Shimza was born in Swaziland and given the name Ashley Raphala. Shimza, on the other hand, grew up in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni. Shimza was reared by his grandfather, whom he affectionately referred to as Shimi. As a result of that nickname, he was dubbed Shimza, which became his stage name.
Shimza began his profession when he was 15 years old.
He was inspired to pursue his aspirations and began working as a DJ in the dance music scene in 2003. After a spectacular debut, he was able to win the Red Square DJ Competition in 2006.