Grammy Award-winning South African singer Nomcebo Zikode has lost her legal fight against her former record label, Open Mic Productions, in a high-profile dispute over the global hit song “Jerusalema.”
The case, which began in 2022, centered around royalty disputes and ownership rights to the viral song. Despite having initially agreed to a 50/50 joint venture with the label, Zikode later returned to court alleging lack of transparency and unpaid royalties. However, a recent ruling by the Gauteng High Court on May 9, 2025, sided with the label, declaring that Open Mic had met its contractual obligations by giving her access to financial records.
The court’s decision means Zikode must now make and release two successful albums for the label before she can leave her contract. The first album should come out in 2026, and the second in 2027.
Reacting to the verdict, Open Mic’s founder Lionel Jamela didn’t hold back. “I made Nomcebo. Today, she’s a millionaire because of my investment. She wanted to steal the ‘Jerusalema’ song, but she failed. I spent millions building her brand. She still owes me two albums—real, commercial albums. I’ll also be conducting a full audit to determine what she still owes.”
Nomcebo, who co-wrote and performed “Jerusalema” with Master KG, has long claimed she was never paid a cent for the song’s massive success. The track became a global anthem during the pandemic, with viral dance challenges across social media and airplay on international charts.
Meanwhile, the drama doesn’t stop here. Another court case is scheduled for November 2025 involving DJ Charmza and Biblos, who say they co-created the original beat for “Jerusalema” back in 2019 claiming Master KG wasn’t even in the studio at the time.
As these legal battles unfold, they highlight the complicated world of music rights and royalties in the global African music scene reminding creatives of the importance of locking in solid contracts from day one.
