KCEE’s record label over Harrysong deal

Harrysong, Question Mark Entertainment boss Kelvin Luciano and D’Supremes in 2010. Photo: Flickr

Another label–artiste tussle is making the rounds.

Question Mark Entertainment is claiming recording artiste-songwriter Harrison Tare Okiri better known as Harrysong is still signed to the label despite pitching his tent with KCEE’s Five Star Music.

In a statement released today, Qmark says the label ‘entered into separate exclusive music recording, artist management and music publishing contracts with Harrysong in 2009’ and that ‘obligations of parties to the said contracts have neither lapsed nor have they been fulfilled’.

‘Question Mark is entitled to exclusive ownership of copyrights to all musical works created by Harrysong during his contract period. Question Mark is also contractually the sole agent and manager of said Harrysong and thus entitled to commissions from all remunerations received by him or from his employment in connection with any music industry related activity’, part of the statement read.

Interestingly, a few months back Harrysong announced his signing to KCEE’s ‘Five Star Music’ label. He’s released official songs through the label. Harrysong also penned KCEE’s hit song ‘Limpopo’.

Qmark has however sent warning shots to Harrysong’s new label stating that they (Five Star Music) have violated Question Mark’s rights and will ‘without further recourse, resort to all lawful means at our disposal for redress’.

But a spokesperson for Five Star Music has called Qmark’s label boss Kevin Luciano a ‘trouble maker’. ‘Harrysong ended his contract with Question Mark in March 2012. He is signed to Five Star Music’, label exec and KCEE’s manager Soso Soberekon told NET in a telephone chat.

Kevin Luciaino and Qmark aren’t new to controversies covering contractual agreements with their artistes; the likes of Asa, Street Monks and most recently Ego (now called Safarie) have all parted with the label on controversial terms.