Amapiano’s unity has come under scrutiny after Major League DJz shared a candid take on the genre’s internal divisions.
Responding to ongoing debates about collaboration in South African music, the duo tweeted, “We could say same thing about Amapiano, this camp thing has taken a big toll on the genre 💔”
Their comment quickly sparked a wave of reactions from fans who believe the once tightly knit amapiano movement is now grappling with the same factionalism seen in other genres.
One X user alleged that gatekeeping is a major issue and suggested that industry relationships can determine opportunities.
“Piano has Gatekeepers unfortunately, if you don’t get along with Phori it’s chaai for you, not even on the musical aspect of things but even on the business, you might struggle to get gigs,” the user wrote, referencing DJ Maphorisa.
Major League DJz were quick to distance the conversation from any one individual, replying, “This has nothing to do with Phori. It’s in general.”
Others shifted the focus to the genre’s structure, arguing that amapiano lacks standout stars who can carry it globally in the way Afrobeats has done.
“The problem with Amapiano is that there’s no stars. There’s no vocalists to carry the genre like how afrobeats has Tems, Burna Boy, Asake etc…” another user commented, mentioning Tems, Burna Boy and Asake as examples.
Some fans believe personality clashes are also taking a toll on the sound’s growth.
“The egos and arrogance are killing the game,” one user added.
The discussion highlights growing concern among listeners about the direction of amapiano, a genre that has dominated charts and dance floors locally and internationally in recent years.
While it continues to evolve sonically, questions about unity, leadership and long term sustainability are now part of the conversation.