Only P350 in royalties for Ratshega
Chippa Legodimo | Friday September 26, 2014 16:24
It is shocking to learn that the track, which ignited much debate on its ‘real meaning’, could only accumulate P350 in royalties.
This after it also failed to clinch the famous musician song of the year at the Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU) awards.
“That is how little I got from Cosbots (Copyright Society of Botswana) and to be honest I did not know what to think. I do not know whether to blame Cosbots because local broadcasters also might have contributed to this situation,” Ratshega told Showbiz.
According to the musician, some radio station managers have argued that the song is vulgar and they took it off air, removing it from their play lists.
“I was informed by one presenter that his bosses had instructed that the song should not be played. He was telling me this in confidence and I believed him because he said this without me asking. It would be better if such managers had told me where to edit,” he said.
Leso La Monnamogolo is a song addressing the problem of intergenerational relationships and does not necessarily contain explicit lyrics.
“People should appreciate the way I used the Setswana language. The song is not vulgar. Any child listening to this song would not get its deeper meaning. For them it is about the melody and the driving of a car. It is not wrong to compose with such meaning as long as the lyrics are covered to protect younger listeners,” he said.
The Makhirikhiri singer, whose music is reported to be in demand in East Africa and South Africa following several trips there, has decried the lack of appreciation of local art by some Batswana.
He said that if anyone had found Leso La Monnamogolo to be offensive then other songs like Boipuso should have received some airplay.
“Of recent Motswedi fm has been playing the track Boipuso regularly in recognition of Botswana’s independence. Yet here at home they do not see the need for that. I was recently chosen to be an analyst in the Satmas (South African Traditional Music Achievement Awards) where I gave my opinion and adviced on different songs competing. Here they do not recognise my talent and experience in the field,” he said.
Although broadcasters are not under any obligation to play any musician, it comes as a huge surprise that Ratshego got such a small amount. This is especially considering that he has performed at various shows where Cosbots is supposed to collect royalties on his behalf.
Cosbots distributed the first batch of royalties in February this year and while musicians were happy to receive their pay cheques most indicated that they did not understand how the amounts were calculated.
The copyright organisation has come under heavy criticism with observers saying their policies disadvantage the same musicians they intend to protect.
Last Saturday Cosbots announced at a workshop to launch the distribution of the royalties that they have collected P9.2 million in royalties.
Ratshega can only hope that the second distribution brings him something better.