Open Mic Productions has once again found itself in a public dispute, with one of its acts after platinum-selling recording artist Makhadzi accused the independent label of trapping her in a bad deal and withholding her overdue royalty payments.
The label is also embroiled in a legal dispute with the Grammy award-winning singer Nomcebo Zikode.
Makhadzi took to Twitter over the weekend to share that she’d signed with Open Mic for only three years and that despite releasing four successful albums, she hadn’t received any royalty payments for her music sales.
“Some of my albums reached platinum, some gold,” she tweeted. “And a lot of hits songs that reached platinum and Gold. But I continue to work without complaining coz all I wanted was to serve my contract, to avoid them saying I bridged the contract.”
I signed with open mic only for three years. In this three years I dropped 4 albums . I have never recieved any cent of my sales . Some of my album reached platinum some gold . And a lot of hits songs that reached platinum and Gold . But I continue to work without complaining
— Makhadzi (@MakhadziSA) May 6, 2023
She later added a series of posts under the same tweet thread: “I am talking about the contract that I signed and no one allowed to give me a copy, I worked with open mic without a cop of my contract ever since they said they will send it, I kept on reminding them but no one was willing to send me my contract.”
“All I wanted was to do my things in peace, that’s why I dropped my statement last week without pointing any fingers. Now they are disputing my statement, they are saying my contract is auto renewal, my question is how possible is that to sign me and not give me my copy of contract.”
“So I can see those clause? And how positive is that to renew my contract without sitting down with me? And how about my money for my album cz you haven’t never sent any cent, how posible is that for you to renew my contract without coming to me, what if I not happy working wit You? Must I continue working wheres i am not happy, I served my contract , I don’t want to work with them anymore . 😭😭😭😭.”
The “Zwivhuya” hitmaker went on to share a copy of a letter that she says she received from Open Mic. She says that after her three years were done, they did not ask her if she still wanted to work with them, but rather told her it would be renewed because she’s their “slave”.
The letter read: “We as Open Mic Productions (the Management) are pleased to inform you that we are hereby renewing or extending the contract period for an additional period of three (3) years with effect from the 09 th of March 2023 in terms of clause 6.3 of the Management Agreement entered into between yourself and Open Mic Productions (PTY) LTD on the 10th of March 2020.
“We would like to take this moment and thank you for all the great milestones achieved in the initial period of the Management Agreement and we look forward to many more achievements during the renewal period.”
Here is the letter that I recieved from open mic , they were not asking me if I stl want to work with them, they were just telling me cz iam their slave 😒💔. pic.twitter.com/QlsFOjSLp5
— Makhadzi (@MakhadziSA) May 6, 2023
In a tweet that’s been viewed more thab a million times, she added that the label had removed a song she’d released on YouTube a day before.
“Yesterday I dropped my new song niazwifha , they removed it sitting on 130k views , this breaks me more cz they don’t want to see me working but being their slave . 💔😭.”
Yesterday I dropped my new song niazwifha , they removed it sitting on 130k views , this breaks me more cz they don’t want to see me working but being their slave . 💔😭 pic.twitter.com/s4t9urAKQ3
— Makhadzi (@MakhadziSA) May 6, 2023
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Makhadzi over the weekend.
The 26-year-old won Best Female Artist at the 17th annual Metro FM Awards on Saturday.
“Congratulations to myself for bringing it home,” she said. “This is the good news for me and my khadzinators family. Thanks for voting. More love for you all.”