This archive report was first published on 29 June 2021.
June 29, 2021 - Harmonize's song Sandakalawe has been pulled down from YouTube over copyright claims. According to a cross-check done by Pulse Live, the song was deleted from the streaming platform after a copyright strike was filed by Empire, a music production company.
The copyright strike states that Konde Boy's song used unauthorized content from Empire, leading to the song's removal from YouTube. At the time of its removal, the song was trending at number 25 with over 650,000 views.
A message from YouTube reads, 'This video contains content from Empire, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.'
However, a section of fans and critics argued that Harmonize had simply hidden the song from YouTube to draw attention to it.
This is not the first time Harmonize's song has been pulled down from YouTube. In November 2019, his song UNO was also removed from the platform after Kenyan producer Magix Enga filed a copyright strike. Enga claimed that Harmonize had sampled his work without permission.
Magix Enga shared on social media, 'Week Imeisha and The song Uno is no longer on YouTube Don't sample Magix Enga Beats. I repeat, don't! Like I said I’m not going to allow this to happen not in 254.'
At the time, searching for the UNO video would yield a message that read, 'Video unavailable. This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Magix Enga.'
Harmonize's team was forced to reach out to Enga before the strike was lifted.
Harmonize's album AfroEast was also pulled down from YouTube and other streaming platforms in March 2020 over copyright claims. The album was later re-uploaded on YouTube, minus two songs, Your Body ft Burna Boy and Malaika ft Morgan Heritage, which had copyright issues.
Mejja's song 'Tabia za Wakenya' was also pulled down from YouTube in June after a copyright claim was filed by upcoming artist Bouja Bwuoy. Mejja had also been accused by another upcoming artist, Revina, of stealing the same song from him.
Mejja's song #NaitwaMejja was deleted from YouTube in May after a copyright strike was filed by an unknown artist. Mejja explained that he had been struck by the artist over a sample and had tried to reach out to him for an understanding.
