This archive report was first published on 11 May 2021.
Kenyan music fans have been treated to some of the best collaborations in recent years, with Sauti Sol's 'Yes Bana' being one of the standout tracks. The song, released on January 30, 2020, has been viewed over 3.4 million times and earned millions in licensing fees.
According to Bien Aime Baraza, Sauti Sol's lead singer, Khaligraph Jones sent him Sh300,000 after the success of the song. Bien made the revelation on the Cleaning the Airwaves (CTA) show, where he was being interviewed by Richard Njau alias A-Star.
'Yes Bana' also scored a marketing campaign by one of the leading telcos in the country, earning millions in licensing fees. Speaking on the show, Bien took a slight dig at Khaligraph Jones for sending the amount in six batches to save on transaction fees.
'He is such a Kenyan stereotype so he sent the money from his phone. He asked for my account number and wired it in batches of Sh50,000. He is like those debtors that pay you in hundreds,' Bien joked.
The towering Sauti Sol vocalist and guitarist likened music to real estate, explaining that every released song is like a rental that earns him money every time someone listens or uses it for commercial purposes.
Bien also disclosed that Sauti Sol's latest album, 'Midnight Train', has been streamed over 100 million times. He noted that some songs earn small residual income over long periods of time, while others become hit songs and fall off in the same manner.
