Shimza x Nathan Leong’s Birthday | “Jungle Galactica”
About This Event
South African DJ and producer Shimza (Kholofelo Ashley Raphala), who began making music in Tembisa at 15 and released his debut album Shimuzic on Soulistic Music in 2015, marks his birthday with "Jungle Galactica" at Somewhere Nowhere NYC. The bill lists Nathan Leong alongside Shimza, situating the evening within Shimza’s trajectory as a producer and DJ.
About Jungle Galactica
“Jungle Galactica” lands at Somewhere Nowhere NYC as a birthday-marked night centered on South African DJ and producer Shimza (Kholofelo Ashley Raphala), who started making tracks in Tembisa as a teenager and formalized his output with a 2015 debut album on his Soulistic Music imprint. Nathan Leong joins the bill, framing the set as a shared room rather than a solo showcase. In New York, where Afro-house has moved from niche parties into larger venues, the event reads as another step in that cultural migration. The theme suggests futurism, but the story is still about craft and community.
About the Artists
Shimza
Shimza is the stage name of Kholofelo Ashley Raphala, a South African DJ and producer who came up in Tembisa and began pursuing music seriously as a teenager. His work sits in the Afro-house continuum, drawing on afro tech, 3-step, and gqom while keeping the mix focused on long, incremental shifts rather than quick drops.
Nathan Leong
Nathan Leong is an emerging DJ and event collaborator in New York City’s nightlife circuit, with appearances at Somewhere Nowhere NYC. He has shared bills with South African producer Shimza, including the birthday event “Jungle Galactica,” where his name sits in direct conversation with an established international headliner.
Shimza x Nathan Leong’s Birthday | “Jungle Galactica”
Shimza x Nathan Leong’s Birthday | “Jungle Galactica” is a club-night pairing built around South African DJ and producer Shimza (Kholofelo Ashley Raphala) and DJ Nathan Leong, presented at Somewhere Nowhere NYC.