Nigerian music legend Paul Play Dairo has revealed that he has yet to receive any royalties from his former label, Kennis Music, since parting ways with them. During an interview on The Afrobeats Podcast, Paul Play highlighted the struggles he has faced in the industry, particularly concerning Nigeria’s underdeveloped intellectual property laws.
Explaining why some of his classic hits are unavailable on streaming platforms, Paul Play attributed this to the terms of his past contract with Kennis Music, which restricts him from uploading those songs. Despite years of separation from the label, the singer-producer disclosed that he has not received any royalties for his work. While he avoided going into full detail, Paul Play suggested that certain stakeholders are unwilling to engage in discussions to resolve the matter.
Paul Play also addressed the frequent unauthorized sampling of his music. He revisited his legal battle with MTN, where the telecom company used his song in a commercial without his permission. “When I sued MTN, people insulted me, accusing me of being broke and of trying to block the growth of younger artists,” he shared, reflecting on the criticism he faced.
Years after the lawsuit, Paul Play expressed frustration that Nigeria’s intellectual property laws still fail to protect artists. He pointed out that some of his biggest hits, including ‘Forever’, ‘Angel of My Life’, and ‘Mosorire’, have been sampled without his approval.
Though he did not call out any specific names during the interview, it is known that rapper Blaqbonez sampled Paul Play’s music in the track ‘Loyalty’ from his album ‘Young Preacher’, which was later removed from streaming platforms over copyright issues. Similarly, Olamide recently interpolated Paul Play’s ‘Mosorire’ on the song ‘Morowore’ from his album ‘Ikigai’.
Paul Play’s experience underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Nigerian artists in protecting their creative rights. For more insights, you can watch the full interview with Paul Play Dairo on The Afrobeats Podcast.
