Kabelo Boy Mokhatla

Kabelo Boy Mokhatla, who was born in Tembisa, began his musical journey at the Moses Molelekwa Arts Foundation. He is a multi-talented artist, excelling as a drummer, composer, arranger, and performer.

Currently, Kabelo is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Percussion at the Manhattan School of Music. In 2020-2021, he was awarded the Hugh Masekela Heritage Scholarship, which enabled him to study under the guidance of Kendrick Scott, a highly respected American jazz drummer, educator, bandleader, and composer.

Under the tutelage of Kendrick Scott, Kabelo has been exposed to various aspects and disciplines of drumming, leading to significant growth in his musical and spiritual journey. He considers Scott as his musical and spiritual mentor, who has challenged him in ways he never experienced before, resulting in a deeper connection with the music.

Kabelo has had the opportunity to collaborate with many highly respected local and international musicians and has performed on various prestigious stages, including the Northern Cadence International Jazz Series, Dizzy's Jazz Club, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival, Jazz Education Network, Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival, Imbokodo Jazz Festival, Ekurhuleni Jazz Jamboree, and Jazz Jol, among others.

He has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Afrika Mkhize, John Beasley (US), Ernest Dawkins (US), Khaya Mahlangu, Bheki Khoza, Martin Zenker (German), Salim Washington (US/SA), and Ingrid Jensen (Canada/US), to name a few.

In 2019 and 2022, Kabelo was selected to be part of the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band, which is conducted by accomplished musicians such as Afrika Mkhize (2019) and Mandla Mlangeni (2022), showcasing his exceptional talent as a jazz percussionist.

Kabelo has recorded his debut album, entitled "The Key To Authenticity," which he plans to release in August. The project is based on the idea that when individuals are honest and transparent about their thoughts, feelings, and actions, they can form deeper connections with others, build trust, stay true to their art and themselves, and develop more meaningful relationships. In essence, the album is inspired by the belief that authenticity is a key factor in fostering genuine human relationships.