Amapiano star DJ Maphorisa isn't happy with Universal Music after he took to Twitter to accuse the record label of removing his and Kabza De Small’s “Scorpion King Mix” from YouTube.
The veteran producer and DJ, who’s signed to Sony Music Entertainment Africa, also criticised record labels for not knowing how to make money and for compromising the amapiano movement.
“So Universal Music removed our ‘Scorpion King Mix’ on YouTube cause they wanna drop ‘Thokoza’ by Sam Deep first 😂 the funny thing is we making the song BIG ayiiiii ke di Bari shame they really dnt know how to make money. Majors labels sometimes fu** up the Amapiano movement 🤞🏾”
So Universal Music removed our Scorpion King Mix on youtube cause they wanna drop Thokoza by Sam Deep first 😂 the funny thing is we making the song BIG ayiiiii ke di Bari shame they really dnt know how to make money
— Madumane (@DjMaphorisa) August 16, 2022
Majors labels sometimes fuck up the Amapiano movement 🤞🏾
Lately, as hits have become less frequent in amapiano, there’s been widespread discussion around the impact record labels have had on amapiano.
Many of the genre’s biggest acts, including Kabza De Small, Mr JazziQ, Mellow and Sleazy, Major League DJz and MFR Souls, are now affiliated with major labels.
DJ Maphorisa’s remarks sparked a conversation around record labels’ impact on amapiano. Amapiano page, @AMAPIANOSA, weighed in:
“The reasons for doing this are grounded in the control/ownership of copyright, which is understandable; however it is completely true that majors have interrupted the #Amapiano ecosystem with their ‘traditional’ approaches. The ‘machine’ is churning at a slower pace than before."
The reasons for doing this are grounded in the control/ownership of copyright, which is understandable; however it is completely true that majors have interrupted the #Amapiano ecosystem with their 'traditional' approaches. The 'machine' is churning at a slower pace than before. https://t.co/H4SRZ4Rmzf
— #AmaPianoIsALifestyle (@AmaPianoSA) August 17, 2022
@MJWemoto added: “This is exactly why majors need people that understand the African music ecosystem to stop these things from happening.
“The continent and certain regions need their own models.”
This is exactly why majors need people that understand the African music ecosystem to stop these things from happening. The continent and certain regions need their own models https://t.co/8g2JF29nMT
— MJ Wemoto 🔥🇿🇼 | "Second Dance" Out Now (@MJWemoto) August 16, 2022