Frustrated by pronouncements from the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) on licensing demands, a section of DJs on Thursday, May 28, resolved to take Kenyan music off their playlists until the fees were waived.
Just as live streams by DJs were gaining traction in the country, KECOBO announced that DJs would have to pay for licences from Collective Management Organizations (CMOs). For deejays making money, the annual license fee is Ksh10,000, or Ksh750 per event was imposed.
KECOBO issued the clarification on the fee after reports indicated that DJs would have to part with Ksh200,000 for a special broadcast license from the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK).
On Thursday, May 28, a message was widely circulated in private DJ forums calling for them to blacklist Kenyan music until KECOBO waived the fees.
"If you strongly believe these fees should be lifted, you could opt in blacking out Kenyan music on your playlists until the matter is addressed. MCSK uses Kenyan artists as its shield when doing such proposals.
"You can’t support, promote and still pay for the same. Well, can you?" the message seen by Kenyans.co.ke read in part.
Contacted by Kenyans.co.ke, DJ Shock of the Association of Disc Jockeys (ADJ) noted that although they had not endorsed the boycott, she understood the frustration of many DJs.
DJ Shock observed that deejays were not making money as the closure of clubs, restaurants and entertainment joints had seen them lose their sources of income.
She maintained that the decision on licensing live-streams was made without consulting stakeholders, disclosing that many DJs had been forced to sell their equipment to survive during the pandemic.
Describing the demands as impractical, she explained that a large number of DJs were already licensed under their places of work such as bars, clubs and media houses.
"They should speak to stakeholders before posting such statements, that is why DJs are upset. It is an insult.
"We don't have an income because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Hotels, clubs and event companies shut down and maybe what's left for DJs is media houses. But even the media companies are effecting pay cuts for their employees who include DJs.
"People don't know whether DJs are eating. Out here, DJs are selling their equipment and household items just to survive this pandemic," she stated.
She argued that, in line with global trends in music and entertainment, the focus needed to be on social media companies such as Tik Tok, Facebook and Twitter acquiring streaming licences as opposed to deejays.
She accused authorities such as KECOBO of targeting the wrong individuals, observing that many deejays only did live streaming it as a part-time activity.
"We have at least 30,000 DJs in the industry, the figure could be higher. But the guys doing well, successful big-name Deejays are less than 50.
"That's a very small percentage of the people making this work. The majority do it on part-time basis. DJs have jobs and side-hustles in real estate, law, name it.
"And DJs work under somebody who is licensed, like a club or a media house. I feel KECOBO is trying to license the wrong person. I know DJs who make Ksh2,000 or Ksh5,000 a night. It's impractical and short-sighted," she asserted.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, May 27, Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) Chairman Japheth Kasanga had urged deejays to comply with the regulations.
He argued that great effort had been made to revise the tariffs downwards, with the latest tariffs gazetted after a meeting involving CMOs and ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru.
Kasanga further argued that the introduction of a joint licence as opposed to three different licences from MCSK, Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) and Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP) had made the process easier.
"What I know is the tariffs were recently revised downwards and they are much lower, so we should not bother complaining.
"Legally you are expected to pay if you are using the works in a place that is not licensed. It is the right thing to do and we have worked to ensure the cost is not prohibitive," he stated.
