Amapiano has taken the world by storm over the past few years, evolving from a South African township sound into a global dance phenomenon.

Its infectious beats have dominated clubs from Johannesburg to London. So when event director Thulani Dandala dramatically declared the “death of Amapiano” due to artist unprofessionalism, it sent shockwaves through the music community.

Is the genre truly on its deathbed, or are these just growing pains of a young industry?

In this conversational opinion piece, we unpack Dandala’s grievances, examine real examples of Amapiano artists’ missteps, and explore whether these issues threaten the genre’s future – or simply signal the need to grow up.

We’ll also discuss practical solutions for artists, managers, and promoters to keep the Amapiano wave alive and thriving.

Thulani Dandala’s Grievances: Late Shows, No-Shows, and Chaos

Thulani Dandala (known on X/Twitter as @Thuly_Thulz) recently penned a fiery statement lamenting what he sees as rampant unprofessionalism in the Amapiano scene​. Drawing on his 12 years of experience in the events industry, Dandala didn’t mince words about his frustrations.

He claims many Amapiano artists and their management teams lack basic professionalism – from administrative skills to logistical planning​.

The result? Artists frequently show up hours late to gigs or fail to show up at all. According to Dandala, this isn’t a once-off problem; it’s become almost routine. In fact, he estimates that “80% of the time” he books an Amapiano act, the artist arrives late, often leaving his team jokingly placing bets on who will be latest.

When lateness and no-shows become a running joke among event staff, you know there’s a serious issue.

What’s causing this epidemic of unreliability? Dandala points to overbooking and mismanagement as the root causes. Many popular Amapiano artists are so in demand that they cram multiple gigs into a single night, far more than they can realistically handle.

“Piano artists are taking too many gigs a day, then inevitably showing up late (or exhausted) for all of them. It’s pure gluttony,” he vented in frustration​. In other words, greed and poor planning are leading artists to promise more than they can deliver. By the time they race from one venue to the next, they’re either hours behind schedule or too tired to put on a good show.

Dandala also calls out the weak management structures behind many Amapiano acts. In this fast-growing genre, it’s common for an artist’s manager to be a close friend or relative with little industry experience. These tight-knit teams might mean well, but Dandala argues they “aren’t equipped to handle artist logistics at this level”. He’s encountered shockingly unprofessional behavior, like prominent artists asking to be paid via personal bank transfers with no invoices or business accounts – even for sums upwards of R60,000 (about $3,200)​.

Such informal practices signal a lack of business acumen that can complicate bookings and payments. Dandala even recounted an incident where an Amapiano headliner tried to change their set time just two hours before showtime, throwing the event schedule into disarray​.

In another case, an artist strolled in 30 minutes late, leaving organizers scrambling. These anecdotes illustrate a “general disregard for professionalism,” as Dandala puts it, and it’s tarnishing the genre’s reputation.

In his impassioned “Death of Amapiano” post, Dandala essentially mourned the genre’s potential demise at the hands of its own stars’ behavior.

He urged both upcoming and established artists to take their careers – and other people’s time – seriously, warning that the current chaos has cast a dark cloud over Amapiano’s name​. It’s a bold claim: that Amapiano’s unprofessional culture could kill the genre despite its musical brilliance. But before we panic, let’s look at some real-world examples underpinning Dandala’s concerns.

When the Beat Doesn’t Drop: Real Examples of Unprofessionalism

Dandala’s frustrations aren’t just theoretical – fans and promoters have witnessed plenty of unprofessional antics from Amapiano artists in recent times. Let’s explore a few notable instances that have everyone talking and see if they justify his harsh critique.

Kelvin Momo’s No-Show Sagas: One name that keeps popping up in these discussions is Kelvin Momo, a hugely talented Amapiano producer and DJ. Unfortunately, he’s become infamous for not showing up to gigs. Fans on social media didn’t hesitate to agree with Dandala, with one exasperated user stating “Kelvin Momo NEVER shows up… Felo Le Tee [is] very unreliable”

This isn’t just hearsay – there was a high-profile incident in December 2024 at the Rose Sunday Picnic event where Kelvin Momo was booked as a headliner. The organizers claim they paid him his full booking fee well in advance, but come showtime, Kelvin Momo was nowhere to be found.

He was scheduled for a prime 6pm set, and the crowd eagerly waited. According to the event’s official statement, Momo’s management kept assuring them “he’s on his way” for hours, until it became clear by 9pm that he wasn’t going to show at all. The organizers were left embarrassed and had to carry on without the headliner, scrambling to fill the gap.

To make matters worse, as of the latest update, Kelvin Momo’s team hadn’t even given an explanation or refunded the fee.

Incidents like these not only burn the promoters financially but also betray fans’ trust, leaving partygoers disappointed.

Felo Le Tee and Others Called Out by Fans: Kelvin Momo isn’t alone. Fans also pointed fingers at other Amapiano stars like Felo Le Tee, labeling him “very unreliable” in terms of showing up for performances​.

While Felo Le Tee’s specific transgressions haven’t all made headlines, the fact that fans lump him in with serial no-show artists suggests a pattern of either lateness or missed gigs that audiences have noticed.

On social media, some attendees vent about checking festival schedules to catch their favorite act, only to find “dololo artist, or it’s someone else” performing in their slot​.

One concertgoer even joked about a certain Amapiano artist in a “denim jumpsuit and Gucci cap” who completely failed to deliver the expected performance​.

These anecdotes echo Dandala’s point: when fans have to swap stories of which artist flaked on which show, it’s a sign of a broader professionalism problem.

The Scorpion Kings & Sha Sha’s International No-Show: Unprofessional behavior isn’t just hurting local gigs; it’s causing international incidents too. In one headline-grabbing case, Amapiano’s superstar duo Scorpion Kings (DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small), along with singer Sha Sha, were booked to perform at the Victoria Falls Carnival in Zimbabwe in April 2022.

The promoter paid them a hefty sum (about R230,000 in fees and travel costs) and covered flights and luxury accommodation. But when the time came, all three artists were a no-show, leaving fans in Zimbabwe fuming.

To add insult to injury, the trio allegedly never refunded the promoter’s money, prompting the organizers to take legal action. Court documents revealed the booking included business-class flights and hotel suites – all wasted because the artists simply didn’t pitch up​. The case got so serious that a South African court issued a summons for Maphorisa, Kabza, and Sha Sha to either defend themselves or cough up the refund​.

It’s a stark example of how no-shows can damage business relationships and an artist’s reputation abroad. The so-called kings of Amapiano were literally detained in a foreign country at one point over this dispute, according to news reports, until an agreement was eventually reached​.

Incidents like this risk scaring off international promoters – if big Amapiano names can’t be counted on to honor commitments, festivals elsewhere might hesitate to book them.

Toss’s Load-Shedding Walkout: Even rising stars have hit controversy. Take Toss, the young artist behind the viral Amapiano dance hit “Umlando.” An Eastern Cape promoter accused Toss of effectively ditching a paid gig and demanded a R22,000 refund​.

The story is a bit more complicated: Toss arrived at the venue, but the area was suffering load shedding (power outages). The organizer insists he had a generator running, but Toss was unhappy with the setup. Instead of performing later or finding a workaround, Toss walked out of the venue with his team and never came back, even though he’d been paid a 50% deposit and travel expenses​.

Toss’s manager argued the deposit was non-refundable since they showed up and found the situation “unsuitable”​, but from the promoter’s view (and the fans who bought tickets), it was a huge letdown and a loss.

This case might not be as clear-cut as oversleeping or double-booking – load shedding is outside the artist’s control – yet it underscores how poor communication and inflexibility can lead to public disputes. If Toss had managed the issue professionally (like delaying the set until the generator was fully working, or at least clearly communicating with fans), maybe it wouldn’t have turned into a refund battle splashed across headlines.

These examples highlight a concerning trend: missed sets, late arrivals, and last-minute cancellations have become alarmingly common in the Amapiano circuit.

Dandala even mentioned he’s seen two separate artists from the same management agency both fail to show up for their performances on the same night​ – talk about a double whammy!

Each incident might have its own reasons, but together they paint a picture of an industry where logistical chaos is starting to overshadow the music. For every professional, punctual act, there seems to be another high-flyer testing the limits of fans’ and promoters’ patience.

No wonder Dandala and many partygoers are asking: can Amapiano sustain this kind of behavior without consequences?

Threat to the Genre or Just Growing Pains?

With these issues laid bare, it’s fair to ask whether Dandala’s dire warning of an impending “death of Amapiano” is justified. Is the genre’s future truly at risk because of artist misbehavior, or are these just the growing pains of a young music movement learning to navigate success?

On one hand, the concerns are very real. Reputation matters in the music industry. If Amapiano shows develop a reputation for starting hours late or having headliners bail, fans could eventually get fed up.

Locally, some South African club-goers are already cynical – as mentioned, crew members and regulars now half-jokingly bet on which superstar will arrive the latest​.

That cynicism can turn into frustration, and frustrated fans might opt to stay home or spend money on genres with more reliable performers.

Even worse, if international festival organizers hear too many horror stories, they might scale back on booking Amapiano acts in favor of artists who have their act together.

The Vic Falls Carnival fiasco, for example, could make other festival promoters think twice, which would stall Amapiano’s global momentum. It’s taken a lot of hard work for Amapiano to break into markets in the UK, Nigeria, the U.S., and beyond – a few high-profile disappointments could slow that progress.

Dandala’s underlying fear is that the very artists who helped propel Amapiano worldwide might also be the ones to derail it if they don’t change their ways.

On the other hand, we should remember that Amapiano is still a relatively young genre in the mainstream. The sound really only exploded in the late 2010s and became a dominant force in the 2020s. Many of its stars went from zero to hero in an incredibly short time. With meteoric success comes a learning curve. History shows that when new music movements blow up, there’s often a period of turbulence.

Think of early rock ‘n’ roll in the ’50s or the rise of hip-hop in the ’80s – there were chaotic tours, missed shows, and managers scrambling to catch up with their artists’ newfound fame. Amapiano might be going through a similar phase where the infrastructure (professional management, touring experience, international booking know-how) is catching up to the genre’s popularity.

Importantly, not all Amapiano artists are guilty of these sins – and that’s a reason for optimism. Dandala himself was careful to note that some artists do handle themselves professionally. He gave shout-outs to acts like Major League DJz, DJ Stokie (“Dench”), Sfarzo Rtee, Bunnies, and Mandisa, who consistently show up on time and deliver, which is why they keep getting rebooked on big lineups​.

Those names might not all be as globally famous as a Maphorisa or Kabza, but within South Africa they’ve earned respect for being reliable. This shows the issue isn’t inherent to Amapiano music or artists as a whole – it’s specific individuals or pockets of the scene. If some can act right, others can learn to.

So, are these concerns genuine threats or just bumps on the road? It really depends on how the industry responds. If artists ignore the warning signs and continue down this path, there could be a breaking point where fed-up fans and promoters move on.

That could indeed stunt Amapiano’s growth and knock it off its throne. However, if the community treats these incidents as a wake-up call – essentially, an opportunity to professionalize and put better systems in place – then Amapiano’s future remains bright.

Every genre that goes global has to mature at some point. We’re likely witnessing Amapiano’s maturation moment right now. Far from dying, this could be the catalyst that pushes the genre to evolve beyond a wild free-for-all into a sustainable, long-term force in music.

In short, Dandala’s concerns are valid, but whether they spell doom or just a necessary evolution for Amapiano will depend on the actions taken next. That leads us to the big question: what can be done to fix this, and who needs to step up?

Hitting the Right Notes: How to Improve Professionalism in Amapiano

The good news is that unprofessional behavior is fixable. It might require some tough love and changes in attitude, but there are clear steps that Amapiano artists, their management, and event organizers can take to improve logistics and professionalism.

Here are a few solution-oriented suggestions (are you listening, Amapiano fam?):

For Amapiano Artists:

Don’t Overschedule Yourself: It’s tempting to accept three or four bookings in one night to cash in on your fame, but learn to say no or limit your gigs per day. Quality matters more than quantity. If you’re booked for a festival set at 8pm in one city, and an appearance at a club at midnight in another, be realistic about travel time and your own energy. It’s better to play one great show than two half-hearted ones or miss one entirely. Your fans (and your body) will thank you.

Respect Call Times and Contracts: Treat call times like sacred appointments. If a contract or agreement says you perform at 10pm, plan to be there by 9:30. Setting a personal standard to always be on time (or even early) will build a reputation that you’re dependable – a huge plus for your career. If unforeseen circumstances will make you late, communicate proactively with the organizers. A phone call or message in advance can mitigate damage, whereas silence destroys trust.

Invest in Your Team: As an artist, you are also a business. If your cousin or friend is acting as your manager, great – but make sure they can do the job. Encourage them to get training or mentorship from experienced industry professionals. Alternatively, consider hiring a seasoned tour manager or road manager when you have multiple bookings. It might cost money, but it will save your reputation and ensure you actually fulfill those paid gigs. Having a dedicated logistics person to map out routes, manage time, and handle communications on show days can be a game-changer.

Take Care of Your Health and Rest: Running on fumes contributes to lateness and cancellations. Touring can be exhausting, especially with back-to-back shows. Prioritize rest, stay hydrated, and avoid the urge to party hard between gigs. The more you treat this like a long-term career, the more you’ll pace yourself. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup – or in this case, you can’t drop a fire DJ set when you’re dead tired and stressed from rushing around.

For Managers and Management Teams:

Get Organized (Seriously): Management 101 – use calendars, spreadsheets, booking software, whatever it takes. Double-booking an artist or accepting gigs that overlap is a recipe for disaster. Implement a strict booking calendar and do not agree to gigs that clash. If your artist insists on squeezing in one more, be the voice of reason to protect them from themselves. It’s better to turn down a gig than damage your artist’s brand by having them miss it.

Professionalize Finances: Dandala’s gripe about artists sending personal bank details for payment is a sign the business side is lacking​. Managers should help artists set up a proper business bank account, issue invoices, and sign written contracts for each booking. This not only makes you look professional, it also protects you legally. If something does go wrong, everyone knows the terms (payment schedules, refund policies, etc.) and there’s less room for public disputes.

Improve Communication: Many promoters complain that management teams take ages to reply to emails or texts.

That needs to change. Aim to respond promptly to booking inquiries and follow-ups. If an artist is running late to a show, inform the organizer as early as possible – don’t leave them hanging or lying that “we’re 5 minutes away” for two hours. Transparency can salvage relationships; silence will burn bridges.

Plan Logistics Meticulously: If your artist has multiple shows in one day, plot out the day to the minute. Account for traffic, flights (plus potential delays), and setup time. Have a backup plan if a flight is missed or a car breaks down – maybe an alternate driver on standby or the ability to do a quick tech setup. Essentially, hope for the best, plan for the worst. It’s your job to sweat these details so the artist can focus on performing. If this level of planning is too much for your team’s experience, consider hiring a professional logistics coordinator during busy tour schedules.

For Event Organizers and Promoters:

Choose Reliability Over Hype: It might be tempting to book the hottest trending names, but if you know Artist X has a pattern of no-shows, consider whether it’s worth the risk. Dandala and many fans suggest giving more opportunities to up-and-coming acts who are hungry and professional, rather than recycling headliners who don’t respect the gig​.

Not only could this reduce headaches, it also helps diversify the talent pool and build the next generation of stars.

Clear Contracts with Consequences: Always have a contract or written agreement that spells out set times and consequences for late appearance or no-show. For instance, include a clause that if an artist arrives more than 30 minutes late without prior notice, their fee will be docked by a certain percentage. If they fail to show entirely, a full refund of the deposit is expected. These terms can incentivize artists to honor their commitments and give you legal recourse if they don’t. (Of course, be reasonable and allow for true emergencies, but the key is to set expectations upfront.)

Logistical Support: Sometimes, promoters can help mitigate issues by offering logistical support. If an artist has two bookings far apart, maybe coordinate with the other event to provide helicopter or fast transport (if budgets allow) or adjust set times slightly so the artist can make both without rushing. If power outages (load shedding) are common in your area, ensure you have a robust backup generator and communicate that to artists ahead of time. Show the artists and their teams that you’re doing your part to make the show run smoothly; the rest is on them.

Have a Backup Plan: Despite best efforts, the worst can happen. Smart event organizers have a backup DJ or performer in their pocket who can fill in if a headliner is late or absent. This could be an opening act you keep on standby or a local DJ ready to extend their set. It won’t replace the headliner, but it can keep the crowd’s energy up and ensure the night isn’t a total bust. Also, be honest with the audience if there’s a delay – most people appreciate being kept in the loop rather than left waiting cluelessly. Your handling of a bad situation can earn you goodwill, even if an artist lets you down.

By implementing these solutions, the Amapiano scene can turn things around. It might require a culture shift – moving from the “laissez-faire, we’ll show up when we show up” attitude to a more professional mindset – but it’s absolutely doable. Other genres have done it. It often falls on a few trailblazers to set a new standard.

As more artists realize that reliability can be a competitive advantage (you’ll get booked more if promoters trust you), the hope is that professionalism becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Conclusion: Amapiano’s Future – Cautionary Tales and Hopeful Harmonies

Thulani Dandala’s eulogy-styled warning about the “death of Amapiano” is a stark and somewhat painful critique – but it comes from a place of love for the genre. His concerns are undeniably valid: too many examples of Amapiano artists dropping the ball have emerged to brush this off as just a few haters complaining. The genre’s rapid success has indeed been accompanied by missteps that need addressing. If those in the industry bury their heads in the sand, the problems will only grow, and the consequences could hit everyone – artists losing bookings, promoters losing money, and fans losing faith.

However, after examining the situation, it’s clear that talk of Amapiano’s “death” is premature. Amapiano is a cultural force with deep roots and passionate supporters worldwide. It’s not going to die because a few stars missed their set times. What could “die,” though, is the golden opportunity Amapiano currently has on the global stage, if complacency and unprofessionalism continue unchecked. The good news is that this fate is avoidable. In fact, the very act of having this conversation publicly – with fans, promoters, and media all weighing in – is a sign that the community is invested in holding the genre accountable and ensuring its longevity.

The onus is now on Amapiano artists and their teams to prove Dandala’s dire prediction wrong. They can do so by stepping up and implementing the changes we discussed: better time management, more professional business practices, and a respect for the craft that goes beyond just making bangers in the studio to actually delivering on stage, on time. Many artists have already heeded this call; others may need a rude awakening (like perhaps seeing their names dropped from festival lineups) to get the message.

In the end, what will keep Amapiano alive and dominant globally isn’t just the catchy log drums or the soulful vocals – it’s the reliability and reputation of the artists behind the music. Fans around the world absolutely love this genre; they want reasons to keep supporting it, attending shows, and hyping it up to new listeners. Let’s not give them reasons to turn away. Dandala’s critique, as harsh as it sounded, might be the jolt the industry needed to tighten up. If the Amapiano fraternity takes these lessons to heart, this genre will not only survive this moment but thrive for decades to come.

So, is Amapiano really dying?

Not on our watch. Consider this chapter a remix – a chance to fix the off-beat notes and drop an even bigger, better tune. With some professionalism to match the talent, Amapiano’s best days are still ahead, and the only thing that’ll be “dead” is the old habit of showing up late.

The world is watching – let’s make sure Amapiano stays on top of its game and on top of the charts, where it belongs.

Written by Le Savant Fou