Image of Ghanaian musician, Kwaisey Pee
Award-winning Highlife musician Kwaisey Pee has has remarked about the poor royalty system in Ghana adding that he makes money from his songs online.
These remarks were made by the musician on GTV’s Breakfast Show where he lamented that Ghanaian musicians cannot rely on royalties in Ghana.
He added that the royalties alone cannot be the sole source of finance for musicians in Ghana because of the poor systems in place and that apparently will hinder musicians’ vision of making it in the music career.
“Yes and I’m making money from my music. but not from royalties. I have streams and I have shows. You cannot really rely on it (royalties), especially in Ghana but elsewhere, yes,” he said.
“I get royalties from other places but in Ghana, it’s nothing to write home about. So if you are here and you say I’m doing music so I’m going to rely on royalties, you’re not going to make it.” He added.
Kwaisey Pee further explained what he meant by a poor system in Ghana premised on which royalties are paid to musicians admitting however that, the head of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), Mr. Rex Owusu Marfo popularly known as Rex Omar is doing his possible best in that regard.
“Rex Omar is the head of G.H.A.M.R.O. and he is doing his best. Sometimes you try to find out and they will be like, ‘there are people who use your music, and they don’t want to pay’, you understand.”
“There are FM stations, pubs and drinking spots, restaurants, and places, so that is what I’m saying. It’s the system”, he stated.
Kwaisey Pee noted that many artistes in these times now make money with their music online.
“YouTube, Audiomack, iTunes, Amazon, Boomplay, they are the ones making money now. I mean giving the artistes money now not the royalties,” he said.
Most musicians both underground and mainstream have struggled with finances and royalty payments in Ghana unlike Europe and America where most musicians make colossal sums from royalties. This big gap may be bridged should authorities in the Creative Arts come together to help put things in order.
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