I have not received any royalties since leaving Kennis Music – Paul Play

In a candid interview on the Afrobeats Podcast, renowned Nigerian artist Paul Play Dairo opened up about his ongoing battle with the country’s music industry, specifically regarding royalties and intellectual property rights. Despite his immense contributions to the scene, Paul Play revealed that he has not received any royalties since parting ways with Kennis Music.

The veteran RnB singer discussed the complexities surrounding his music’s availability on streaming platforms. He explained that the terms of his contract with Kennis Music have created barriers, preventing him from sharing his beloved tracks online.

Delving deeper into his experiences, Paul Play highlighted a frustrating reality for many artists: the lack of robust intellectual property laws in Nigeria. He lamented that many individuals and entities are reluctant to engage in meaningful discussions to resolve these issues.

Paul Play also addressed the rampant unauthorized sampling of his music, recounting a notable dispute with telecommunications giant MTN. He revealed that after MTN used his song in an advertisement without consent, he was met with a wave of backlash. “I received a lot of insults when I sued MTN,” he shared, reflecting on the accusations of being financially motivated and obstructing the younger generation’s growth.

Despite the negativity, Paul Play remains steadfast in his belief that artists deserve respect and proper compensation for their work. Years after his conflict with MTN, he noted that Nigeria’s intellectual property laws remain significantly underdeveloped.

The artist pointed out that some of his most beloved tracks, such as “Forever,” “Angel of My Life,” and “Mosorire,” have been sampled multiple times without his permission. While he refrained from naming all the offenders, he did mention that Blaqbonez’s track “Loyalty” was pulled from streaming services due to copyright issues stemming from its use of his music. More recently, Olamide interpolated “Mosorire” in his latest project, “Ikigai”.