The ongoing family dysfunction surrounding Grammy-winning artist Doja Cat has dramatically spilled into the public arena, creating a heated and very personal dispute. Dumisani Dlamini, the father of the acclaimed singer, took to social media over the weekend to vehemently defend himself against allegations that he was not an involved or caring parent to his daughter.
Father's Public Defence and Accusations
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Dlamini placed the blame squarely on Doja Cat's mother, Deborah Sawyer, for what he described as 'brainwashing' their daughter. "That white woman brainwashed my baby, that I had left her," Dlamini stated emphatically. "I never left my kid." He went on to stress to his social media followers that he was not a deadbeat dad but rather "a man of integrity, respect and love."
The Origins of the Conflict
The issue came to a head as Doja Cat, whose full name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, performed at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. This marked her first-ever performance in the country where her father resides. The concert was part of the Global Citizen Move Afrika event, drawing significant attention to her presence in the region.
In a series of TikTok clips labeled 'The Deadbeat Chronicles,' the 30-year-old 'Say So' singer revealed that she had been in contact with her father and offered him a ticket to her show. According to Doja Cat, he declined the offer, stating that she doesn't 'message him enough.' This exchange set the stage for what followed.
The Controversial Prank
Doja Cat then detailed how she played what she described as a prank on her father. She sent him a link under the guise of being a site where he could acquire tickets to her show, but the link actually directed to gay pornography. "I sent him gay porn, and I said, 'If you go to this link, you can get a ticket' - super duper easy," the 'Paint the Town Red' vocalist explained in the TikTok video.
She recounted that her father initially told her he was 'very busy doing costume and rehearsal' and unable to check the link. He continued sending messages while at work, insisting he didn't have time to view it. Doja Cat then sent the link a second time, and this time he opened it.
Father's Reaction to the Prank
Doja Cat imitated her father's response, saying he exclaimed, "Darling, what is this? Um, this, I, what I'm seeing is gay porn." She continued with her imitation, "It's like a porno on my screen and I don't know if it's a scam, 'cause I feel like you're scamming here, so please, sweetheart, I don't know what to do with this - I can't get the ticket." The singer captioned the TikTok 'LOOOOOOOOOL i sent him tim tales' and ended the clip hysterically laughing at her prank.
Dlamini's Emotional Response
Dlamini, however, did not find the gag amusing. In his social media retort, he vented about how his daughter - influenced by her 'white' and 'Jewish' mother Sawyer - chose to prank him instead of reconciling with him while she was in South Africa. "She played the cards because of being influenced by her mother," Dlamini asserted. "She came to South Africa - she's got power to see me, and she faked it."
He concluded his emotional post by addressing his followers directly, saying, "What I want to say to you guys is, I'm sorry if I ever touched anyone's nerves." The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Doja Cat for further comment on this escalating family dispute that has now become a very public spectacle.
