ZAMBIAN music sensation Elton ‘Yo Maps’ Mulenga has found himself at the centre of a storm after boasting in Malawi that he removed artistes who insulted him from his Boomplay portal.
The remarks, made during his media engagement, sparked strong reactions from fellow artists back home, who accused the Try Again hitmaker of disrespecting the very industry that built him.
Acclaimed singer Drimz was among those who came out strongly, warning against arrogance in the industry.
In a statement shared on his page, Drimz also known as ‘Bashi Lota’ said Zambian artists should focus on unity rather than tearing each other down for clout.
“We must never take pride in anyone of us who arrogantly disrespects almost an entire industry that has given birth to a lot of great personalities and stories all in the name of trying to gain credibility,” Drimz wrote.
As the debate raged on, Yo Maps yesterday went live to clarify his remarks, insisting his words had been misunderstood.
The artiste explained that his Boomplay portal was only a bridge for Zambian artists to access payments, stressing that he did not control their royalties.
“I only removed one artist from my portal for a known reason. I don’t touch people’s earnings, their money goes straight to their accounts,” Yo Maps said.
The artiste added that rapper Jemax was never on his portal and urged fans to ignore what he called false narratives circulating online.
While the clarification calmed some of his followers, critics maintain the comments made in Malawi painted a negative image of Zambian music outside the country.
By George Musonda
Kalemba August 24, 2025
