Vth Season founder Raphael Benza has revisited a defining moment in South African hip hop history, revealing the staggering R275,000 budget behind AKA’s iconic 2017 music video, The World Is Yours.
Speaking to SA Hip Hop Mag, Benza reflected on the audacious investment made during the peak of AKA’s “Supa Mega” era, a time when such a budget for a local hip hop production was virtually unprecedented.
From Romance to Production
The glamorous visuals, filmed in Phuket, Thailand, were initially conceived as a romantic getaway for AKA and then-partner Bonang Matheba. However, it quickly evolved into a full-scale production.
- The Production: A compact team, including director Alessio Bettocchi and executive producer Prince Costinyo, collaborated with AKA to capture the glossy, luxurious aesthetic.
- The Cameo: Bonang Matheba made a notable appearance, adding to the video’s massive allure.
We’re Going to Make the Money Back
For Benza, the risk was calculated based on the sheer quality of the track.
“The first time I had the demo of The World Is Yours, I thought this is our song. We’re going to make back the R275,000,” Benza shared.
The investment paid off massively, with the video recouping its costs multiple times over through streaming revenue, brand impact, and its status as a benchmark for local visual quality.
