The dispute arose over an undelivered, highly customized supercar, prompting acting judge Sanet van Aswegen to grant summary judgment in favor of the artist’s corporate entity, Soulistic Music.
The legal saga dates back to 2022, when Black Coffee originally purchased a twin-turbo Nettuno V6-powered Maserati MC20 Coupe for R7 million (Ksh. 56 million).
Two years later, he decided to upgrade to the MC20 Cielo, the open-top convertible version distinguished by its retractable glass roof.
Under a combined written and oral agreement with the local dealership, Maserati South Africa offered a R7 million (Ksh. 56 million) trade-in value for his existing coupe against the new R9 million (Ksh. 73 million) MC20 Cielo.
The DJ was scheduled to pay the remaining R2 million (Ksh. 16 million) balance upon delivery, which had been set for July 2025.
To secure the transaction, the dealership even informed the internationally renowned artist that the factory had made a special exception to reserve a dedicated production slot specifically due to his global profile.
Trouble began on June 3, 2025, when the dealership informed the artist that the vehicle would only enter production in August and could not provide a definitive delivery date.
Considering this a fundamental breach of contract, Black Coffee requested to cancel the agreement and demanded the return of his R7 million trade-in amount.
When Maserati South Africa resisted the cancellation, legal proceedings were initiated through Soulistic Music.
Maserati defended its position by arguing that no firm July 2025 delivery deadline had been established and that complex custom builds naturally require at least nine months of production time.
The luxury automaker contended that Black Coffee had requested 18 bespoke specifications – including Maserati’s signature Blu Infinito exterior paint, glossy black diamond-cut wheels, a leather and Alcantara interior, custom stitching, a 12-speaker Sonus Faber sound system, and specifically colored seat belts and brake calipers – some of which were not part of the initial quotation.
Maserati claimed these unconfirmed selections delayed head office approval and prevented a final delivery schedule from being finalized.
Furthermore, the brand asserted that the R7 million trade-in valuation was contingent on the completion of the new vehicle’s purchase, meaning the older coupe would not carry the same trade-in value outside of the deal.
The Johannesburg High Court ultimately found Maserati’s defense lacking and ruled in favor of Soulistic Music.
The court granted a summary judgment ordering Maserati South Africa to refund the R7 million trade-in value, along with 10.5% annual interest calculated from August 22, 2025, until settlement, plus legal costs.
Following the ruling, enforcement escalated as a court-issued writ of execution authorized the sheriff to seize and auction Maserati South Africa’s movable assets to satisfy the total outstanding debt, which has accrued to over R7.725 million.
This victory adds another chapter to the high-profile lifestyle of Black Coffee, who made history in 2022 as the first South African producer to win the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album for “Subconsciously”.
Celebrated globally for his extensive performances and notable collaborations with international superstars such as Drake, David Guetta, Pharrell Williams, and Usher, the artist is also known for maintaining an expansive personal luxury car collection that includes McLaren, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, and Mercedes-AMG models.
