Fans celebrate DJ Black Coffee accepting altar call

By Nicole VanDyke, CP Reporter Tuesday, February 20, 2024

South African DJ Black Coffee at the Apollo Theater in New York City on March 3, 2018. https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenpisano/25754782457/in/photostream/ | https://www.stevenpisano.photo/Flickr

Grammy Award-winning South African DJ Black Coffee is making international headlines after a video showing him responding to an altar call at a church service went viral.

On Feb. 9, days before video of him accepting the altar call went viral, the 47 year old, whose real name is Nkosinathi Maphumulo, shared a message with fans on Instagram after he sustained injuries during a flight en route to Mar Del Plata, Argentina, where he was scheduled to perform a show.

“Thank you for respecting my privacy during an intimate and enlightening moment in my life. I’ve taken this time to recover and take some much-needed time off at home, healing with my family by my side,” he wrote. “It’s been rejuvenating on a handful of levels. I can’t wait to be back on the dance floor with you all very, very soon. I’m thankful to the merciful God for giving me yet another chance.”

On Feb. 19, one commenter on X who responded to the DJ accepting the altar call wrote: “May the Good Lord Jesus Christ Fetch them One By One!” Others speculated that the recent spate of celebrities rededicating their lives to Christ or getting baptized (Kat Von D and Hulk Hogan, among others) might have something to do with the “end of days.”

While some expressed happiness about his re-dedication of faith, others expressed skepticism.

“Something weird is going on. ‘Celebrities’ dedicating themselves to God on camera. I am not buying any of this. None!,” said one X user.

According to The Citizen, another person questioned why the personal nature and sensitivity of an altar call was broadcast on social media: “Altar call was supposed to be a moment between him and God, yet someone saw it befitting to do this in that moment? … People are celebrating a soul for God and you thought let me capture a celebrity? Strange behavior while in ‘Spirit.'”

In 1990, while he was part of a street party celebrating the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, a driver ran into Maphumulo and other pedestrians. The injury left him unable to use his left arm.

In more recent years, Black Coffee has made headlines for his divorce, marital affairs, and an accusation of assault by his ex-wife, Enhle Mbali, which he denied.

Nicole Alcindor is a reporter for The Christian Post.