Paul Dairo: I’m yet to get royalties since leaving Kennis Music

BY VICTOR CHIJIOKE

Paul Play Dairo, the R&B singer, says he has not received royalties for his songs since leaving Kennis Music.

In a recent Afrobeats Podcast chat with Adesope Olajide, the 52-year-old songwriter registered his frustrations with the record label’s CEOs, Kehinde ‘Keke’ Ogungbe and Dayo ‘D1’ Adeneye.

Dairo said the nature of agreements signed with the label prevented him from uploading some of his songs on streaming platforms.

“Ever since I left Kennis Music, I’ve not collected one dime in royalties,” he said.

“There was a time I tried to slot ‘Mo So Rire’ on one of my platforms. They took it down.

“It’s mine. 100 percent mine. Everything about that song, from its origin to what it is now is mine.”

The singer, who was in the limelight in the 90s and 2000s, did not clarify what led to the rights dispute but disclosed that some parties involved are reluctant to address the matter.

He also argued that songs like ‘Forever’, ‘Angel of My Life’, and ‘Mo So Rire’ have been sampled multiple times without permission.

The ‘Angel of My Life’ hitmaker recalled facing backlash for suing MTN over “unauthorized use” of his music in an advert.

“When I sued MTN back then, Sope, I almost cried. They abused the hell out of me,” he said.

“They said no, is he broke? He doesn’t want young people to play music! He doesn’t want young people to grow.

“It was so dramatic for me. Like, this is my thing. Somebody used it, without my consent, and people are abusing me that I don’t want young people to grow. Over my thing.

“Over the years, people have been using my stuff and I just chill like, if I come out not now…. This is how they take us for granted.”

Dairo is regarded as one of the pioneers of R&B in Nigeria. He is the son of the late Isaac Kehinde Dairo, a Juju musician.