PRODUCER and singer Nkazimulo “TNS” Ngema has a bone to grind with Gagasi FM.
In a Facebook post, he complained that the KZN-based commercial station did not play his music.
He said he had a working relationship with Gagasi and occasionally, he would even work for the station for free.
“Gagasi FM, please play my song. KZN is also my home and I love you #UmhlabaWonke,” he wrote.
In a follow-up post, the musician wrote: “I think there’s an issue. I say this because I’ve been the station’s resident DJ on Fridays since 2019. I never got paid and I didn’t ask for a salary because I needed the platform. At the Durban July, I also played for free at its marquee. I did ask for a minimal fee but the station refused to pay me. Again I had no issues with that. But now I am disappointed that the station is sabotaging my work.”
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But his fans told him that Gagasi FM did play his music. He insisted that the station was playing his old songs and not the new one, Umhlaba Wonke.
Speaking to Daily Sun, TNS said: “I am actually complaining about my latest release Umhlaba Wonke, which dropped early February. I submitted it to the station but it has never played the song. I am speaking out because I’ve done everything in my power, but there seems to be a bigger problem.”
He said every weekday, he listened to Gagasi FM but it kept playing old songs.
“Clearly someone is trying to sabotage my career. I say this because this song is big and on high rotation on most public and community radio stations, except Gagasi. I am even more disappointed by the fact that prior to this, I had a good working relationship with the station. I started my music career there, but now it feels like the station is killing my career,” he said.
He then apologised: “If there’s someone I wronged there without even knowing it, I would like to apologise.”
Gagasi FM spokesman Khulekani Shandu said the song was below standard.
“We can confirm that TNS’s song was received and went through the music committee review process. However, it was not approved by the committee as it was deemed not strong enough for playlisting. Gagasi FM has been the biggest supporter of his music. Unfortunately this release didn’t match the standard of previous releases,” he said.
