Cameroonian singer Gasha has made startling revelations about her collaboration with Ugandan artist Eddy Kenzo, shedding light on alleged exploitation and false ownership of royalties.
In a recent interview, Gasha said she was not fairly treated as promised after their collaboration on the song “Chill.”.
Gasha revealed that despite investing $2000 in the project, bringing Kenzo to Cameroon, and filming a music video, she has not received any financial compensation from the venture.
Gasha stated, “Kenzo, we both in our hearts know what we agreed. And if u keep Insisting I’m lying, make a move against my ‘lies.'” This assertion was made in response to Kenzo’s alleged denial of her claims.
The song “Chill” has amassed over 5.1 million views on YouTube and more than 400 million streams on other platforms. Despite its commercial success, Gasha asserted that she has not received a single franc in royalties.
According to Gasha, she trusted Kenzo with the distribution of the song, only for him to unilaterally claim all rights to it after uploading it to his channels. She further added, “He came to our house, we shot the video, I was not putting business in front because I could not imagine that he was a business shark and he had ulterior motives.”
Kenzo has yet to directly address Gasha’s accusations. However, his management responded to bloggers’ inquiries, stating, “In 2015, our team and our manager, who doubles as a videographer, flew to Cameroon (at our own cost) to shoot the ‘Chill’ video.” They emphasised their collaborative efforts and denied any wrongdoing.
In a 2023 interview with Darling Lyonga, Gasha reiterated her claims, accusing Kenzo of withholding her rightful earnings. She alleged that Kenzo made over $400,000 from the song and removed her name as the main artist.
Gasha and other Cameroonian bloggers are urging Kenzo to respond to her allegations. They maintain that if Kenzo continues to deny her claims, he should provide evidence to refute them. The dispute underscores the challenges artists face in protecting their creative rights and navigating collaborative ventures in the music industry.
