Zambia’s rap heavyweight Chef 187 has pulled out of this year’s Stanbic Music Festival — and the reason has the whole industry fired up.
Word on the street is that Chef 187 was blocked from entering the VIP section, which was reportedly reserved only for international stars Omarion and Musiq Soulchild. After performing, the rapper allegedly had just two options: leave the venue or mix with the general crowd, while the VIP section remained off-limits to local acts.
It didn’t end there.
During sound check, Chef 187 was reportedly told to step aside so Omarion could go first — a move that many are calling outright disrespectful.
The situation has sparked serious backlash, with Yo Maps quickly jumping in to back Chef 187. Yo Maps blasted the organizers for poor treatment of Zambian artists, pointing out issues like long waiting hours for sound checks and limited stage time.
According to him, local artists deserve the same respect as international acts — no excuses.
Since then, more artists and industry players have come forward, rallying behind Chef 187 and calling out what they describe as ongoing disrespect towards Zambian talent.
This drama has now turned into a full-blown conversation about how local artists are treated on big stages. One thing is clear — Zambian artists are no longer willing to be treated like second-class performers.
As of now, organizers of the Stanbic Music Festival haven’t responded — but the pressure is mounting, and this could be a major turning point for the industry.
