Johannesburg – Amapiano sensation Samthing Soweto, real name Samkelo Mdolomba, has finally broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his latest album and the hit song "Amalanga Awafani". The singer, known for his soulful vocals and captivating performances, admitted to lying about DJ Maphorisa's involvement in his music, sparking a heated exchange between the two artists.
The trending amapiano song "Amalanga Awafani" caused a stir last week when fans noticed that Samthing Soweto, one of the vocalists on the track, was not credited. Thabo Ngubane, better known as Mas Musiq, released the song last Tuesday, crediting Lawd Weezy, Star Quality and DJ Maphorisa.
A furious DJ Maphorisa, known for his prolific production work in the amapiano scene, took to social media in a live video to address the issue. He alleged that Samthing Soweto was the one who sabotaged the song's release because he didn't want to release it.
Responding to Maphorisa's accusations, Samthing Soweto took to social media in the early hours of Tuesday morning to refute the claims. He accused Maphorisa of lying and said that mistruths would eventually catch up with the veteran DJ.
“I paid Phori for my Masters. I paid an amount that he asked for at the time. Furthermore, I lied about Phori’s contributions to my project. He did not produce anything. I lied because I believed it would help my album sell. The truth is, I had very little confidence in my music selling without him as a producer. My audience loved the idea of him being a super producer and I was not going to go against that so I lied,” wrote Samthing Soweto.
He further explained that his intention was to sell records, but he didn't realise the cost would be his hard-earned creative work and dignity. He also added that he never knew that DJ Maphorisa would go around telling people that he "fed" him.
“So again, he did not produce my work. I worked with Mas Musiq, Howard and Kabza De Small in that studio, who produced between 40 and 60% of my work, depending on how you view it. They can keep all the money they make using my voice or songs and go around telling people I am hard to work with.”
The "Akulaleki" hitmaker also revealed that he was addressing the claims Maphorisa had made regarding the master's "Isiphithiphithi" album.
“In time, I will address the "Amalanga Awafani" issue. There is work being done in the background till then; thank you for the support. I appreciate it,” he wrote.
The public revelation of Samthing Soweto's lie has sparked a debate about the complexities of the music industry, particularly the power dynamics between artists and producers. While some have condemned Samthing Soweto's actions, others have expressed understanding for his desire to boost his album sales.
