News / National
Jah Signal, Charambas clash over copyright claim - YouTube pulls down track
16 Feb 2024 at 00:07hrs | Views
YouTube removed Zimdancehall artist Jah Signal's music video for "Sweetie" due to a copyright infringement complaint filed by gospel musician Charles Charamba.
The video, which played a significant role in Jah Signal's rise to fame in 2018, had amassed over six million views on YouTube.
In his song "Sweetie," the Stonyeni hitmaker incorporated lyrics and beats from Charamba's "Kana Vanhu Vangu" without obtaining permission.
Despite Jah Signal's attempts to seek consent from Charamba prior to recording the song, no approval was granted.
In a 2018 interview following the release of "Sweetie," Charamba expressed his displeasure with the song, considering it blasphemous and conflicting with his moral values.
"I never communicated with him after the song's release. They contacted me for consent via text, and I advised against proceeding with the sampling of the lyrics. I discouraged them from doing so, not only because it involved my melody but also because I sensed potential harm. To me, the rendition wasn't just a joke or parody, but blasphemy," Charamba stated.
This incident isn't the first time artists have sampled Charamba's work, indicating that further copyright claims may ensue.
The video, which played a significant role in Jah Signal's rise to fame in 2018, had amassed over six million views on YouTube.
In his song "Sweetie," the Stonyeni hitmaker incorporated lyrics and beats from Charamba's "Kana Vanhu Vangu" without obtaining permission.
In a 2018 interview following the release of "Sweetie," Charamba expressed his displeasure with the song, considering it blasphemous and conflicting with his moral values.
"I never communicated with him after the song's release. They contacted me for consent via text, and I advised against proceeding with the sampling of the lyrics. I discouraged them from doing so, not only because it involved my melody but also because I sensed potential harm. To me, the rendition wasn't just a joke or parody, but blasphemy," Charamba stated.
This incident isn't the first time artists have sampled Charamba's work, indicating that further copyright claims may ensue.
Source - newzimbabwe
