The creative industry often gets tetchy, especially with conflicts between artistes and their record label, OLAITAN GANIU writes.
THE history of Nigerian music is filled with disputes between musical artistes and their respective record labels, the case of 2017 is not exempted.
While many issues can lead to feud between artistes and record labels, money is the common cause of many disagreements. Many artistes feel that their recording companies cheat them out of money that is rightfully theirs. This has been a major cause of artistes opting out of their contracts without minding the punishment.
Late last year, rave of the moment, Anidugbe Danie aka Kiss Daniel broke his contract with G-Worldwide Entertainment. In 2013, Daniel signed a deal with G-worldwide own by, Emperor Geezy, and produced hit tracks such as ‘Shoye,’ ‘Woju,’ and ‘Yeba.’ But the artiste felt cheated and decided to opt out.
“All is set for the take-off of ‘Fly Boy I.N.C’ which is my label,” Kiss Daniel tweeted.
“This implies that all activities regarding Kiss Daniel will be carried out under this new arrangement.
“This is an important move for me and I sincerely want to thank the fans who have always been there for me and also the media for their constant support,” he said.
The artists confirmed his exit with the removal of G-Worldwide from his profiles on social media handles replacing it with the new label.
Of course, G-Worldwide took Kiss Daniel to court but the artiste seems ready.
This cat and mouse between artistes and record labels has been ongoing in the Nigerian music industry for decades.
“Many Nigeria record labels up till today still cheat the artistes by offering them 70/30% deals in favour of the label,” a music producer/songwriter, Shyboi said.
“And they are found with their unfulfilled promises.”
But Tunde Agboola, an artiste’s manager of Tripple D Entertainment, Ikeja has a contrary opinion.
“I pity some of our record label owners, it’s really sad that after spending so much money on an artiste and at the end of the day, he walks out of contracts,” said Agboola.
While recording companies provide a soft cushion for the artistes to focus on their craft, pecuniary gains seems to be pushing more artistes to establish their own record labels.
In November 2016, popular singer/songwriter Harrison Tare Okiri, popularly known as Harrysong announced he was dumping Five Star Music for his own label, Alter Plate, due to differences between himself and the label.
According to reports, Harrysong’s contract to E-Money’s Five Star Music was expected to run till 2019, but the ‘Reggae Blues’ crooner who was earlier signed to Question Mark claimed to have exhausted his contract.
“I am no longer Five Star music artiste,” Harrysong said online.
“My contract with the company has expired and I decided to unveil my new musical platform. I have learned a lot coming from Question Mark, the first record label I have worked with before I moved to Five Star Music. And when the contract expired, I aspired to grow and to express myself in another platform. That’s why I set up the Alterplate and you will see that it is not just a record label, it involves a lot of things. This is a dream I have been nurturing for many years now. I am very grateful to God that it has become a reality.”
But in January, 2017 police reportedly arrested Harrysong on the order of his former record label, Five Star Music.
And a statement signed by Mr. C.C Chris of Five Star Music stated that Harrysong breached his contract with Five Star.
“Five Star Music wishes to state categorically that this reckless breach of contract by Mr. Harry stands contrary to our company’s work ethics and will therefore be pursued to a logical conclusion using the full instrument of the law,” the statement read.
“In setting the records straight, let it be known that before now, the label refrained from instituting any legal actions against him for his blatant breach of contract, just because he was still considered as part of Five Star Music family.”
Slammed with a court case however, Harrysong later apologized and returned to Five Star.
In 2013, rapper Olanrewaju Ogunmefun aka Vector Tha Viper became critical of his label YSG Entertainment after spending four years with the label.
Vector felt YSG did not proactively promote his song and suggested that more professional hands need to be employed in favour of his career. And when Vector personally paid for his promotion as he went for a US trip, the label probably thought of Vector as a threat.
On his return, the record boss accused him of traveling to sign a record deal in abroad. Weeks after his returned, the Lafiaji crooner received an invitation from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and was issued with a “breach of contract” petition, claiming that he has engaged external hands to work for him.
Vector was arrested on June 10 while he was shooting ‘Ghetto RMX’ video by Shank at Mcarthy Barracks, Obalende, Lagos. He was arrested along with his manager, Michael Umoru, and they were detained from 3pm till 10pm until his lawyers came. The multiple-award rapper suffered though as he forfeited the car and apartment provided for him by the label. However, he gained freedom after he publicly apologized to the label.
Also affected in the artiste/record label melee was popular singer, Olawale Ashimi Ibrahim aka Brymo with Chocolate City headed by Audu Maikori. In 2013, Brymo called it quits with the label, citing the label’s inability to fulfill most parts of their contract.
“Apart from promises and failures, there is no accountability on how my new CD is been sold and distributed,” Brymo said.
“When I released the CD, they promised me it was safe to sell online, but the idea failed and I have to talk to some marketers in Alaba Market because the street market is more important, not everybody can buy online.
“Unfortunately, the CD (album) leaked, and nobody is ready to give me explanation or apologize whenever things go wrong and we have a contract. Sometimes, you will be working hard but someone else, who’s supposed to take the contract seriously, is doing that nonchalantly.”
Chocolate City insisted that the singer breached a five-year contract that required him to release three albums between 2011 and 2016. The company also claimed to invest almost N20 million on Brymo, but failed to recoup up to N3 million.
The ‘Good Morning’ crooner was however, sued for altering the contract terms.
The label also accused Brymo of failure to actualise his career potential due to inability to “follow simple instructions”, insubordination, and active/passive promotion of Indian hemp which caused “serious damages to his brand and that of the plaintiff and other artists in the stable of the plaintiff”.
“The defendant’s active and passive promotion of drugs/marijuana included posting of pictures of Indian hemp/marijuana on his Twitter handle, Facebook or Instagram,” the label said.
“In fact, a major telecommunication company in Nigeria suddenly pulled out of an endorsement deal worth N20 million which the plaintiff was negotiating for the defendant and which would have earned the plaintiff about N10 million.”
Other skirmishes involving record labels and musicians include, Skales and his manager, Osagie who Baseline Records arrested over allegations of fraud, DJ Zeez feud with HF Music, and also Runtown versus Ericmany Entertainment.
Finding a lasting solution to disputes between the musicians and record label owners, popular entertainment lawyer, Akinyemi Ayinoluwa, said music is a high risk for label owners and the artistes.
“Nothing is promised in the music business,” Ayinoluwa said on his Instagram post.
“It is high risk for both parties. Investors sink in huge sums of money and talent keeps faith and surrenders the control of his career for a number of years, with the expectation that he will embrace success someday.
“It is a business; you see value in an artist. You source for funding and human resources, and build leverage relationships to try to make profit from investment made.
“Usually there is an agreement in the document but most artistes will proceed with a gentleman’s handshake. Either party may default in terms agreed to, and for every act of breach there is a consequence. You can terminate the relationship or sue for breach of contract if fundamental enough to pursue a claim.”
Concerning Kiss Daniel’s exit from his record label, Ayinoluwa expressed optimism that “If Wizkid could force an exit from the canopy of EME to a brighter rewarding future, perhaps Kiss Daniel can. Artists always have reasons. With money and fame, they become something else, just like anyone with both.
Like EME, what will happen to G-Worldwide after the departure of its most prized asset? The label going downhill is very likely. It is difficult to break through twice. The owner of the label will be frustrated and might leave the business.”
