Kenyan singer Bahati has accused music distribution company Ziiki Media of hacking his YouTube channel and removing the video of his song “Diana” featuring Rwandese singer Bruce Melodie.
Bahati made the claims on Wednesday in a post on Instagram. He said that Ziiki Media had illegally hacked his channel and deleted the song, which has over 10 million views.
“Ziiki Media are fraudsters,” Bahati wrote. “They have illegally hacked my YouTube channel and deleted my song ‘Diana’ featuring Rwanda’s Bruce Melodie. Dear Kenyan Government, this is where we are getting our taxes… Help us deal with these fraudsters! Very sad!”
Ziiki Media has not yet responded to Bahati’s allegations.
The incident has raised concerns about the security of YouTube channels and the rights of artists. Bahati is one of Kenya’s most popular singers, and his music is streamed millions of times around the world. The hacking of his channel could have a significant impact on his career.
The Kenyan government has said that it is investigating the allegations. If Ziiki Media is found to have hacked Bahati’s channel, it could face legal action.
The incident has also highlighted the importance of artists having control over their own content. In the digital age, it is more important than ever for artists to protect their intellectual property.
Bahati’s case is a reminder that artists need to be vigilant about the security of their online presence. They should also take steps to protect their intellectual property.
Ziiki Media has since responded to Bahati saying:
“Bahati has claimed in his post that Ziiki Media has ‘hacked’ his YouTube channel, taken down one of his songs ‘illegally,’ and referred to the company as ‘fraudsters,’ without any explanation or substance to such an incriminating statement. We vehemently deny the statement made by Bahati in the above post in its entirety and do not wish to dignify such brazen lies by explaining any further at this stage”