DJ and producer Sobzeen, whose real name is Zakhele Mbuyisa, claims he is the creative force behind some of DJ Stokie’s biggest hits, including the double-platinum tracks Mali, Masithokoze, and Selimathunzi.
The 28-year-old says the songs were crafted about three years ago while he was regularly visiting Stokie’s studio.
He met the 42-year-old amapiano star through his manager, and the two began working together almost immediately.
“I would hang out at the studio and make beats. At the time, I was just trying to show my skills. I never thought the music would be taken without credit,” Sobzeen told Sunday World.
According to him, most of the hit tracks were his productions, yet he was never formally credited or compensated.
He estimates that Stokie owes him around R2.4 million in royalties.
“When I worked on Masithokoze, I did it purely for the love of music, not for money. But 28 million streams on Spotify alone are worth close to R2.4 million,” he said.
Sobzeen says there were no contracts in place when the songs were made, leaving him without legal grounds to claim his full share.
“They only offered me 15%, which works out to about R360,000 from Spotify alone, before deductions. That doesn’t even include Apple Music, YouTube, and other platforms, plus there are four more hits I never got paid for.”
The experience, he says, has made him more careful in the music business.
“His actions made me realise my career is in my hands. I learned not to invest too much in other people’s success. My name was on some of the songs, which brought a small fan base, but it doesn’t translate to real money.”
Sobzeen, now signed to Solid Sound, released his 11-track album iThemba Lam on August 8.
“This album is me healing from the past. It’s a gospel and amapiano mix, very spiritual and uplifting, pouring out the pain from what I went through,” he said.
The project even includes Mang’Dakiwe, a track featuring DJ Stokie. “I worked with him; I can’t throw those songs away. They’re still my creative right despite everything that happened.”
