South African rising star Tebogo G Mashego, best known for his hit Biri Marung, is making headlines for reasons outside of music. The artist has gone live on Facebook visibly in tears, claiming he is stranded in Nigeria without money. According to him, the people he traveled with have since turned against him, leaving him without support.
Mashego says he won’t be able to return to South Africa until 30 September, unless he manages to raise enough money for a flight home. During the live stream, Mashgho made a sharp claim against well-known industry figure DJ Maphorisa insinuating that Maphorisa has something to do with his current predicament. Maphorisa is already associated in public discourse with allegations of exploiting artists, with critics accusing him of benefiting from their work while leaving them unsupported.
Mashego also mentioned that despite the success of Biri Marung, he has not received proper payment, intensifying public concern that upcoming artists are being left vulnerable to exploitation, both at home and abroad. Despite its success on streaming platforms, that history has sparked conversations about the exploitation of young artists in the music industry and whether financial mismanagement has contributed to his current struggles. In the live stream, Mashego appealed directly to South Africans to assist with donations for his return ticket.
However, questions remain around the circumstances of his trip, who he was traveling with, and why his situation has reached this point. The incident has reignited debate on the vulnerability of local talent when working abroad without strong industry support. Critics say artists need better protection, not only from shady contracts, but also from being stranded in foreign countries without a safety net.
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