The story surrounding DJ Maphorisa and his rumored R20 million debt to Sony Music has been circulating for years, but in 2025 it has returned to the spotlight with even greater intensity.

For many South African artists who have long complained about Maphorisa’s handling of royalties, these reports seem to confirm what they have been saying all along — that the producer’s empire was built on shaky foundations and may now be catching up with him.

To understand the current allegations, one must go back to 2017, when Maphorisa officially signed a multi-album global deal with Sony Music Entertainment Africa through its urban imprint.

At the time, the announcement was framed as a breakthrough moment for South African music.

Already riding the global success of collaborations such as Drake’s “One Dance,” Maphorisa seemed destined to take Amapiano and South African house music to international stages.

Sony promised global distribution, marketing muscle, and publishing support — while Maphorisa’s camp promised a string of hit records.

At first, the deal worked as intended.

Projects like The Scorpion Kings series and collaborations with Kabza De Small exploded across streaming platforms.

Tracks like Banyana and Ba Straata charted not only in South Africa but also abroad.

By 2024, hits such as Ba Maroon had clocked tens of millions of streams on Spotify alone, distributed directly under Sony’s system.

This success positioned Maphorisa as both a cultural gatekeeper and a global ambassador for Amapiano.

But behind the scenes, cracks began to appear.

Industry insiders claim that in order to keep up with the pressures of international touring, lavish production budgets, and his growing lifestyle, Maphorisa accepted a massive advance from Sony — reportedly worth around R20 million.

Like most record-label advances, this was not free money but rather a loan against future earnings.

If projects underperformed or royalties failed to recoup the advance, the debt would remain, gathering interest.

By mid-2024, entertainment outlets reported that this exact scenario had played out.

The Eastern Cape leg of Maphorisa’s tour allegedly flopped, and insiders whispered that Sony was waiting on repayment.

Some sources even suggested that Maphorisa had started leaning on younger artists in his circle, using his Sony connections to push them harder into recording and touring in order to generate revenue that could offset his growing obligations.

Artists began to voice their frustrations publicly.

Claims of delayed payments, unfair royalty splits, and “gatekeeping” swirled online.

Critics accused him of exploiting his position as a middleman between Sony and up-and-coming South African talent.

On social media, videos of Maphorisa defending his legacy — insisting he had “done so much for the country” and that artists should be grateful for his mentorship — only deepened the divide.

His comments came across to some as arrogance, proof that power and access to Sony’s resources had gone to his head.

By September 2025, the rumors had reached fever pitch.

Independent reports resurfaced, repeating the claim that Maphorisa owes Sony approximately R20 million — a figure that, if true, would represent one of the most significant personal debts in South African music history.

However, neither Sony Music nor Maphorisa himself has confirmed the existence of this debt.

Both parties have remained conspicuously silent, leaving fans and industry observers to speculate.

What complicates matters further is that, despite the ongoing speculation, there have been no public legal filings, no confirmed lawsuits, and no official press statements from Sony.

On the surface, Maphorisa’s career continues — he remains one of the most-streamed artists in South Africa, his collaborations dominate the airwaves, and his name still carries immense weight in the Amapiano scene.

Yet, the persistent rumors cast a shadow, raising doubts about how sustainable his empire truly is.

For many in the music world, the story has become bigger than Maphorisa himself.

It highlights the complexities of global record deals, the risks of taking massive advances, and the precarious position of artists who straddle both local and international expectations.

If the allegations are true, Maphorisa’s debt to Sony may explain why so many collaborators have walked away feeling exploited.

If false, the rumors point to how quickly perception can turn against a figure seen as too powerful, too untouchable.

For now, the mystery remains unresolved.

What is certain is that Maphorisa’s influence on South African music cannot be denied.

He helped catapult Amapiano to the world stage, opened doors for dozens of artists, and proved that local sounds could thrive globally.

But whether his legacy will be remembered as one of triumph or of exploitation may depend on whether these financial rumors ever move from speculation into confirmed fact.

Until then, the cloud of a R20 million debt continues to hang over DJ Maphorisa’s career — a reminder that in the music industry, power and success often come at a cost.