- Black Coffee celebrated his 50th birthday with a lavish party attended by numerous celebrities
- Observers noted the absence of Zakes Bantwini, prompting many to reflect on the reasons for their falling out
- The Drive artist had previously discussed their friendship’s end, which led to lively discussions among fans
Details from Black Coffee’s 50th birthday celebration have gained significant attention, with fans observing the absence of Zakes Bantwini.
The event at Beau Constantia in Cape Town featured a roster of notable figures in the music industry, including Cassper Nyovest, DJ Maphorisa, Oscar Mbo, Focalistic, and American rapper Swizz Beats.
Understanding the Rift between Black Coffee and Zakes
The notable lack of Zakes Bantwini at the festivities sparked speculation about his non-invitation. Discussion was triggered by an X post from blogger @ChirsExcel, which stated:
“My brother Black Coffee didn’t invite Zakes Bantwini to his 50th birthday. Grootman will never forgive that “Clap your hands” song anytime soon.”
A video of the two performing together that surfaced in 2024 led to many fans expressing a desire for reconciliation.
In 2021, Black Coffee made a comment indicating a preference for the original over Zakes’ version of Osama in response to a fan on X, which added fuel to the ongoing discussion.
Podcaster Sol Phenduka inquired about the underlying reasons for Coffee’s remarks, to which he replied, “There’s no conflict, we had our differences, and both agreed not to have a working relationship any more.”
He emphasized the challenges faced by smaller producers who often do not receive proper recognition for their contributions, stating that they must be acknowledged.
“People got quite emotional the last time, so this time I’ll let them judge. Look, it’s all love over here, but the sad thing is we have a community of young producers that are also dependent on this and are trying their best to stay afloat with a genre that isn’t mainstream. Someone has to say something. This particular song isn’t even out yet. It’s just been played by DJs exclusively, and now it’s here.”
South Africa Discusses the Rift between Zakes and Coffee
Here are some responses from social media:
@luyanda25x suggested:
“The song is not a problem. They started not getting along after he was with Mbali. Nandi wasn’t happy that her husband was friends with someone who didn’t value his family.”
@LwaziEmmanuel1 remarked:
“I wonder where’s Culolwethu Zulu aka Culoe De Song! There is a lot going on here.”
@Ntokoso commented:
“A friend who becomes an enemy after a little misunderstanding has been an enemy all along. They were just pretending.”
@Magatsheni90722 added:
“Even Unathi didn’t make the cut after posting him 75 times on Instagram. But Dinangwe and Somgaga made it.”
