Rapper turned politician Joseph Haule popularly known as Professor Jay has turned the heat on the Copyright Society of Tanzania (COSOTA).
This is over claims by COSOTA that it paid him Sh4.5 million (Tsh100 million) as royalties from Uganda.
In an explosive message on Instagram, the Mikumi Member of Parliament accused COSOTA of misrepresenting of facts when it appeared before a committee in parliament.
Professor Jay stated that the body has not paid him a cent.
He, instead, revealed that COSOTA channelled the cash to revered music producer P Funk Majani, the owner of Bongo Records.
“COSOTA mmekuja kwenye kikao cha kamati ya Bunge na kusema uwongo kwamba mmenisimamia mimi Professor Jay nikalipwa shilling millioni 100 kutoka Uganda. Ukweli ni kwamba sijalipwa hata cent tano na pesa zote amelipwa Pfunk Majani. Chini ya usimamizi wenu wekeni vizuri hio kumbukumbu yenu,” lamented the MP.
But in response, an enraged P Funk Majani accused his long-time associate of playing politics saying he owned the rights to what he was paid for having lodged the case in court.
Majani claimed that the rapper rode on his creativity for 19 years and declared that he has severed ties.
“Hizi ni siasa Professor Jay au?Mbunge kweli roho inakuuma nikipewa haki yangu? Kazi nibuni mimi, kesi nipambane mimi bila support yoyote. Stress ni bebe mimi kwa miaki mitatu. Hakuna ubunifu wala sauti yako iliyotumika. Unataka nini kama sio ulafi? Au leo hii wewe ndio P-Funk mtunzi wa mziki “Composer / Producer”.
“Punguza tamaa kaka. Kwa miaka 19 umeweza kufaidika kwa kusindikizwa na mziki wangu. Na huu ndio mwanzo. Mungu atanipa haki zangu zote katika safari yangu ya miaka 26 katika mziki. Sijaletwa duniani kuja kuwa mtumwa wa wasanii. Nilipowafikisha panatosha kabisa, heshima yangu kwako imefia hapa leo,” responded Majani.
Professor Jay’s tussle with COSOTA and Majani over royalties is reminiscent of the outcry from Kenyan artistes early this month over the ‘meagre’ royalties pay-out by the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) to its 13,967 members.
Rapper Khaligraph Jones was in particular not amused on receiving Sh2,530.
"Msijaribu kunitumia izi peanuts tena. In fact, I have given authorization for my music to be pirated, don't collect money on my behalf anymore," he posted on Instagram.
