Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kenyans.co.ke
Published on 2024-03-04 09:40:28
The Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) came under scrutiny when one of its registered artists from Western Kenya accused the organization of failing to pay him his rightful royalties for his popular song. The artist, who claimed to have the most popular song in his region, expressed his frustration at not receiving any payment despite the song’s success.
During an interview on Citizen TV, the artist, known for his hit song “Rhoda,” which had garnered 2 million views on TikTok, voiced his disappointment at not receiving any royalties for his creative work. He highlighted the financial investment he had made in producing the song, estimating it at over Ksh300,000, with no return on investment in sight.
In response to the artist’s claims, MCSK CEO Ezekiel Mutua defended the organization by requesting the artist’s MCSK registration number to verify the status of his payments. Mutua explained that the royalty payment process was still ongoing, with a notice published in newspapers outlining the payment schedule from January 25 to March 29.
After obtaining the artist’s MCSK number, Mutua discovered that the artist’s song “Rhoda” was not updated in the organization’s catalogue, which prevented them from making payments. Mutua informed the artist that only five of his songs were updated in the catalogue and advised him to update his catalogue to ensure future payments.
Moreover, Mutua clarified that MCSK does not pay royalties for songs played on platforms like TikTok and other social media platforms. This information came as a surprise to the artist, who may have had misconceptions about the payment process for his music.
The interaction between the artist and the MCSK CEO shed light on the complexities of royalty payments in the music industry and the importance of artists keeping their catalogues updated to receive their rightful payments. Mutua’s response emphasized the need for transparency and communication between artists and copyright organizations to ensure fair compensation for creative work.
Overall, the incident highlighted the challenges artists face in receiving their royalties and the importance of understanding the copyright process to navigate the music industry successfully. It also underscored the ongoing efforts of organizations like MCSK to streamline their processes and support artists in protecting their intellectual property rights.
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