K.O Gets Real About The Harsh Truths Of The Music Industry: “You Get Used if You Are Useful”

K.O Gets Real About The Harsh Truths Of The Music Industry: “You Get Used If You Are Useful.” South African rap legend K.O has never been one to mince his words, and in a candid interview with FrontPage Magazine, the “SETE” hitmaker pulled back the curtain on one of the hardest lessons he’s learned in his storied career: trust, in the entertainment industry, is a fragile illusion.

Reflecting on his years in the game, K.O revealed a sobering realisation that has shaped his perspective and approach to the business side of music.

“One of the lessons I’ve learned through the years is something I grasped on a social level: there are no friends in the entertainment industry, if I may put it mildly,” he shared.

In an industry often glamorised by flashing lights and high-profile collaborations, K.O highlighted a darker undercurrent: transactional relationships disguised as friendship.

“A lot of people who come around you are either looking for a favour or to use you for whatever they want to get, and then once they no longer need you, they push you to the side.”

The Skhanda World boss admitted to once pouring his energy into building authentic connections with peers, only to be met with disappointment and betrayal.

“I invested a lot of time trying to build genuine bonds with people, but unfortunately, it just ends up being a toxic situation with lots of disappointments and whatnot.”

For K.O, these hard-earned lessons have led to a shift in mindset, one that prioritises self-preservation over blind loyalty. He acknowledged that the entertainment industry operates more like a business machine than a community.

“Little things like that and understanding that this is a business and that you get used if you are useful and then when you are useless, you get discarded.”

His honesty strikes a chord not only with aspiring artists but also with fans who often see only the polished exterior of celebrity life.