I have followed this whole Kenyan DJs versus Kenyan artistes brouhaha on Twitter quite intensely…No one,to me,seems to make sense. Not the least the many hordes of clueless Kenyan Twitter users most of whom are a bunch of know-nothing bimbos with a Smartphone and an insatious desire to be noticed.
The whole madness was occasioned by a little announcement that was made by the managers of Performers Rights Society Of Kenya (PRiSK) and the Kenya Association of Music Producers (Kamp).
Now,just so we can clear murky things up, PRISK is a non- profit organization licensed by Kenya Copyright board under Gazette notice 12322 of 2009. Kamp,too,is a music authority organization licensed by the same board to conduct Art-related business in Kenya.
So,these are not some dubious,River Road organizations run by some equally dubious,River Road thieving types.
What was the announcement? That EVERY DJ who plays Kenyan Music to the public is expected to pay as little as-And I repeat,as little as-Ksh.15,000 per Year to these bodies as part of their contribution to the revenue that later translated to Royalties for these hardworking but poorly remunerated musicians.
What followed? A chorus of dumb altercations, Twitter pandemonium, bitter Social Media exchanges and the growth of hundreds of clueless Twitter pontificates. Oh,even artistes we long forgot existed crawled from the little caves they hid in to offer an opinion. Or two.
What I particularly found absurd,however,is that Kenyan DJs,a lot that makes Millions per month-or Year,depending on who you are-were the first to SAY NO to the measly Ksh.15,000 annual charge and also the first to say that they were boycotting Kenyan music if they had to pay to Play it.
B*tches,Please!
This same bunch of greedy gobblers would also go ahead and claim that they cannot be expected to PAY Kenyan artistes for playing their music since,by the mere virtue of playing a Kenyan artistes’ song,they were ‘Supporting the Artists’ and therefore,You cannot charge someone to support You.
Bullcrap!
Let’s first look at the annual fee they have been asked for? Ksh.15,000. Yes,Just that. A figure so little they probably use that to party ALMOST every weekend in the hedonistic Clubs they play in and boisterously patronize.
Most Kenyan DJs are filthy rich millionaires who have gigs ALMOST every weekend . And if You are lucky,even 3 or 4 gigs on ONE weekend.
How much does an average Kenyan DJ make per gig? Let’s NOT be stupid here,They make as much as Ksh.30,000. Or more. And on a good day? Ksh.80,000 per gig. And if You’re really big? Ksh.100,000-500,000.
And now,these are the same people pained enough to pay as little as Ksh.15,000 to a Music Board for purposes of supporting the same artistes they are playing!
They claim to be ‘supporting Kenyan artists’ by playing their music? Oh,really? Isn’t agreeing to pay money meant for the same artistes Royalties the greatest way to Support someone? Anyway?
What stupid use is there of airplay support if the same artiste remains poor and penniless throughout the year? Who wants cheap,DJ deck support that won’t bring food to their tables?
Wanna show REAL support? Well,line the pockets of these artistes with MONEY! Not a silly,3 –second scratch in the dinghy clubs you play in.
Point Number two,If You claim to be ‘supporting Kenyan artistes’ by playing their songs,so what are You doing by playing Nigerian Music? American Music? Ghanaian Music? Jamaican Riddims? Are you still supporting these super-successful foreigners? Oh,You wish!
There is one thing YOU MUST KNOW…That by playing Kenyan Music,You are DOING NO FAVOR to the average Kenyan artiste. No. No freaking favor. One other thing you must remember,You are not gods… Or Kingmakers who get to decide who makes it big. And who doesn’t.
The life of this Industry DOES NOT depend on You. The survival of this Industry is NOT pegged on You. And NO,you are not the saviors of Kenyan Music. You’ve done so little for it,anyway.
According to the law,If you own a premise where sound/visual recording works are made to the public, then you require a license.
And Under the Copyright Act, a performer has the exclusive right to:
- broadcast his performance except where the broadcast is made from a fixation of the performance authorized by the performer;
- communicate to the public his performance except where the communication is made from a fixation of the performance or from broadcast of the performance authorized by the performer;
make a fixation of a previously unfixed performance; and
- reproduce a fixation of the performance in either where the performance was initially fixed without the authorization of the performer or where the reproduction is made for purposes different from those for which the performer gave his authorization.
- rent for commercial purposes to the public, the original and copies of their fixed performances.
distribution of a fixation of his performance or copies thereof, to the public.
- the making available to the public of his fixed performance, by wire or wireless means in such a way that members of the public may access them from a place or a time individually chosen by them.
- Further a performer has the right to equitable remuneration for use of sound recordings and audio visual works
Now,look at the last part of that lengthy statement,it states,very clearly,in case there is a dumb DJ reading this,and I know there are quite a number,that,
- Further a performer has the right to equitable remuneration for use of sound recordings and audio visual works
Therefore it is absolute foolhardy to imagine that You can play music publicly,for masses of people,and NOT remunerate the person who went into a studio,worked hard,composed that song,recorded it with the little funds they had,packaged it and provided it to the public.
For such a person to reap the fruits of their hardwork,for that artist to finally live as good as he hoped he would after producing that song,THEN EVERYONE who plays Kenyan Music in Public MUST Pay to have that music played.
Music,just like mobile phones and cars and laptops and alcohol are products. If you pay for beer,pay for the cozy chairs you sit on in your homes,pay for your ritzy smartphones and your swanky Plasma TVs,why wouldn’t you pay for music? Which,too,is a product? That took money to produce?
And what is Ksh.15,000 to a bunch of people who make as much as a million shillings per month?? Per month!!??
What is Ksh.15,000 to a bunch of spinmasters who have TV shows and endless Club gigs per month and who make as much as 0.5 Million on a good month?? What is Ksh.15,000?? Tell me?? Is that even money!!?
But these same DJs,this same clique of sneaky smart heads,will continue LYING to You that they are supporting You by playing your music while,in real sense,all they are doing is lining their pockets,fattening their bank accounts further,living even larger,buying even bigger cars and getting even better deals while all you do is idly sit at home and clap because they played your song.
Who wants support that lasts lesser than an average orgasm,anyway?
They wanna boycott you? Heck,You can Boycott them too! And I’ll tell You how in my next article.
I ain’t trying to start a fight here…But someone who supports you by keeping you poor is an ENEMY. Not a friend. You don’t need them. Or their bullshit!
And let’s face it,most of the Kenyan DJs belong to a rapacious ,capitalist clique whose greatest contribution to society is herpes,runaway drug abuse and wanton womanizing.
I believe there are GOOD DJs in Kenya. And that is good…
But Kenyan artistes MUST NOT be held hostage by people whose play list is of full of the Chris Browns and the Davidos and the Wizkids and the Rihannas.
And who doesn’t know that most of our DJs shamelessly charge struggling artistes to have their music played on TV? Or in a Club? Yes,they do. Ask Eko Dydda.
What greater crimes against humanity are there than for a Millionaire DJ with a car bigger than your house,17 girlfriends in 17 different Counties and a belly that can safely hide 14 terrorists to charge you,little struggling artiste to play your music?
Why would a DJ who makes as much as Ksh.250,000 a month from all his combined gigs(TV,Club,Concerts) charge some 2,000 bob from a young,scrawny rapper from Eastlands to have their song played? What utter greed! Shameless greed!
And what support are these clowns even talking about? For every one Kenyan song they play,they play around 30 foreign songs. And then another one Kenyan song. And then another 30 Jamaican songs.
Oh,that is the support we are talking about?
How cute! How very cute!
Someone bring me a bucket…I really wanna puke!
