- ‘Pheli to Coachella’ feat. Abidoza, Bandile and Banele Mbere
- ‘Qhawe’ feat. Babalawo, Black Eye, King P, and Sicelo Belly Nkomo
- ‘Sghubu’ feat. Bontle Smith
- ‘Thulz Ma Thulz’ feat. Thulani Maduse
- ‘Ungakhali’ feat. Playnevig, and Stunna
- ‘You Let Me Down’ feat. Shana
