Player’s Pass with DJ MOMA: DJ Moma Turns the Party Into His Debut Project
On 'Jozi Love Affair,' DJ Moma turns Johannesburg’s energy into a sonic journey, reflecting on his roots, his influences, and the moments that shaped his sound.
Jozi Love Affair is DJ Moma at his most intentional. Known for bridging worlds behind the decks, Moma uses the album as a sonic map between New York and Johannesburg. A place that has long informed his musical DNA. The project blends Afro-house, soul and global club textures into something deeply personal, proving that diaspora isn’t just a concept but a feeling you can hear, dance to, and sit with.
For years, DJ Moma has operated as a quiet architect of global sound, using his platform to spotlight artists long before they were buzzwords in the culture. As one of the founders of Everyday People — a high-energy day party and overall cultural experience — he’s built spaces rooted in community, intention, and celebration. Values that also underpin Jozi Love Affair. The album doesn’t chase trends. Instead, it reflects Moma’s lived relationship with Africa and his belief that music travels best when it’s grounded in authenticity.
In a recent Player’s Pass interview, DJ Moma spoke about his desire to explore sounds beyond Afrobeats and 3-Step. “I’m very interested in experimenting with Afro-house and amapiano, but there’s so much more sound coming out of the continent,” he said. “Overall, the whole continent is popping, but there’s something really special happening on the southern tip right now.”
When asked who he’d collaborate with if time and genre were no obstacle, Moma’s mind immediately traveled to early 1980s New York City. A period he views as foundational to everything he does. At the top of his list is Leroy Burgess, one of his all-time favorite musicians, producers, and vocalists, and the architect behind disco and post-disco classics. He also names Larry Levan, the legendary DJ and cultural force behind the Paradise Garage, which Moma calls “arguably the greatest dance club of all time.” For him, that era represents a moment when dance music was shaping community, culture and identity.
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ELLIOTT ASHBY
DJ Moma created a space for music on an album that moves effortlessly between continents, generations and moods. Every track carries a sense of purpose, blending Johannesburg’s energy with Moma’s global sensibility while honoring the sounds and artists that shaped him. The result is music that grooves, resonates and connects, from the first note to the last. In trusting his instincts and following the pulse of his own vision, Moma has created an album that feels immediate, timeless and undeniably a live — a true Jozi Love Affair.
