Amapiano artist and media personality Rea Gopane has sparked fresh controversy in the music industry after making serious revelations regarding the royalties from the viral amapiano hit “Hamba Juba.” During a recent interview with The Yanos Magazine, Gopane claimed that Sfiso from the Music Pulse Podcast and his wife allegedly took around R2 million generated from the song’s royalties.
Rea Gopane, who has recently been gaining attention not only for his music but also for his innovative approach to making music through AI, opened up about several issues affecting the amapiano industry during the interview. While discussing the business side of music, he revisited the long-standing controversy surrounding the financial rewards from the successful song “Hamba Juba.”
In the conversation, Gopane made strong remarks about individuals in the podcast and music space. Speaking about the matter, he said, “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 allegations have once again brought attention to the ongoing discussion about royalties linked to the song. “Hamba Juba” was a massive amapiano hit that gained popularity across streaming platforms and social media. The track featured contributions from artists such as Lady Amar, Murumba Pitch, JL SA, and Cici, and it played a significant role in strengthening the presence of amapiano in the South African music scene.
However, despite the success of the song, some of the artists involved previously claimed that they did not benefit financially from it. Producer JL SA publicly revealed in the past that he had not received any royalties from the hit track. Lady Amar also confirmed that she had not been paid for her role in the song, raising concerns about how the song’s revenue was distributed.
Rea Gopane’s recent comments have revived those concerns, suggesting that the royalties generated by the song may not have reached the artists who helped create it. According to his claims, Sfiso and his wife took the funds linked to the track’s earnings.
As the genre continues to grow and generate significant income through streaming and performances, proper management and fair distribution of earnings remain key concerns.
For now, Sfiso has not publicly responded to the statements made by Rea Gopane. As the story continues to circulate, many will be watching closely to see whether further details or responses emerge regarding the situation surrounding “Hamba Juba.”
Watch full interview HERE.
