Yanga
NtshakazaKnown as Yanga Chief
Yanga Chief is a South African rapper, producer and songwriter known for hits like “Utatakho” and “What If? (Mngani).” Born Yanga Ntshakaza in the Eastern Cape, he raps with pride in his Xhosa roots and has won two South African Music Awards. He turns 39 on October 17, 2026, and he used his birthday to announce a new album for February 2027.
| Date of Birth | October 17, 1987 |
|---|---|
| Age | 39 years |
| Nationality | South African |
| Zodiac Sign | Libra |
| Occupation | Rapper, Musician |
| Girlfriend | Tanya Ntungwa |
Stanzi PotenzaYanga Chief Biography
Yanga Ntshakaza was born on October 17, 1987, in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa. He grew up in Queenstown, now called Komani, and later moved to Johannesburg. He studied film at the University of Johannesburg.
His heritage sits at the heart of his music. He raps in isiXhosa and often refers to Xhosa culture in his songs. In October 2025 he spoke to young people about cultural heritage at a Songs to Savour event in Johannesburg, The Star reported.
Yanga Chief Clan
Yanga is proud of his Mpondo roots. When fans questioned the horns on the cover of his 2025 album Lord Faku, he told City Press in March 2025 that they stand for his Mpondo culture, not satanism. The name Mpondo refers to horns in isiXhosa.
He also traced his family history on camera. In September 2024, Sowetan reported that he had made a docu-series retracing his roots in the Eastern Cape.
Yanga Chief Career
Yanga started behind the camera. In the late 2000s he worked as a videographer for Buttabing Entertainment before he moved into music full-time.
Songwriting gave him his first big break. He wrote the uncredited hook on AKA’s “Run Jozi,” and he also wrote for AKA’s “Baddest” and “Sweet Fire,” OkayAfrica reported in 2020. He co-wrote Kwesta’s “Ngiyaz’fela Ngawe” in 2016, featured on AKA’s “Dreamwork” the same year, and wrote and sang on AKA’s 2018 hit “Jika.”
His solo breakthrough came in October 2018 with “Utatakho.” The song hit number one on the Metro FM Top 40 and went gold. Its remix, with the late Riky Rick, Dee Koala and Boity, made it even bigger, and MTV Base ranked him third on its list of South Africa’s Hottest MCs in 2019.
He released the EP Becoming a Pop Star in October 2019 and his debut album, Pop Star, on November 27, 2020. Singles that followed included “Ntoni Na” with Blxckie and 25K in 2021 and “Benjamins” with Emtee and Henny Belit in 2022.
AKA’s death in February 2023 hit him hard. Kwesta later revealed that he was the one who broke the news to Yanga, TimesLIVE reported. Yanga spoke at AKA’s memorial on February 17, 2023, and promised to protect his mentor’s legacy.
After a break from music, he returned in May 2024. He told Metro FM’s The Touchdown about the time away, then released the six-track EP Imvelaphi on May 31, 2024, led by the Mother’s Day single “Mbali Yam.”
His biggest run came in 2025. He released his second album, Lord Faku – The Life of a Dyan, on February 21, 2025, and told Drum it was his first independent album, made with help from the SAMPRA Music Development Fund. Its song “What If? (Mngani)” reached number one on South Africa’s Spotify daily chart, passed one million Spotify streams in 19 days and went platinum.
Funny enough, he never chose the single himself. He told TimesLIVE in March 2025 that he let listeners decide which album track would take off. The song earned a Best Hip Hop nomination at the 2026 Metro FM Music Awards, where Stogie T took the prize. Yanga called that win long overdue and said, “Hip hop, you gotta do better,” SA Hip Hop Mag reported in April 2026.
New music is on the way. On his birthday, October 17, 2026, he posted on Instagram: “A lil snack attack for the bday. New Album Feb 2027.” In a second post that day he wrote, “All Glory to God for another one.”
Yanga Chief Songs
Yanga’s best-known songs include “Utatakho,” the “Utatakho Remix,” “What If? (Mngani),” “Mbali Yam,” “Ntoni Na,” “Benjamins,” and his writing and vocal work on AKA’s “Jika” and “Dreamwork.”
His projects are the EP Becoming a Pop Star (2019), the album Pop Star (2020), the EP Imvelaphi (2024) and the album Lord Faku – The Life of a Dyan (2025). His next album is due in February 2027.
Yanga Chief Awards
“Utatakho” won Song of the Year at the 2019 South African Hip Hop Awards, and Becoming a Pop Star won Mixtape of the Year there in 2020. At the 26th South African Music Awards in 2020, he won Best Hip Hop Album for Becoming a Pop Star and Best Music Video for “Jika.”
He has also picked up nominations for Remix of the Year and Record of the Year at the 2020 SAMAs, Best Hip Hop Album for Pop Star at the 2021 SAMAs, Rapper of the Year at the 2022 Global Music Awards Africa, and Best Hip Hop at the 2026 Metro FM Music Awards.
Yanga Chief Marriage and Personal Life
Yanga Chief is not publicly married. In 2020 he told Drum that his song “Ndiyabanika” was about his girlfriend, Tanya Ntungwa, and he has kept his love life low-key since then.
He is open about his faith. His Instagram bio quotes Mark 8:35, and his birthday posts thank God. He has about 403,000 Instagram followers and shares travel moments too, including a September 2026 post from Paris captioned “I ❤️ Paris.”
Yanga Chief Net worth
Yanga Chief’s net worth is estimated at $450,000 to $950,000, based on his live shows, streaming income and brand work.
Shows are his biggest earner, with club and event bookings across South Africa. Since Lord Faku came out independently, he also keeps more of his streaming money, and a platinum single like “What If? (Mngani)” helps. His 2027 album could push that figure higher.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Yanga Chief?
Yanga Chief was born on October 17, 1987, so he turns 39 in 2026.
What is Yanga Chief’s real name?
His real name is Yanga Ntshakaza.
Where is Yanga Chief from?
He was born in Mthatha and grew up in Queenstown (Komani), both in South Africa’s Eastern Cape.
Is Yanga Chief married?
He is not publicly married. In 2020 he named Tanya Ntungwa as his girlfriend.
When is Yanga Chief’s new album coming out?
He announced on October 17, 2026, that his next album is coming in February 2027.
