Abel Mutua says Wakadinali wanted Ksh.450K for ‘Geri Inengi’ song to be featured in his movie

Scriptwriter Abel Mutua has come out to reveal that high-flying Kenyan rap group Wakadinali’s management slapped him with a Ksh.450,000 price tag in order to use 30 seconds of their hit song ‘Geri inengi’ in his latest film ‘Click Click Bang.’

Mutua, who is the creative director at Phil-It TV, made the revelation in support of his claim that securing rights for music is the most expensive element in filmmaking.

He hence did not fault Wakadinali for the price tag, instead acknowledging that that’s actually the average figure it ordinarily costs to use music in a film.

“One of the most expensive elements in film production, believe it or not, na hii inapatanga watu as a surprise, is music. The moment unawatch sinema ya Hollywood unaskiza ngoma unajua, money has been poured. Unaeza pata kwa total budget ya sinema ya $100 million, half - $50 million – imeenda kusecure rights za music. It’s super expensive,” he said in an interview with YouTuber Presenter Ali.

“Nilicall Wakadinali juu nilikuwa nataka ngoma yao kwa  ‘Click Click Bang’…wako na banger deadly inaitwa ‘Geri Inengi’…but sasa Wakadinali wako under a management. Na management lazima wafuate sheria vile iko, so walienda wakapiga hesabu zao wakapata for us to get 30 seconds of ‘Geri Inengi’ kwa sinema yetu itatucost not less than Ksh.450,000…which is actually true, huwa inacost that much. So imagine Hollywood unaeza pata wako na kitu kama ngoma ten, hao wasee wamespend how much?”

He however heaped praise on top Kenyan rapper Khaligraph Jones as well as H_art the Band who offered him their entire music catalogues to sample from for the movie.

By doing this, Mutua said, the stars saved him and Phil-It TV money running into the millions that they could’ve been forced to use to secure those rights.

He said it was easier to use music by the two since they’re under no management, hence they own the rights to all their music.

According to Mutua, not only did H_art the Band give them music to use, but also created for them two theme songs from scratch for the movie.

“Khaligraph alikam akatuambia nimeona ile kitu mnafanya, na mimi where I can offer my support ni kwa mziki. Alitupatia his entire catalogue, na huyo boy ako na ngoma karibu 500, akatuambia you go through my catalogue, ile ngoma yoyote itawabamba tumieni,” he narrated.

“Alafu tulisaidika kwa sababu Khaligraph hajawai signiwa, Blue Ink ni yake. Anaown catalogue yake yote. Same na H_art the Band.”