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Emtee

Reigning hip-hop king Mthembeni “Emtee” Ndevu and rap queen Refilwe “Fifi Cooper” Moeketsi, are allegedly warring with their recording stable’s boss – Kgosi Mahumapelo regarding their nearly R1-million Metro FM awards prize money. The two are also revolting against Mahumapelo, owner of Ambitiouz Records after he allegedly seized their Metro FM awards statuettes and kept them in his office.

It was also alleged that Emtee was angry with Mahumapelo for paying him and Fifi the same amount of bonuses in December, as he believed he raked in more money in gigs than her. So high are the temperatures, that the award-winning duo might leave the stable if the matter is not swiftly resolved.

Emtee declined to comment on the money dispute allegations, but confirmed his boss had seized the prizes. “I guess that his office is the only place they can be kept safely,” Emtee said. Fifi could not be reached for comment at the time of going to press.

Sources close to the artistes, who did not want to be named, claimed Emtee was paid a total of R400,000 for his Metro FM awards, and that Fifi was paid R300,000 for her three. One source alleged the war was sparked when Mahumapelo took half of the loot that the musos had won.

“He took R200,000 from Emtee and R150,000 from Fifi Cooper. They went bonkers,” said the tipster. “Their beef is that, although he invested a lot of money in shooting videos and launching their albums, he should have at least taken less than what he took.”

Another mole confirmed Emtee was not chuffed with Mahumapelo’s decision to take so much money from him. “He’s scared to confront him because he thinks he has a lot to lose if he confronts this guy and complains.”

The source also said Emtee’s feathers were ruffled when Mahumapelo paid him and Fifi Cooper R50,000 each for their December bonuses. “Emtee and Fifi Cooper were not supposed to be paid the same amount because the boy made a lot more money in gigs than Fifi,” said the source.

“The boy has gigs almost every day, unlike Fifi. In December alone, the boy said he might have raked in almost R1-million for the stable, and so for him to get R50,000 was like an insult.”

According to another source: “He [Emtee] told me he has a child and parents to look after, and deserved more than R50,000. The problem is that those artistes are not paid per gig, but earn salaries in the region of R25,000 per month.”

A senior employee at the record label called Emtee and Fifi Cooper “ungrateful spoilt brats”. The employee said Mahumapelo had shelled out more than R1-million on their music videos. “He’s a businessman, how else is he supposed to recover his monies?” quizzed the employee.

The employee said Mahumapelo and the two artistes had agreed that he should take 50 percent of the Metro FM loot if they won because he had spent more than R500,000 to campaign for them to win. – Sunday World.