The post What Caused the End of Teargas? SA Hip Hop’s Biggest Split appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.
Teargas stands as one of the most successful and influential groups in South African hip-hop history. Tracks like “Chance,” “Mhlobo Wami,” and “Wake Up” still trigger full-crowd sing-alongs nearly two decades later. Their run produced critical and commercial peaks that few local crews have matched. Yet even at the height of their success, internal conflict ended the group. At the centre of that fracture was the formation of Cash Time Life.
Teargas emerged in 2004 and signed a recording deal soon after. In July 2006 they released their debut album K’shubile K’bovu to strong acclaim. The single “Chance” earned a Song of the Year nomination at the 2007 South African Music Awards. Their second album, Wafa Wafa (15 May 2008), blended hip-hop with kwaito elements and won Best Rap Album at the 2008 SAMAs. The third project, Dark and Blue (2009), went gold with 25,000 units sold in South Africa and received an Album of the Year nomination at the 16th Annual SAMAs. In 2010 the group was nominated for Best International Act at the BET Awards. Years later, in 2022, they released Number Number, which topped the SA music charts and collected multiple nominations.
Four albums. Major awards. Gold plaques. By every measurable standard Teargas sat at the top of South African hip-hop. Success, however, did not protect them from disagreement.
Cash Time Live: The Breaking Point
The core of the conflict was the creation of Cash Time Live, a South African music publishing company and record label. The broader Cash Time Fam collective included artists such as K.O, Ma-E, Maggz, Kid X, Moozlie, AB Crazy, Smashis and DJ Vigilante. For Teargas members, the label represented both opportunity and a source of lasting tension.
Speaking to SA Hip Hop Mag, Ntukza described feeling sidelined. “The week before that actually happened, unfortunately, we had that meeting, and at the meeting they asked me, do I want to be a part of this? Because they feel like I don’t want to be a part of this Cash Time thing. I said, yeah… But next week, the script changes. I see a paper, I’m not even being engaged into the thing… The least that I need you to do is to respect me.”
K.O.’s account differs sharply. In his interview with SA Hip Hop Mag, he rejected the idea that Ntukza was excluded or treated unfairly. “It’s on paper. People know this shit… It was presented to all of us… We’re about to start this Cash Time shit… As far as the directors, it’s the four of us. Cash Time gonna have four directors, and this bitch gonna be split 25% each. Four ways… We said, yo, so here’s your stake, come do this shit. And the niggas flat out said, fuck no… And we had to respect that, and it ended up being three directors… myself, Ma-E, and it was split equally still… I was never trying to pull a fast one on no one.”
Two members. Two versions. A fanbase left to piece together the truth between them.
Reunion Hopes and Lingering Distance
Over the years fans repeatedly hoped for a stage reunion. Plans never materialised. Discussions around a “Back to the City” appearance further highlighted unresolved issues. Ntukza has described welcoming the idea of putting differences aside for the bigger picture and the business, noting that promoters have never stopped asking. At the same time he has made clear that he is focused on his own work.
K.O. has been equally direct about the distance. He stated he had not spoken to Ntukza since 2018 (and prior to that, not since 2014). An earlier attempt to discuss a reunion in 2018 collapsed after public exchanges and personal comments. On the prospect of a 2022 stage moment, K.O. emphasised that any Teargas appearance would need to be genuine and that the group’s original model of equal splits remained his standard.
The Question That Remains
Will South African audiences ever again experience “Wake Up” and “Chance” performed by Teargas on the same stage? The evidence suggests not anytime soon. The artistic legacy is secure. The personal and business fractures that ended the group have proven more durable than the hits.
What remains is the music and the debate. Which side of the Cash Time story do you find more convincing? Drop your favourite Teargas track in the comments and stay locked to SA Hip Hop Mag for more deep dives into the history of South African hip-hop.
The post What Caused the End of Teargas? SA Hip Hop’s Biggest Split appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.
The post What Caused the End of Teargas? SA Hip Hop’s Biggest Split appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.
Teargas stands as one of the most successful and influential groups in South African hip-hop history. Tracks like “Chance,” “Mhlobo Wami,” and “Wake Up” still trigger full-crowd sing-alongs nearly two decades later. Their run produced critical and commercial peaks that few local crews have matched. Yet even at the height of their success, internal conflict …
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