Zakes Bantwini
Zakes Bantwini has shared that his rise to fame and success in music came with significant personal sacrifices, leading him to exit the music scene for several years.
During a conversation on Gagasi FM with Sphe, DJ Naves, and Selbeyonce, the Grammy-winning musician expressed that the recognition and accomplishments he achieved in music often strained his relationships with fellow artists.
“I felt every song I make, I make an enemy,” he shared. “Because the success of a song iyasixabanisa [creates conflict], royalties and not seeing eye to eye bring other people into our friendship and success.”
The artist behind the hit Osama mentioned that the emotional toll stemming from ongoing conflicts regarding royalties and acknowledgment prompted him to distance himself from the music industry.
“I stopped making music; that’s why I went to Sony Music. I was like, ‘This thing is hurting me. It’s making me more enemies than it’s making me [happy or successful],’” he explained.
Zakes took a hiatus from 2016 to 2019 to prioritize his well-being before returning to music, a decision that led to his achievement of a Grammy in 2023 for Bayethe in collaboration with Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode.
