Doja Cat’s family feud has taken a deeply personal turn. The Grammy-winning artist’s father, Dumisani Dlamini, is firing back after his famous daughter publicly branded him a deadbeat, claiming that her mother “brainwashed” her into believing he abandoned the family.
The South African actor and dancer posted a series of explosive videos over the weekend, directly addressing Doja Cat’s recent “Deadbeat Chronicles” content, in which she revealed she had trolled him by sending a link to gay porn instead of concert tickets for her South Africa shows.
“She played the cards because of the influence of her mother,” Dlamini said in one video. “She came to South Africa, had the power to see me, and faked it. What I want to say to you guys is, I’m sorry if I ever touched anyone’s nerves. I’m a man of integrity, respect, and love.”
The conflict between Doja Cat, 30, and her father has simmered for years. While the “Say So” singer has acknowledged Dlamini’s artistic accomplishments, he is best known for his role in the original Broadway production of The Lion King and the film Sarafina! she has consistently maintained that she did not know him growing up and that the two are not close.
Her recent “Deadbeat Chronicles” videos escalated the tension dramatically. In them, Doja Cat described trolling her father when he asked for tickets to her tour dates in South Africa. Instead of sending him passes, she sent him a link to adult content, a move she framed as retaliation for his absence during her childhood.
In his response, Dlamini pushed back hard against the deadbeat label. He insisted that he never abandoned his children and that he helped put food on the table during their early years. The narrative shifted, in his telling, only after Doja Cat’s career took off and her mother began shaping her perception of their relationship.
“I love my kids,” Dlamini said, visibly emotional. He accused Doja Cat’s mother, Deborah Sawyer, of turning their daughter against him and rewriting their family history.
His videos painted a picture of a father who feels erased, not by his own choices, but by a coordinated effort to push him out of his daughter’s life. “I’m a man of integrity, respect and love,” he repeated, as if trying to convince not just his followers, but himself.
Doja Cat has rarely spoken about her father in detail, but when she has, the tone has ranged from distant to dismissive. In past interviews, she noted that she grew up primarily with her mother in the United States while Dlamini remained in South Africa pursuing his career.
The geographic and emotional distance between them has been a source of public speculation for years. Dlamini has occasionally commented on his daughter’s success with pride, but the warmth has never seemed mutual.
Now, with both sides trading accusations in the public square, the private wounds of their fractured relationship are on full display.
Neither Doja Cat nor her mother has responded to Dlamini’s latest claims. But the timing suggests this chapter of the family saga is far from over. With the singer in the midst of a world tour and Dlamini clearly unwilling to let her “Deadbeat Chronicles” stand as the final word, the conflict seems poised to escalate further.
For fans watching from the sidelines, the feud offers a messy reminder that even global superstars carry the weight of fractured families, and sometimes, the most painful battles are the ones fought with the people who share your blood.
