The South African music industry is currently witnessing one of the most explosive legal battles in the history of Amapiano.
What began as a landmark collaboration between two of the genre’s most revered pioneers has now escalated into a bitter, drawn-out dispute at the Johannesburg High Court. At the center of this storm are Kabza De Small, the undisputed King of Amapiano and founder of Piano Hub, and Kelvin Momo, the pioneer of Private School Amapiano.
The conflict, which centers on allegations of breached recording agreements and unpaid royalties, has recently drawn in celebrated vocalist Babalwa M, adding another layer of complexity to an already tense situation
This dispute serves as a stark reminder that behind the timeless songs and infectious grooves, the business of music requires transparency, fair compensation, and ironclad agreements.
The Roots of the Dispute: Momo’s Private School
The origins of this conflict trace back to the early days of Amapiano’s commercial explosion.
Kelvin Momo was signed to Kabza De Small’s Piano Hub label and Under this imprint, Momo released his highly successful and critically acclaimed album, Momo’s Private School, in July 2020.
The project was celebrated within the genre and helped solidify Momo’s signature soulful, jazz-infused sound.
According to the contractual agreement, Piano Hub was obligated to pay Kelvin Momo his royalties every six months and actively promote his music commercially.
However, Momo alleges that the label failed to meet these obligations. A source close to Momo revealed that Piano Hub was meant to secure endorsements and promote the project from 2020, but the artist ended up doing much of the heavy lifting himself
Furthermore, Momo claims that when he attempted to cut ties with the label due to his dissatisfaction, Kabza De Small failed to inform distributors and publishers that the agreement had ended. As a result, payments that should have been directed to Momo allegedly continued to flow to the record label.
The R1 Million Demand and Kabza’s Defense
The financial core of the dispute is substantial. Kelvin Momo is demanding R1 million in compensation for unpaid royalties and the failure of Piano Hub to meet its contractual obligations. Reports indicate that Momo received just over R86,000 in 2021, an amount he claims is vastly insufficient given the commercial success of his work
In response, Kabza De Small (real name Kabelo Petrus Motha) vehemently denies owing any royalties to his former artist and friend.
The situation highlights the challenges faced by independent labels managing multiple artists. As one insider noted, “Sometimes you cannot mix friendships with business. PianoHub also has a lot of artists, and they battle to juggle all at once”
Babalwa M Enters the Fray
The legal confrontation took a dramatic turn recently when vocalist Babalwa M (Babalwa Mavuso) stepped in to assert her right to compensation for her contributions to the project. As a frequent collaborator in the Amapiano space, her involvement underscores a pervasive issue in the genre: the proper crediting and compensation of featured artists and session musicians.
Kabza De Small’s defense against Babalwa M’s claims rests on the assertion that there was no formal agreement between the label and the vocalist. He argues that because she was never part of the official contract, she has no legal standing in the dispute and “cannot make claims”.
This technicality exposes the vulnerability of artists who contribute to hit songs without securing written agreements beforehand.
A Broader Industry Crisis
The clash between Kabza De Small and Kelvin Momo is not an isolated incident within the Piano Hub camp or the broader South African music industry.
Recently, another former Piano Hub artist, Hulumeni, took to social media to express his dissatisfaction with his treatment at the label. Additionally, producer Mhaw Keys has publicly considered taking legal action over unpaid royalties involving Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa.
These recurring disputes highlight a systemic problem regarding how royalties are managed in the digital streaming era, particularly in collaborative genres like Amapiano where multiple creatives contribute to a single hit.
