Amapiano vocalist Benzoo has found himself at the centre of fresh controversy after claiming he was excluded from the official music video for “AmaRider”, a collaboration with Royal MusiQ signed at Rap Academy and Officixl RSA.
Fans were quick to notice that Benzoo was missing when the music video premiered, sparking widespread speculation online. While no official explanation accompanied the video’s release, the omission quickly became the biggest talking point surrounding the visuals.
The situation escalated after Benzoo took to social media, sharing screenshots of an alleged text message exchange with Royal MusiQ. In one of the messages, Royal MusiQ allegedly refers to Benzoo using the N-word, further fuelling the public fallout between the collaborators. The screenshots surfaced after Benzoo addressed questions from fans about why he was absent from the music video.
Meanwhile, speaking to Buzz Life News, a source close to the production has blamed Benzoo for the fallout, claiming the singer’s attitude has changed following his recent success.
“The fame has gotten to Benzo’s head. He’s become unprofessional. Everyone was informed about the shoot well in advance, but he didn’t pitch. The production couldn’t wait for one person, so they continued without him,” the source alleged.
The source further claimed the decision to proceed without Benzoo was made only after it became clear he would not arrive for filming.
Benzoo, however, appears to dispute that version of events. By posting the alleged messages publicly, he suggested there was more to the story than simply missing the shoot, with many fans interpreting the leaked conversation as evidence that tensions between him and Royal MusiQ had already deteriorated before the video was filmed.
Neither Royal MusiQ nor Officixl RSA has publicly addressed Benzoo’s claims or the authenticity of the leaked messages at the time of writing.
Despite the controversy, “AmaRider” remains one of the biggest Amapiano songs of the year, with the collaboration enjoying strong support across streaming platforms and social media since its release earlier this year.
The public dispute has now shifted attention away from the music itself, with fans divided over who is responsible for the breakdown in relations. While some have criticised Benzoo over the allegations that he failed to attend the shoot, others have questioned the alleged language used in the leaked messages and called for the artists to resolve the matter privately.
As of publication, neither artist has released a formal statement clarifying what led to Benzoo’s exclusion from the “AmaRider” music video.
admin 