Popular amapiano songstress Lady Du has been slapped with a half-a-million lawsuit by a Joburg businessman she accused of unduly enabling his artist Musa Keys to win the coveted Record of the Year gong at the South African Music Awards (Samas) held in Sun City in August.
After Lady Du placed her name on the pantheon with her chart-topping songs Woza and Msebenzi Wethu, she has now been dragged to the Joburg high court by Nhlanhla Ndimande, the man she accused of “nepotism” after he propelled
Musa Keys to win the highly-contested accolade with his hit Vula Mlomo.
In the court papers seen by Sunday World, Ndimande, fondly known as Nivo, said Lady Du took to her social media accounts on August 30 and accused him of nepotism. This after Ndimande’s company, The T Effect was given a contract by the Samas mandarins to organise musicians to perform at the off-colour event. The firm also renders artist management services to Musa Keys, real name Musa Makamu.
“I would like to ask if nepotism works also at award ceremonies? How does a person get a tender for organising artists to perform on stage, then the artist he is managing gets the biggest award of the night? I want to know because nina niya thula [you’re quiet] e [in] South Africa? Mina ngeke [I won’t],” read the copy of the Twitter statements, which Ndimande attached to the papers.
Lady Du protested again when her fellow amapiano artists Nobantu and Sir Trill were not credited, even though they too contributed to the production of Musa Keys’ blockbuster.
Lady Du further said she boycotted the Samas because their outcomes were predetermined and she would not keep quiet when young local artists were wronged.
“We chose not to go because we already knew the set up!!. The youth of today are not validated by awards. We changed the game. We broke down the doors locked by the gatekeeper. We are way ahead of this. I have never submitted any of my music to the Samas, that is why I have never been nominated, side this not (sic) this has nothing to do with winning or losing, how are you the creative director that manages the artists that were performing and won awards on the show you re directing is my Q (sic),” read the tweets.
Ndimande said Lady Du’s nepotism accusations were directed at him as it was common knowledge in showbiz he was The T Effect boss and Musa Keys’ management company.
He said Lady Du’s statements were defamatory and wrongful as they were understood by her followers to mean he was corrupt.
“As a result of the publication of the tweets, the plaintiff has suffered damages as he has been, inter alia, damaged in his dignity and reputation,” read the papers.
Ndimande said he had instructed his lawyers to send a letter to Lady Du, demanding she immediately delete her slanderous tweets on September 1, retract the allegations, publicly apologise to him and pay him half-a-million rand, but she showed him the middle finger.
“Wherefore the plaintiff claims as follows against the defendant; payment in the amount of R500 000,” read the papers.
Lady Du could not be reached for comment after several calls were made to her.
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