1060 Hip Hop Uncut

Mabala Noise, ANC, and the Siphoning of Money: Unpacking the Allegations ​The story of Mabala Noise is one of South African entertainment's most spectacular rises and falls. The record label burst onto the scene in 2016, seemingly out of nowhere, with a splash of cash and an impressive roster of top-tier artists. It signed major stars like Nasty C, Riky Rick, and Gigi Lamayne, all in a single, well-publicized event that promised to change the industry forever. Yet, as quickly as it rose to prominence, it began to crumble, giving way to a storm of controversy. At the core of this storm were persistent allegations that Mabala Noise was being used to launder and siphon money from the African National Congress (ANC), a narrative fueled by its co-founder, Reggie Nkabinde's, affiliation with the ANC as the then-Treasurer General of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL). ​The Sudden Rise to Power: A Mysterious Financial Backing ​Mabala Noise’s entry into the music indus...

The Meteoric Rise and Controversial Fall of South African Record Labels The landscape of the South African music industry has seen its share of seismic shifts, but few stories are as captivating and cautionary as the simultaneous rise and spectacular fall of two independent record labels: Ambitiouz Entertainment and Mabala Noise. Both emerged with a bang, signed some of the biggest names in local music, and seemed poised for long-term dominance. Yet, within a few short years, a series of controversies and artist departures left them as shadows of their former selves. This is an exploration of their journey, a tale of ambition, a clash of business and artistry, and the changing dynamics of the digital era. The Dawn of a New Era: 2015-2016 Before Ambitiouz and Mabala Noise, the South African music scene was largely dominated by a handful of major labels like Sony and Universal. Independent artists struggled to gain traction without a big-name backer. T...