Sandisiwe Mbhele

By Sandisiwe Mbhele

UX Content Writer


Master KG clears the air about OpenMic relations 

Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode's relationship has soured after claims she hadn't received 'Jerusalema' royalties.


Master KG has cleared the air of any involvement in the battle Nomcebo Zikode has with OpenMic Production, after she claimed the record labelling was trying to control her. 

OpenMic is perceived to be a record label that Master KG is part of. However, he has dismissed this claim. 

Earlier this week, Bayethe, a Grammy-nominated song by Nomcebo Zikode, Zakes Bantwini and Wouter Kellerman, was removed from Spotify.

Nomcebo claimed in a statement it was an attempt by OpenMic to continue to control her and block earnings from the song.

“For some reason, OpenMic has decided to exclude Nomcebo from partaking in her rightful earnings from the song’s success. And now Nomcebo is fighting back,” the statement read.

OpenMic relations 

Master KG and Nomcebo made a massive hit in 2020, Jerusalema, that took the world by storm.

But the two artists’ relationship has since soured because of the battle of royalties for the song. 

ALSO READ: Nomcebo suing Master KG’s music label

When reports surfaced of Nomcebo’s Grammy-nominated track being removed from Spotify, and the blame solely put on OpenMic, Master KG did not want any part in the allegations or drama. 

He tweeted on Tuesday: “Well my label is Called Wanitwa Mos Entertainment And it recently Dropped a New fire EP Called Wanitwa Mos Exclusives please write about that..this one here is outside my Territory (sic).”

However, a look at OpenMic’s social media platforms sees Master KG being promoted, including signed artist Makhadzi.

Wanitwa Mos is a record label the Limpopo native founded, but he still works for OpenMic and hasn’t left that record label.

In 2021, Nomcebo claimed that OpenMic and Master KG didn’t want to give her a “fair share” of Jersulema’s earnings.

Nomcebo alleged at the time she had not received a cent from OpenMic Productions for the global hit track.

She also said that contributions had been “marginalised”, and she could not “remain silent anymore” as a female artist. For these reasons, the singer has taken the legal route.

OpenMic Productions said Nomcebo previously agreed to split the earnings 50-50 with Master KG.

The agreement was drafted in November 2020 for both artists to sign, however, Nomcebo decided through her legal team to review the agreement and ask for a higher percentage.

The court documents seen on Monday state that the unlawful takedown of Bayethe from Spotify “is an injurious falsehood, an unlawful and intentional interference with my and the second applicant’s contractual and/or property rights and unlawful competition”.

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