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Diamond Platnumz breaks silence on Wasafi exit deals of Mbosso, Harmonize and Rayvanny
From left: Tanzanian artistes Mbosso Khan, Diamond Platnumz, Harmonize and Rayvanny.
Diamond Platnumz has explained why he waivered Mbosso Khan Tsh2 billion (Sh100 million) release contract clause letting him leave his record label Wasafi for free, unlike he did with Harmonize and Rayvanny.
Harmonize had a nasty fallout with Diamond that led him to exiting the label in 2019. To terminate his 10-year contract pre-maturely, Harmonize was required to pay Tsh600 million (Sh25 million, at the time) as a ‘buy out’ fee to the reminder of his contact before he could be allowed to legally exit the label.
Tanzanian music artiste Harmonize.
When Rayvanny left in 2022, he was in the middle of his 10-year contract and terminating it meant he had to trigger a release clause that cost him Tsh1 billion (Sh50 million).
Tanzanian artiste Rayvanny.
Before he exited the label, there were reports that his relationship with Diamond had turned soar, although it never played out in the public as was the case with Harmonize who accused the man who discovered him of tying in in an exploitative contract.
Early this year, Diamond announced that Mbosso Khan had requested to exit the label albeit with his contract still running.
As per his contract with Wasafi, Diamond says for Mbosso to terminate his contract mid-way he ought to have paid the record label Sh100 million, but instead he let him leave without paying the ‘buy out’ fee.
Tanzanian artiste Mbosso during a past live performance at Mombasa Sports Club.
“When Mbosso wanted to leave, he was ready to pay but I told him I don’t want even Sh10 from him. As per his contract he should have paid Tsh2 billion (Sh100 million) but because of the love and respect he showed me and the fact that we never cruelled at any given point, I let him leave for free,” Diamond said.
“At the moment Mbosso charges Tsh50 millionn (Sh2.4 million) for a show and he has been getting a lot of bookings lately, that means had I subjected him to the conditions of the contract, I should be taking Tsh30 million (Sh1.4 million) from every performance he has had,” he said.
“Of all my income streams, record label revenues are the least, less than 0.5 per cent. I don’t depend on income generated by artistes signed to the label. But I run the label because I appreciate music, and it’s my way of giving back to the society by trying to help as many up and coming artiste as I can,” Diamond said.
“Those in the label can tell you how much I have spent on them. So when you see an artiste leaving the label prematurely and I ask to be paid, rest assured that artiste dishonoured me, disrespected me and my efforts into building the artiste. As a result, the best way to part ways is to abide by the contract terms we signed,” he explained.
