Popular South African DJ and producer, DJ Maphorisa, has hit back against calls for his “cancellation” after facing backlash on social media regarding credit disputes for the song Amalanga Awafani.
The controversy escalated on Tuesday when Maphorisa shot to the top of trending topics following claims that fellow artist Samthing Soweto was not properly credited for his contribution to the song.
In a recent live social media session, Maphorisa addressed the issue directly, alleging that Samthing Soweto’s contribution to the track was minimal and that he was now unfairly criticizing Mas Musiq, who also worked on the song. Maphorisa defended Mas Musiq, saying the young producer was being “bullied” by Samthing Soweto over business misunderstandings.
“It was recorded in my house. He owns the whole master,” Maphorisa said, emphasizing that Samthing Soweto retained full ownership of his master recording rights.
The DJ then expressed his willingness to face “cancellation” if that was what fans demanded. “If you want to cancel a person, you can cancel me. I’ll bounce back. I’m strong; I believe in myself,” he stated confidently. However, he insisted that Mas Musiq should not be dragged into the issue, saying, “Mas Musiq didn’t do anything in this situation.”
DJ Maphorisa responds to Samthing Soweto🤯
I think artists should stop recording in this brother’s house. His house is a problem🙄 pic.twitter.com/lijpv72Vul
— PovertyKiller_Official (@PovertykillerB) September 3, 2024
Maphorisa went on to describe ongoing challenges he claims to face when collaborating with some artists in the industry. He specifically called out Amapiano star Sir Trill and Samthing Soweto, accusing them of being “problematic” in handling the business aspects of their music careers.
According to Maphorisa, difficulties in his professional relationship with Samthing Soweto stem from an “attitude problem” and an unwillingness to share credit and resources.
— Samthing Soweto (@samthingsoweto) September 3, 2024
“Why we don’t have a relationship with him is because of his attitude and not meeting the standard. We have a problem of sharing — he wants to take everything,” Maphorisa said.
This incident has brought broader industry issues to light, sparking discussions around fair compensation, credit allocation, and the complexities of collaboration in South Africa’s competitive music scene.
For now, fans and critics alike are divided, with some calling for Maphorisa’s accountability and others defending his contributions to the growth of the Amapiano genre.