Gift Selaelo Morukhuladi, popularly known as Mvzzle, is a South African DJ, singer-songwriter, and music producer. He rose to fame after producing DJ Zinhle’s hit song Umlilo. His passion for music started early, as he first explored his talent by playing the drums. Determined to pursue a career in music, he made the difficult decision to drop out of college and focus entirely on his craft.

Early Life and Education

Gift S. Morukhuladi, better known as Mvzzle, was born on November 11, 1994, in Musina and grew up in the village of Mountain View. His mother is a businesswoman, while his father, who started as a conductor in a military band, later became the Band Master of the SA Army Band. By 2025, he is 31 years old.

At the age of eight, Mvzzle moved to Polokwane International Gateway to live with his parents, who always supported his passion for music. Before that, he spent his early years with his grandmother, where his love for music first took root. He developed a strong interest in playing the drums, which laid the foundation for his future in music.

In 2016, his journey into music production officially began when his brother introduced him to a software program called Reason 4. This discovery sparked his dedication to producing music, setting him on the path to a successful career in the industry.

Career

Before venturing into house music, Mvzzle was deeply involved in hip-hop as both a producer and rapper during his high school years. He was part of a musical trio called Cyclops, alongside Septic Rooger (Kagiso Mokwena) and Gran-T (Thabiso Ledwaba). Mvzzle handled the production for their first singles and mixtape.

After the group disbanded, he embarked on a solo career, producing both house and rap music. He released tracks like “Carpe Diem” and “Thick Madam” and even entered SABC1’s DJ competition show, 1’s and 2’s, with these songs. Initially focused on hip-hop and R&B, he made the shift to house music in 2016. To fully commit to his music career, Mvzzle made the bold decision to drop out of college.

With support from the South African Arts and Culture Youth Forum, he gained opportunities to perform at major events, including Major League Gardens, Mapungubwe Arts Festival, and the Motsepe Foundation. His participation in 1’s and 2’s saw him finish in third place, further solidifying his reputation in the industry.

Following the competition, Mvzzle reached out to DJ Zinhle and sent her two beats. One of them became the foundation for the massive hit Umlilo, featuring Rethabile. Interestingly, Rethabile had initially contacted DJ Zinhle via Instagram, suggesting a collaboration.

Released in 2019, Umlilo quickly became a sensation, earning multi-platinum certifications and amassing over 5.1 million streams within its first three months. Due to its success, DJ Zinhle released a second music video for the song in December.

The track received triple-platinum plaques, multiple South African Music Awards (SAMA) nominations, and even won a NAMA Award. However, controversy surrounded the song when DJ Zinhle was accused of allegedly buying award nominations. Despite this, Umlilo remains one of the most successful tracks of Mvzzle’s career.

In addition to his individual tracks, he also released an EP titled “Sonke” in 2021.

Songs

Album

2024 – Thonga Lami

Singles

2021 – Sonke

2022 – Beautiful

2022 – Thando

2022 – Captain

2022 – Chucky

2022 – Ngisimamise

2023 – Ungowami

2023 – Tell Me

2025 – Yekele

2025 – Sdudla or Slender

Nominations

Not every artist in the entertainment industry gets the opportunity to be nominated for awards, but Mvzzle has received recognition for his contributions to music. Some of his notable nominations include:

• South African Music Award (SAMA) for Record of the Year (2020)
  
• South African Music Award (SAMA) for Best Music Video of the Year (2021)
  

Mvzzle has built a strong reputation as a hit-maker, gaining a significant following as both a DJ and music producer. His collaboration with DJ Zinhle on the chart-topping hit Umlilo played a crucial role in establishing his name in the competitive South African music scene.

You can connect with Mvzzle on social media through the following handles:

• Instagram: @mvzzle_sa
  
• Twitter (X): @MVZZLESA
  
• Facebook: Mvzzle Beatz