Amapiano sensation Young Stunna left a legion of his fans high and dry when he failed to pitch up for his show in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.
The Adiwele hitmaker’s decision to maroon his fans has put him on a collision course with the event promoter, who is girding his loins to sue him for damages.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday World, the impresario, Mafutha Bheko Sokhela of Durban Base Entertainment, said Young Stunna was paid over R50 000 to perform at the Durban Meets Jozi Festival at a shisanyama in Kwandengezi township outside Durban.
The money included a R40 000 appearance fee, R1 500 for accommodation and R8 000 for transport.
Young Stunna, who is among the most sought-after amapiano artists in South Africa, was booked as the crowd-puller, and was expected to share the stage with KwaZulu-Natal-based amapiano artist Mfana Kah Gogo.
Sokhela said after Young Stunna signed the contract, flyers and posters were printed to market and promote the festival.
He added that they called the muso’s management on Friday to enquire if he was coming to perform at the festival, and the answer was yes. “The event started at 10am on Saturday and Young Stunna was supposed to perform at around 3pm,” said Sokhela.
Sokhela said as Young Stunna’s fans were gathering to see their object of obsession, he received a call from the muso’s management team informing him that he was no longer coming, because he was under the weather.
“He claimed that he had vocal complications. We asked him to go to his doctor and get a medical certificate to prove that he is sick. Alternatively to go to our doctor in Joburg for treatment at our own costs, and he agreed to do so. Our doctor contacted him and gave him a physical address of his surgery for consultation.”
Sokhela explained further that the doctor also told Young Stunna that he was going to work at one of the hospitals from 7pm, and asked him to find him there if could not come during the day. But the muso failed to honour the appointment.
“The doctor also runs house calls and he could have treated him from the comfort of his home,” said Sokhela.
He added that Young Stunna later confirmed that he would perform at the gig, but sang a different tune when he got to Durban, because he was not feeling well.
“We told him to come and mime if he had vocal issues, but he refused. Most of the artists who experience vocal problems before the show, don’t cancel, they go to the show and mime.”
Sokhela shared that fortunately Young Stunna’s groupies did not go on a rampage when they were told that the amapiano muso was no longer coming to strut his stuff.
“Remember this is the same township where school kids burnt down the school [recently] because their teachers had confiscated their cellphones. I was so worried,” he said.
Sokhela said he has contacted his legal team to demand a refund from Young Stunna, and to sue him for damages. The muso’s manager, Palesa Nkosi of Lawks Communications, declined to comment.
“No comment, I’m saying no comment,” said Nkosi.
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