This archive report was first published on 8 October 2019.
October 8, 2019, marked a significant day for Khaligraph Jones as he spoke out against the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) over the meager royalties he received from the Copyright Management Organisation (CMO). The rapper received a paltry Sh2530 in royalties, prompting him to call out MCSK.
According to Khaligraph, he spoke out against MCSK for the sake of local music acts, especially the up-and-coming Gengetone stars who have not yet learned the ropes of the music industry.
The rapper urged local stars to make their voices heard, even as the government, through President Uhuru, tries to streamline agencies tasked with royalties collection.
"As far as getting paid goes, there have been talks, however, I haven’t attended any meetings. It has even reached the President and they want to straighten this thing," Khaligraph said.
He emphasized the importance of artistes asking questions about their money, citing his own experience in the industry.
"Artistes should not fear to ask questions about their money. I have been in the industry for long and I know how the industry is," Khaligraph said.
He also spoke about his latest project, Khali Cartel 3, featuring Bey T, Breeder Lw, Silverstone Barz, Rekles, and Chiwawa.
"It was nice working with all of them. As long as you are a rapper, it is always easy for them to get into the studio and do something big. Everyone wrote their own lyrics. I just gave an arrangement for the song. They followed the direction and the song was done," Khaligraph said.
