Amapiano maestro Miano claims being exploited and sidelined by management is the reason he no longer works with Semi Tee and Kammu Dee.

Miano was left even more aggrieved after last month's exclusion from the music video for Siyatrenda with Cassper Nyovest, despite featuring on the song.

While Miano still regularly talks to Kammu Dee, he told Sowetan yesterday that he hasn't spoken to Semi Tee in months.

Miano cited that their managers Thato Molemane, director of Levels Entertainment, and AbutiPR owner Lebo Mlangeni forced him to bolt.

"I don't have a problem with the boys [but] I have a problem with management. I never signed anything with this management even though we were working together from the onset," Miano said.

"It was when the contract came later in our working relationship that I had huge a problem."

According to Miano, management proposed that they take "60% on all bookings and royalties and we had to split the remaining 40%".

The once inseparable trio has over the last year collaborated on Amapiano smash hits Labantwana Ama Uber, Gabadiya and Scooter.

"The percentage is true but that wasn't the reason he left. He made his decision by leaving and doing his own thing," Molemane said.

Miano has started his own record label. He is demanding that his vocals be removed from Siyatrenda after they excluded him from the music video.

But Molemane told Sowetan yesterday that hell will freeze over before that happens.

"We tried reaching him out and I couldn't get a hold of him, so we won't postpone the music video shoot," Molemane said.

Mlangeni added: "Miano was not available for the music video, we had to move on and shoot.

"Miano was not sidelined, I treated everyone equally when we started this movement. Miano would be the one who would stress the team by not listening to management, that's why he left and we wished him well on his record label."

The ongoing drama could end in a nasty legal battle after Molemane served Miano with a lawyer's letter of demand on June 30, stating that they entered into a management agreement.

In the document, which Sowetan has seen, Molemane demands R253,145 from Miano for producing and marketing recordings as well as other items such as clothing, cellphone bills, hotel bookings and travel expenses.

In his emailed response that Sowetan has seen, Miano replied: "We will need the agreement mentioned in letter of demand, receipts and invoices. for verification purposes."

Miano claims to be the main vocalist for all their songs, including Labantwana Ama Uber which has been nominated for Record of the Year at the 26th annual South African Music Awards. According to Miano, he came up with the smash hit and contacted Kammu Dee, who then suggested that they go to producer Semi Tee to add a beat.

Semi Tee then introduced them to Molemane and Mlangeni when the song started to gain traction.

He said then the song was registered as Semi Tee featuring Miano and Kammu Dee - suggesting that Semi Tee took all the credit.