Cape Town farmer, Andre Laubscher, is claiming that Die Antwoord ripped off their image and creative material from other artists, by plying them with booze and drugs, stealing their ideas and underpaying them.

Laubscher says he took in four boys from the Cape ganglands who formed a hip-hop crew called The Glue Gang Boys. The four boys – Wanga Jack, Mzamo Mzi, Aviwe Dikiza and Chelvin Engelbrecht stayed with Laubscher. After a while he says that Ninja (then known by his birth name of Watkin Tudor Jones) began to visit The Glue Gang Boys, along with his girlfriend, Anri du Toit  (now known as Yo-Landi).

Laubscher says that Ninja is modeled after the four boys he used to house, and many of their abilities were exploited and talents stolen.

The farmer said:

At some point, I found it absolutely bloody impossible to get the boys out of bed in the morning.

Adding:

I found out only when it was far too late that Waddy would arrive here in the middle of the night with booze and dope for the boys.

Laubscher said that this was considered “research” and “Waddy Jones sucked the whole of Die Antwoord out of these boys[…]”

One of the original Glue Gang Boys members – Engelbrecht said:

(Jones) used to come here and talk to us, about our past, and where we come from. I’ve been to prison twice, and in prison you learn this language and there are these chappies (tattoos). And he was obviously looking for this kind of image for himself … When I saw him again, he was full of tattoos.

The Glue Gang Boys eventually became backup dancers at Die Antwoord shows, and earned a mere R100 per show.

In the article written by Charl Blignaut of City Press, Laubscher goes on to even claim that the image depicted in the video for their hit track ‘Evil Boy’ – Casper the Friendly Ghost with an erection – was created by Wanga Jack. Wanga performed in that video.

Jack claims

First we were dancers for him. And then I became a DJ, Junior High Tech. And then suddenly I wrote a song with them.

He says after complaining his paycheque went to R200 per day, but he added:

People were paying R250 just to get into the concert.

Today, two of the original Glue Gang Boys are missing, and Wanga Jack is squatting on the farm grounds according to Laubscher. Once Die Atwoord shot to fame the boys are said to have not heard from Waddy again and they have never received any royalties.

[Source: City Press]