Chaos has erupted between Maskandi star Umafikizolo, born Lethukuthula Madondo, and the organisers of the SMJ BYPASS Butchery birthday bash.
The Uyoncengwa ngunyoko hitmaker is one of the rising stars in the Maskandi genre. He was set to headline the star-studded event on Saturday, October 4, in Umtata, Eastern Cape.
However, he allegedly acted unprofessionally, leaving organisers fuming.
Masibulele Somkoko of SMJ BYPASS revealed the full drama.
Booked months prior
“We booked him two months ago and even paid a deposit to secure his spot as our headliner. We asked him to make a promotional video for fans, like other artists, but he never shared anything. Instead, he kept giving excuses and eventually became rude and disrespectful.”
According to Somkoko, just three days before the event, Madondo informed them he would not be attending because he had taken too many gigs.
“Ours was the only show in the Eastern Cape. And because of that he refunded us and pulled out,” Somkoko said.
“Since he was on the posters, we then asked him to make a clip explaining and apologising to his followers about his change of heart. But he failed to do that. In fact, he stopped taking our calls.
“It was clear he wasn’t prepared to apologise to his own fans. So we took it upon ourselves to inform the public that he was no longer coming. Had we kept quiet, we would have been left with egg on our face. We couldn’t risk our reputation, hence we asked him to explain this to his followers,” said Somkoko.
SMJ BYPASS has since apologised to their clients.
“The event is still happening on Saturday. But because of this we had to reduce the ticket prices,” Somkoko added.
Fan favourite
Maskandi, the genre that Madondo represents, has grown in popularity over recent years. Artists blend traditional Zulu guitar riffs with contemporary themes and production.
Madondo is relatively new to the national scene. But he been gaining a following for his energetic performances and socially relevant lyrics. This makes his absence from the event a major disappointment for fans.
Numerous attempts were made to reach Madondo for comment, but he did not respond.
