MCSK’s defense over ‘peanuts’ payment to Kenyan artistes

Music Copyright Society of Kenya finally speaks after public outrage and artistes’ uproar over alleged ‘peanuts’ pay as royalties.

Just mid last week, Kenya’s music industry big wigs across the board, received payments as their music royalties but to their shock.

Celebrity rapper, Khaligraph Jones took the first step in exposing the disrespect accorded to them by the copyright society having received just Ksh 2,530, back and front.

We have distributed royalties to all our members being a general distribution as of yesterday 13/8/2019 as promised.
Please Note that this was collection for two months only. Performance in Public Places (PPP)royalties were distributed equally to all our members. pic.twitter.com/pQxYBL18Zl

— Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) (@TheMCSK) August 14, 2019

Soon after, fellow artists followed suite to back up the expose that has since then gone viral.

Defense

Compelling the music body to respond to the allegations but in all earnest tried to defend themselves.

According to MCSK, they distributed royalties to all their 13,967 members but are yet to receive a dime from any broadcasters who exploit music.

MCSK’s tweets read:

Surprisingly, the same board earlier indicated that this is a ‘general distribution’ for artists nationally.

KECOBO

The umbrella body, Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO), issued a statement confirming the disbursement of Ksh 80 Million for the 2nd quarter of the year.

This is to confirm that the three music Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) licensed by @KenyaCopyright which are @kampkenya @priskkenya and @TheMCSK have distributed Sh80 million royalties from collection of the second quarter of the year (April to June 2019). pic.twitter.com/LFFNKc22gv

— Kenya Copyright Board (@KenyaCopyright) August 14, 2019

And according to the body, this amounts to 68% of total revenue amassed within the period.

Therefore the Ksh 2,530 that Kenyan artists have received is just but the first slice of royalty received this year. Further on, KECOBO states that royalties of the first quarter of the year will be disbursed ‘in due course’.

Years and still counting, Kenyan artistes are pleading with MCSK over their rightful pay via the campaign ‘Pay Our Dues, Please’.