Prince Kaybee - Biography, Personal Life, Career, and Albums

Kabelo Motsamai, professionally known as Prince Kaybee, is a prominent South African house DJ and music producer. He rose to fame in the mid-2010s with his hit collaboration "Charlotte" featuring Lady Zamar. His polished dance tracks, including hits like "Club Controller" and "Banomoya" from his 2019 album Re Mmino, have consistently captivated audiences. Known for his prolific output, Prince Kaybee has released at least one album every year, with notable works like Gemini in 2022 and Music Theory in 2023.

Early Life

Kabelo Motsamai, known as Prince Kaybee, was born on June 15, 1989, in Senekal, Free State, South Africa. He is the youngest of 36 siblings from his father's side and was raised solely by his mother due to family disputes. In grade 11, he dropped out of school after his girlfriend became pregnant, prompting him to seek employment in nightclubs. During his time working in a club owned by a Nigerian producer, his exceptional skills were discovered. He later secured a job as a DJ in a Bloemfontein club and bought a laptop to teach himself electronic dance music production. Adopting the name Prince Kaybee, he began DJ'ing shows and getting his tracks featured on various compilations in 2014, gradually establishing his presence in the music industry.

Career

Prince Kaybee gained prominence after winning the second season of the SABC1 reality competition 1's and 2's in 2015. The following year, he received his first nomination for the Listener's Choice award at the 6th MTV Africa Music Awards.

His major breakthrough came on November 4, 2016, with the release of "Charlotte," a collaboration with Lady Zamar, which earned him several Metro FM Music Award nominations. His success continued with hits like "Yonkinto" featuring Zanda, and his 2017 debut album I Am Music.

On January 19, 2018, Prince Kaybee released "Club Controller" with LaSoul Mates featuring TNS and Zanda Zakuza, which peaked at number 1 on Channel O Top 30 Charts and was certified 6× platinum in South Africa with over 120,000 units sold. In September 2018, he became a resident judge on the television show 1's and 2's for its 18th season.

His single "Banomoya," featuring Busiswa and TNS, released on August 31, 2018, also topped the Channel O Top 30 Charts. "Banomoya" won Song of the Year on Ukhozi FM and was certified 4× platinum in South Africa.

Prince Kaybee's second studio album, Re Mmino, was released on March 8, 2019, and was certified platinum in South Africa. The album produced several hits, including the standout track "Club Controller."

Prince Kaybee garnered significant recognition at the 26th South African Music Awards with multiple nominations, including Music Video of the Year and Record of the Year for "Gugulethu" and "Fetch Your Life". Additionally, he won Best House Record and was nominated for Best Music Video at the 2019 Dance Music Awards South Africa. 

Following the release of the Crossover Music EP later that year, he showcased under-represented female singers on 2020's Project Hope (Season 1), featuring artists like Thembisile Q and Thalitha. Kaybee maintained a prolific output, releasing new albums annually, each featuring numerous collaborations. 

His single "Uwrongo," featuring Shimza, Black Motion, and Ami Faku, released on January 31, 2020, topped the Radiomonitor Top 100 AirPlay Chart for 26 consecutive weeks. In February 2021, Kaybee was featured on Rhythms of Zamunda: Music Inspired By Coming 2 America, released by Def Jam Africa on March 15, 2021.

Kaybee announced his fourth studio album, The 4th Republic, via Instagram, and it was released on March 5, 2021. His fifth studio album, Gemini, was released on June 17, 2022, supported by singles such as "Zimbali," "Sbindi Uyabulala," "Tayari," and "Breakfast in Soweto." Three lead singles from his subsequent album, "Amaphiko Ezono," "Inkubulo" featuring Azana, and "Oh Boy" featuring Start Healers, were released on June 4, 2023.

Studio Albums

• I Am Music (2017)
• Re Mmino (2019)
• Project Hope (Season 1) (2020)
• The 4th Republic (2021)
• Gemini (2022)
• Music Theory (2023)

Personal Life

Prince Kaybee has kept a low profile regarding his personal life. He was previously linked to radio personality Zola Mhlongo, with whom he has a son named Mmino Milani Motsamai, born in 2021. In October 2022, Prince Kaybee announced that he was celibate, confirming his breakup with Zola.

During their relationship, Prince Kaybee was involved in an infidelity scandal after a woman leaked a screenshot of their conversation, leading to a public apology from the DJ for embarrassing Zola.