SAD NEWS FOR AKOTHEE AS BENEFACTOR VIDEO FACES RISK OF BEING PULLED DOWN FROM YOUTUBE BY PRICESS JULY

Akothee

By Mkikuyu MJaka

Singer Akothee is gradually becoming a global figure especially after working with Diamond Platnumz,Mr Flavor and Dj Maphorisa in her resent works.She is rumored to be Kenya's richest  musician with a vast estate of belongings and companies.Akothee however is currently facing hard time after she received the sad news that her newest video Benefactor will be brought down from YouTube soon enough.

Benefactor Cover

Reason being some of her lyrics for the song are copy pasted from previous works by few other artistes.Among the few artistes whose works Akothee has remixed into her new Benefactor song include Yelele by Jakonyango and Aroko by Princess July.Princess Jully was part of the divas of the Nile Supergroup that featured four Kenyan  female musicians herself, Suzzana Owiyo, the late Achieng Abura and Mercy Myra.She is famed for the songs Malo Malo Joluo Malo and Dunia Mbaya .

Princess Jully

 

Bonyeza Star took the initiative of speaking to Princess July Records over the issue and it turns out both of the above mentioned songs belong to the Record label owned by Luo Legendary musician Princess Jully.

Princess July's son Makajully who is also the Creative Director at Princess July Records narrated to Bonyeza Star how Akothee ended up obtaining the two projects without neither a proper compensation nor a  permission.Leave alone agreement terms.

Makajully

''If you can remember very well there was a time my mom Princess July and Akothee were up for a collabo .So Akothee paid a visit to Mama and they even took a few photos together though the family was stern on their stand not to have her use the photos until the mission was clearly spelt out.Only to later listen to her latest release and realize she duped all of us.If they were to collabo it was going to be very easy but instead she decided to steal away the lyrics by posing too close and then went to social media to claim she paid us .I want the whole world to know that Akothee never paid Princess July anything and thus she unlawfully used the lyrics .The family's stand therefore is that we not only need compensation for the remixing but also a public apology for smearing mad on our family name .Yes Yelele Jakonyango is since dead but his royalties are still managed by Princess July Records and his beneficiaries.In simple terms whatever Akothee has done is called Infringement and the MCSK laws stipulate clearly what should be done when such happens.We are pulling the video down until we receive clear communication from Akothee and her team concerning settlement and apology.We are also going to serve her with a court order on the same.'' Said Makajully over  a phone call conversation.

REMIXING RULES 101

Is it Illegal to Remix Music? By Brett Snider, Esq. on August 31, 2013 5:45 AM

 Aspiring DJs and music enthusiasts everywhere love original music, and they love it even more when it's remixed. But is it illegal to remix music? Whether you're making mash-ups for your own personal playlist or getting ready to spin your first set at the club, your remix could end up being quite costly if a copyright holder sues you for infringement. Here's what you need to know about music remixes and the law: Copyright Laws and Remixes The main legal issue with remixes is that they are derivative works , meaning that they are derived mostly from other artists' songs.

Akothee and Mr.Flavor

 In theory, this isn't an issue. But almost all music released for consumers has copyright protection, preventing remixers from making their own version of certain songs without permission. Some songs exist in the public domain and are not protected by copyright (e.g., most classical music), but only the sheet music would be open for use, not the recordings. Making a Remix: A Legal Checklist In order to legally make a remix from copyrighted music, you need to:

1. Buy a copy of the song(s). Pirated music is still illegal despite how easily it is to obtain.

 2. Obtain permission from the copyright holder. Each piece of recorded music has at least two copyrights: one for the song and one for the master recording. You need permission from both copyright holders in order to legally remix a copyrighted song.

3. Make a record of permission. Even if it's just an email, you need some sort of written record that the copyright holder has allowed you to make a remix of his or her song. Amateurs who want to just mix songs at home for their own personal use aren't likely to run into trouble if they fail to obtain permission, unless there's money involved. Playing Your Remix in a Club While you might have permission to make the remix from the copyright holder, you can't legally play your mix in a club without the performance rights. Luckily for most DJs, the responsibility for paying the performance royalties typically falls with the club or bar owner and not the DJ. Still, venues won't exactly invite you back for another set if you get them sued. Your actual performance with the remixed music may be covered by fair use, but the more you profit from the remix without getting the copyright holder's permission, the more likely you are breaking the law. While this may not affect most hobbyist remixers, if you ever want to make a remix of yours a commercial success, you need to get the copyright holder's permission.

Now you are on the know .Send us an email to bonyezastar@gmail.com for stories and inquiries

Makajully Performing Live at a past event