Sol Generation tops KAMP royalty payout as CMO goes to court over licence dispute
Sauti Sol’s record label Sol Generation has emerged as the top earner in the latest royalties distribution by the Kenya Association of Music Producers (Kamp).
On Tuesday, June 11, Kamp distributed Sh8,050,170 to its 1,600 members – record labels – marking the second distribution in its first quarter.
Of the amounts paid out, Kamp noted that the top earner received Sh1,221,607, the second took home Sh734,723 and the third walked away with Sh697,163.
However, Kamp stopped short of revealing the names of the top earners, citing an embargo.
“The respective members have asked us not to disclose their names but we will be submitting the full report with names and amounts paid to all members to the Kenya Copyright Board as we are required to account for all monies collected and distributed,” read a statement from Kamp signed by its board chairperson Angela Ndambuki.
However, Nairobi News has exclusively learnt from sources within KAMP that Sol Generation is the top earner in the latest distribution.
In April, Kamp announced that it would distribute Sh17,128,00 for the first quarter of 2024.
Ndambuki went on to explain the distribution process, saying that the royalty amounts would take a hybrid form consisting of a mix of general and scientific distributions, with the bulk of Sh9.075 million being general to all members and Sh8.05 million being scientific.
“The amount of Sh 8,050,170.20 being released today is the balance of what was declared at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on 5 April 2024. Sh9,075,873.00 has already been paid out to our members, leaving the balance of Sh8,050,170.20. This amount has been split in two to cover local members and the remaining 50% will be distributed to our international affiliates through the agreements we have with the international record labels,” the statement said.
With the completion of its first quarter distribution, Kamp says it will now focus its energies on launching a legal action against the Kenya Copyrights Board (KECOBO) for refusing to grant it an operating licence despite meeting all the requirements.
KAMP says the basis for KECOBO not renewing its licence and instead issuing it to PAVRISK was merely a matter of clarification, according to the letter the regulator sent to the company explaining its decision.
“In the case of PRISK and PAVRISK, in a letter dated 13/05/2024, the Regulatory Board stated that PRISK/PAVRISK had not paid all actors and many musicians in 2023. In 2024, at the time of the licence application and to date, PRISK/PAVRISK had again not paid any royalties to any members. So how did PAVRISK emerge as the best-placed CMO to handle distribution for all creatives?” Maurice Okoth, CEO of KAMP, told members in a WhatsApp group.