Diamond Platnumz has clashed with multiple musicians who tried to leave his Wasafi record prematurely before expiry of their legally binding contracts.
The first drama that happened when an artist was leaving Wasafi occurred in 2018 when Rich Mavoko wanted to quit Diamond’s WCB record label.
Rich Mavoko joined Wasafi in 2016 after ditching King Kaka’s record label Kaka Empire. However he didn’t stay in WCB for long.
In 2018, Rich Mavoko decided to quit Wasafi before expiry of his contract and he found himself in a precarious situation.
Mavoko’s departure from Diamond’s record label was a messy and noisy affair rather than a mutual one. This was after he expressed discontent with his contract, which he termed as “exploitative and malicious”.
Wasafi triggered Tsh500 million (Ksh23 million) on Mavoko’s contract for leaving the label before his contract expired.
He was requited to pay Wasafi Ksh23 million to be granted ownership of the songs that were produced by the label during his two year stay.
WCB insisted that Mavoko was bound by the contract he signed with them and was required to pay the label compensation fee for leaving before his contract expired.
The tussle between Wasafi and Mavoko ended up at the Tanzania Music Regulatory Board, BASATA, who helped both parties arrive at an amicable solution.
Rich Mavoko left without paying anything. What is not clear is if he still owns the rights to the songs he recorded under Wasafi.
A similar drama was once again witnessed in 2019 when Harmonize wanted to leave Wasafi before his contract with Wasafi expired.
Harmonize and Diamond Platnumz who used to be best friends became bitter enemies because of the drama that ensued.
Harmonize officially quit Wasafi in August 2019 after complaining about his contract. He had signed a 15-year contract with Diamond’s label.
The singer decided to terminate the contract just four years after he felt he was no longer getting value for his output. He was forced to pay Wasafi Ksh24 million for ditching the label prematurely.
Harmonize was reportedly forced to sell his three houses and a piece of land to raise the Ksh24 million that Wasafi demanded for leaving the label before his contract expired.
The ‘Kwangwaru’ hit maker was forced to part with the full amount so that WCB could allow him full rights ownership to the songs he recorded under WCB. (all of his songs at the time were recorded and produced by Wasafi, leaving without right to full ownership of his songs meant he was started from scratch, he couldn’t earn revenue from his songs).
Harmonize left Wasafi a bitter man and has been beefing with Diamond Platnumz to date, always antagonizing his former boss.
In early 2022, there was drama between Rayvanny and Wasafi after the former informed the label of his decision to quit.
It was reported that Rayvanny ( real name Raymond Shaaban) opted to quit Wasafi after falling out with his boss Diamond Platnumz.
It has emerged that Rayvanny was slapped with a staggering Tsh1 billion (Ksh50 million) compensation fee for him to be released from Wasafi.
Popular Bongo media personality Mwijaku said that Rayvanny was forced to stay as he couldn’t possible raise Ksh50 million to pay Wasafi to be granted full ownership to his songs. Note that all of Rayvanny’s songs have been recorded and produced by WCB.
“The invoice he was given was so shocking he can’t leave the way he had indicated earlier. He had been advised to quit Wasafi so he can be self reliant but when he approached the management to ask to leave the label he was given an invoice which showed that he need to pay Tsh1 billion or lose rights to his songs,” Mwijaku said.
However, Diamond’s manager Mkubwa Fella denied possible fallout but insisted that Rayvanny was at liberty to leave Wasafi.
“I don’t want to talk about Rayvanny’s issue because I don’t know what is happening exactly. We will tell you everything when the right time comes,” said Mkubwa Fella.
Rayvanny is still signed to Wasafi at the moment, he is only remaining put because of the Ksh50 million exit clause in his contract.
