South African rapper Fifi Cooper has reignited controversy surrounding Ambitiouz Entertainment, shedding light on her tumultuous experience with the label’s owner, Kgosi Mahumapelo.
In a candid interview on the G2G Podcast, the Motswako star detailed allegations of financial opacity and neglect, accusing Mahumapelo of withholding critical contract details and underpaying her for performances.
Her revelations have sparked heated discussions online, with fans and critics weighing in on the label’s troubled history with artists.
Fifi Cooper, who was signed to Ambitiouz from 2015 to 2017, claimed that she was kept in the dark about her contract.
“Many things were not transparent. I didn’t know what my contract looked like,” she revealed.
Fixed monthly salary
She went on to say that regardless of how many gigs she did, she was paid a fixed monthly salary of R25,000.
“I’d do 15 shows a month and ask: ‘How did we get to this amount?’ He wouldn’t answer,” Fifi Cooper said, highlighting Mahumapelo’s refusal to disclose earnings from her performances.
The rapper also expressed frustration over the label’s preferential treatment of new artists.
“The more new artists came, the less my brand was taken care of,” she stated, noting that resources like tour buses were redirected to newer signees, forcing her to use her car for gigs.
“I was driving my private car to shows while the bus I used to use was given to others,” she added, underscoring the neglect she felt.
Fifi Cooper’s departure from Ambitiouz in 2017 alongside artists like A-Reece and B3nchMarQ led to a high-profile legal battle.
The label sued her for copyright infringement, banning her from performing songs recorded under their banner.
The Johannesburg High Court initially ruled in Ambitiouz’s favour, ordering Fifi Cooper to pay damages and legal fees.
Mixed reaction on X
However, with support from the EFF and party leader Julius Malema, she secured an out-of-court settlement, regaining her music rights and launching Mo Cooper Records.
“I’m my own boss now, sticking to my Motswako roots,” she said, reflecting on her 2018 album Take Me Back.
Social media reactions were mixed, with some praising Fifi Cooper’s courage and others questioning her initial oversight.
“She should’ve read the contract,” one X user remarked, while another defended her, saying: “A guaranteed R25K monthly isn’t bad, but transparency matters.”
Attempts to get hold of Fifi Cooper were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
