Popular amapiano artist Musa Keys has been slapped with a bill over R700 000 by Joburg-based record label, Electromode, for an alleged breach of contract.
Electromode filed its papers at the Joburg High Court last week, asking the court to force Musa Keys, real name Musa Appreciate Makamu, to also pay for its legal costs and interest on the quantum it is demanding from him.
Musa Keys, whose blockbuster song Selema is taking the industry by storm, and has been streamed more than 9 million times, entered into an exclusive digital distribution agreement with Electromode on April 4 last year to distribute his songs and cinematographic via the
internet, mobile and telecommunications companies.
The distribution agreement was supposed to end after 36 months, with an option for him to renew it for 12 months.
Musa Keys, whose other song, Wena, also blasted the charts, was supposed to pocket 70% and pay the company 30% of the royalties he would have amassed from the distribution of his work.
The company said the artist from Giyani in Limpopo had granted it the sole and exclusive right to distribute his content, and to make it available worldwide to end-to-end users.
The agreement precluded the singer, who is on a tour in Australia, from entering into any distribution agreement with a rival record label.
In addition, read the papers, the company would provide Musa Keys with a R30 000 advance and label services, which would include radio support.
The label services would be considered as an advance and were 100% recoupable, but not returnable.
The company also said all money, including but not limited to recording costs paid to or on behalf of the artist, other than royalties, mechanic royalties and film costs, would also be treated as advances and would be deducted from any royalties accruing to his royalty account.
The company said Musa Keys was not supposed to cancel the agreement until all the money due to Electromode was paid in full.
If he decided to terminate the contract, added the record label, Musa Keys was supposed to give 30 days’ notice to remove his content from all the platforms.
Electromode said Musa Keys breached the terms and conditions of their contract when he, through an agent, gave it notice to cancel the agreement on May 3.
It said notwithstanding its demand, alternatively the summons constituting demand, Musa Keys has failed, refused and or neglected to pay it the money.
The quantum is likely to balloon to at least a million rand as the company also wants the artists to pay for the legal costs and 7.5% interest calculated till the date of full payment.
Musa Keys’s manager, Zime, said they couldn’t confirm or deny that Electromode has taken them to court.
“It’s a private matter and we prefer to keep it that way.”
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