Belo Salo And A-Reece Clash Publicly Over Royalties. The South African hip-hop landscape was once again set ablaze, not by new music but by a fiery back-and-forth between A-Reece and his former protégé Belo Salo. What started as a fan’s casual classification of rappers as the “sons” of two SA hip-hop giants — Nasty C and A-Reece — quickly snowballed into a highly public and personal fallout that has captivated fans and insiders alike.
In a now-viral tweet, a fan categorised prominent rising acts under each of the two revered rappers. Blxckie, Usimamane, KindlyNxsh, LucasRaps, and K.Keed were named as “sons” of Nasty C, while Big Hash, Belo Salo, and K-Rev were labelled under A-Reece. Though seemingly innocuous, this sparked an unexpected response from Belo Salo, who used the opportunity to air out grievances that had long simmered beneath the surface.
“It’s 2025 & certain slimes on this app still toxic azz 💩smh 🤦🏽♂️ böi! 😂 yö ahh don’t get no clicks on ur muzick so u dick ride rappers 4 engagement 🏇🍆,” Belo posted in a scathing tweet. He followed this up with a heavy allegation, implying that A-Reece had “son’d” him in real life by allegedly withholding royalties from a song they collaborated on: “…I 🙁 guess it’s my fault 4 putting ur fav rapper on a pedestal till he ‘son’d’ me by sliming 🐍 me out of my Royalties 🤷🏾♂️”
It didn’t take long for A-Reece to respond — calmly but firmly. In a detailed statement, A-Reece explained his side of the story, maintaining that he had provided Belo with the necessary contacts and information to resolve the issue. He also revealed that the track in question was originally his, recorded at his home studio with producer 808, but he allowed Belo to use it out of goodwill.
“We’ve been through this royalty issue multiple times. I told you who to contact regarding all of it. I gave you all the information you needed. You were subtly being disrespectful in the process and yet even after all of that, I cleared my verse for your project,” A-Reece wrote. He added, “youngin’ you’re so entitled it’s sad to witness. I brought you into my home and put you on my mixtape twice… I blame myself for that, I moved too fast and let you get too comfortable.”
The issue, however, wasn’t just emotional — it was legal and financial. Belo fired back, denying he had received real help: “We both knö u sent me on a wild goose chase 2 ur previous management whom I contacted as instructed & was told u’re no longer under them by some1 named ‘Nicole’ bet. I reached out tirelessly 4 months til u sent me on yet another chase to SAMRO w/o split sheets. How do I withdraw?”
A-Reece responded with a curt but decisive final instruction: “ok. now I’m sending u to go get a lawyer and cc Nicole in the mail.”
This latest chapter in SA hip-hop’s ever-unfolding drama underscores the complexities of mentor-protégé relationships, especially when business is mixed with brotherhood. The exchange has divided fans, with some sympathising with Belo’s frustration over seemingly unresolved royalties, while others side with Reece, who appeared to take steps — albeit not entirely effective — to assist Belo.
