Amapiano musician and media figure Rea Gopane has ignited new debate in the music scene with serious claims about the royalties associated with the viral amapiano track “Hamba Juba.” In a recent discussion with The Yanos Magazine, Gopane asserted that Sfiso from the Music Pulse Podcast and his spouse allegedly took approximately R2 million in royalties generated from the song.
Gopane, who has garnered attention for both his music and innovative use of AI in his creative process, addressed various challenges facing the amapiano genre during his interview. He revisited the long-standing issues regarding the financial returns of the hit song “Hamba Juba.”
During the interview, Gopane expressed strong opinions about certain individuals in the podcast and music industry. He noted, “Some of them are on podcasts now I really did get along with them, like Sfiso you that nigga, he took like R2 million rand and he ran away with it, him and his wife, that’s how much ‘Hamba Juba’ made. Amapiano royalties are crazy.”
The accusations have revived discussions on the royalties associated with “Hamba Juba.” This track became a massive hit within the amapiano genre, gaining popularity on various streaming platforms and social media. It featured artists like Lady Amar, Murumba Pitch, JL SA, and Cici, playing a crucial role in enhancing the amapiano footprint in the South African music industry.
Despite the song’s popularity, some contributing artists have previously reported that they did not receive financial compensation. Producer JL SA has publicly mentioned that he had not received any royalties from the track. Similarly, Lady Amar verified that she had also not been compensated for her contribution, raising red flags about the distribution of the song’s earnings.
Gopane’s recent remarks have reignited these concerns, implying that the royalties tied to the song may not have been distributed to the contributing artists. He claimed that Sfiso and his wife took the earnings associated with the track.
As the amapiano genre continues to flourish and accumulate substantial income through streaming and live performances, effective management and equitable earnings distribution remain pressing issues.
Currently, Sfiso has not addressed the comments made by Rea Gopane. As attention on this matter grows, many will be keeping an eye on developments or further responses regarding the situation concerning “Hamba Juba.”
Watch full interview HERE.
