Master KG is Suing Big Companies For using his song Jerusalema

Took part in the Jerusalema challenge as part of entertainment and because our beloved president urged you to? Then don’t worry, Master KG and his record label is not after your coins. The mastermind behind the 2020’s world anthem is coming after those companies who used his song without his consent and for their own gains.

Who can blame him though because the song attracted millions of people around the world to take part in the #JerusalemaChallenge. It was not just a challenge where people took part for the sake of it, but it came at the perfect time where people were still coming to terms with battling a pandemic and losing loved ones.

As it stands, the music video for the hit song has amassed 345 million views on YouTube. Those figures are a sight for sore eyes indeed. He features the amazing vocalist Nomcebo Zikode, whose fame is owed to the song itself.

There is also a Jerusalema remix and he collaborated with Burna Boy. The remix has been topping the charts in South Africa and across the world and in Mzansi it recently reached 150 000 000 streams and was certified gold.
Now with all of this success, why would one allow big companies to monetise off their hard work. His recording company Warner International sent out invoices to companies in Germany who used the song for their gains.

Eye Witness News spoke to Open Mic Productions lawyer Dumisani Motsamai who told them that these major companies are profiting off of Master KG’s and Nomcebo’s hardwork. He excused people who took part of the challenge just to kill some time or because of boredom, however many companies have been using them for their own gains.

“I saw brands where you would see a drone showing a view of a company yard, then you will see their workshop, they dish out products, they make sure they give you a picture of every product they sell. The song is playing in the background, and because it is playing in the background, now I have an interest in seeing what this particular company is doing,” he told the publication.
He also added, “There has been a thin line. Some of them will show maybe their logo at the beginning and it’s all about the dance. But some of them when you look at them, it’s all about the brand, the company that is doing the challenge and little about the challenge.

“If the challenge is taken and someone is dancing with their family, individually, and has nothing to do with brand endorsement, has nothing to do with using the song to push a particular brand and put the brand in the face of people with the song in the background, then that’s fine,” he clarified.

He further explained how they will go about getting the companies to pay, and he said they will ask for money ‘politely.’ If they refuse that would be forcing their hand. They are doing this not because they are greedy for money or are looking to get more money, however they want to ensure that people who ensured the song gets the recognition it deserves, get what’s due to them.

In other news – Siya and Rachel Kolisi celebrate as they become executive producers

Rachel Kolisi have taken to her social media to announce she and her husband, Siya Kolisi are now executive producers. Siya had a good influence on the rugby field but decided to spread his wings to the world of acting.

The couple have given the world of film production a spin. The pair partnered to executive produce a short film that raises awareness on gender-based violence (GBV) entitled We Are Dying Here. Learn more

Source: EWN

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