Nonini joins American music society after ditching MCSK
Kenyan rapper Hubert Nakitare, popularly known as Nonini, has joined the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) days after terminating his membership with the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK).
The singer shared an official letter from the American society approving his membership.
“Glad to be a member of @ASCAP,” he wrote.
Glad to be a member of @ASCAP pic.twitter.com/EgaUzbND9e
— Nonini 🇰🇪🇺🇲 (@Noninimgenge2ru) May 26, 2022
ASCAP is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members’ musical works to venues, broadcasters, and digital streaming services.
ASCAP memberships comes with an exclusive package of benefits, ranging from marketing, insurance cover on instruments and education.
As of the close of 2020, ASCAP represented some 790,000 songwriters. Becoming a member costs $100.
Nonini’s move comes in the wake of a major row between boy band Sauti Sol and Azimio la Umoja coalition over what the former claims is unauthorized use of their Extravaganza hit at a political event.
The tiff that lasted days eventually sucked in other stakeholders in the local music industry, including MCSK and the Kenya Copyrights Board (Kecobo) – who took divergent views on the matter – as well as some Kenyan artistes.
The veteran rapper is among Kenyan artistes who have persistently expressed their disappointment with MCSK’s management of artistes’ revenue.
Nonini’s move has been applauded by fellow artistes some of whom have hinted that they will soon follow suit.