Only hardworking artists should receive music royalties - KECOBO chair Kutuny

Speaking with Hot 96 radio on Wednesday, Kutuny opined that artists whose songs are below par and have not been playing on the airwaves should not receive the monies and should hammer away to churn out more songs.

"Why are you giving everybody Ksh.1,200? Why don't you tell me because my music did not play I'm not giving you anything so that I go back to the studio and work hard," he said.

He further intimated that the criteria used to disburse the money is subjective, alleging that a few artists are favored more than others based on their tribe or ties to the board members.

"It tells us that people decide in a boardroom who to give money to. There is tribalism, and nepotism in distribution of the money. There is no scientific way where you arrive and say this music deserves this," he said.

"If there was a proper formula and this is a discussion that has been there for the last 20 years to develop a scientific way so that I know why my music is or not playing well." 

MCSK CEO Ezekiel Mutua on January 14, 2024, revealed that Kenyan artists would receive at least Ksh.1,250 each in royalties for 2023.

Dr Mutua said that a total of Ksh.20 million would be disbursed equally to the 16,000 members of the music body.

The monies, he said, will be distributed in two ways in general and scientific ways.

“General way is where so long as you are a member, we give general rates so that every musician receives something. Then we have a scientific way where we have software that shows where your music was played."