A Verzuz Between DJ Speedsta and Naledi Mallela: What’s the Tea?
In between South Africans trolling Elon Musk on X and laughing at the trending baby boy unimpressed by his birthday dessert at Spurs, Mzansi Twitter has had something of a busy weekend. One of the more notable highlights is the recent petty spat between hip-hop disc jockey and producer DJ Speedsta and TV presenter Naledi Mallela.
Most of the conflict between the two has been somewhat lost due to Naledi locking her profile and restricting who can see her posts and comments; however, bits and pieces still exist through circulating screenshots and the general reactions of netizens on X.
The start of the back-and-forth began not on the platform itself but on the latest episode of Spreading Humours, a podcast under the MacG network. During an interview with hip-hop artist Lucasraps, Naledi, one of the show’s co-hosts, suggested that there be a South African version of a Verzuz pitting local hip-hop acts.
When Naledi said that she also said that DJ Speedsta shouldn’t be considered for the spectacle.
Speedsta clapped back by telling Naledi, on X, that he thought she wasn’t that good a presenter either and that she herself wouldn’t make the cut for a TV presenter Verzuz if one were ever held. The “Mayo” hitmaker also posted a screenshot of an apology Naledi DM’d him on Instagram over an incident that would eventually be revealed as the slumber party saga.
A year before, Naledi had bumped into Speedsta at a slumber party of an unnamed 23-year-old woman.
The interaction quickly spiralled into accusatory territory, with Naledi questioning Speedsta’s motives for being at the party as well as his faithfulness to an alleged relationship he was having at the time.
Naledi Mallela | SUPPLIED
DJ Speedsta | SUPPLIED
Speedsta was not dating his current partner Shamiso at the time.
Naledi also brought up Speedsta’s age, mistaking him for a 40-year-old, when he is in fact 32, turning 33 next month. Naledi herself, as pointed out by the DJ during their quarrel, is two years Speedsta’s junior.
The verbal duel between the pair continued, but not with as much intensity it had began with until it died down eventually.