The ongoing public dispute between Kenyan musicians Otile Brown and Jovial has sparked more than just celebrity headlines. It has also drawn attention to a deeper issue affecting many artists across the African music industry, namely a lack of understanding about how music royalties and ownership rights work. As the two artists continue to disagree over payments, publishing rights and creative ownership, music executive and Interfine Music founder Ken Rel Bis believes the controversy should serve as a valuable lesson for musicians at every stage of their careers. Rather than focusing solely on the personal disagreements between the artists, he argues that the situation exposes structural problems that continue to cost musicians significant income. His analysis has encouraged artists to educate themselves about music rights before releasing their work.
According to Ken Rel Bis, the dispute between Otile Brown and Jovial demonstrates that commercial success does not always translate into financial success. He noted that a song can reach the top of the charts and still fail to generate income for the songwriter if the proper legal and administrative processes are not completed. Referring to the public statements made by both artists, he pointed out that they spoke about successful songs, streaming achievements and disagreements over unpaid earnings. He also highlighted Otile Brown’s admission that he did not fully understand the publishing side of the music business for many years and therefore missed out on collecting publishing royalties. Ken Rel Bis believes this shows that the real problem is not a lack of talent but a lack of industry knowledge.
One of the main points raised by Ken Rel Bis is that music royalties are made up of several different income streams rather than a single payment. He explained that many artists mistakenly assume they will automatically receive all the money generated by their songs once they become popular. In reality, each type of royalty is collected differently and depends on proper registration, ownership documentation and accurate record keeping. Without these systems in place, artists risk losing income that could continue flowing for many years after a song’s release. He stressed that understanding these royalty categories is essential for anyone pursuing a professional music career.
Ken Rel Bis identified performance royalties as one of the key revenue streams available to musicians. These royalties are generated whenever a song is played publicly, including on radio stations, television, in clubs, at concerts and during public events. In Kenya, he explained that these royalties are currently collected through organizations such as PAVRISK for songwriters and performers, while KAMP handles rights relating to producers and sound recordings. Artists who fail to register with the appropriate collecting societies may never receive payments generated by these public performances. He emphasized that registration is one of the first steps every musician should complete before expecting royalty payments.
He also discussed mechanical royalties, which are earned whenever a composition is reproduced through streaming platforms or digital downloads. Every stream on services such as Spotify or Apple Music contributes to this category of royalties. According to Ken Rel Bis, these payments are divided based on officially registered ownership percentages between collaborators. If artists fail to prepare and submit a split agreement before releasing a song, distributors and streaming platforms have no reliable way to determine how the money should be divided. This often leads to disagreements and delayed payments, similar to the issues that have emerged during the Otile Brown and Jovial dispute.
Another important source of income highlighted by Ken Rel Bis is sync royalties. These royalties are generated when music is licensed for use in films, television shows, advertisements or branded content. He noted that synchronization deals can sometimes produce higher earnings than streaming or live performances, making them one of the most valuable opportunities for artists. However, these deals usually require clear documentation proving ownership of both the composition and the recording. Without proper records, valuable licensing opportunities may never materialize because companies cannot legally obtain permission to use the music. This makes ownership documentation an essential part of protecting an artist’s long-term earnings.
Ken Rel Bis also explained the difference between publishing rights and master rights, which he believes remains one of the most misunderstood aspects of the music business. Publishing rights relate to the composition itself, including the lyrics and melody created by songwriters. Master rights, on the other hand, belong to the specific recorded version of that composition. An artist may co-write a song while owning none of the master recording, or own the master recording without holding any publishing rights. Because these are separate forms of ownership, he stressed that every collaboration should clearly define both sets of rights before the music is released.
To avoid future disputes, Ken Rel Bis urged artists to sign split agreements on the day a song is recorded, before anyone leaves the studio. He believes collaborators should agree on ownership percentages while memories remain fresh and before mixing, mastering or distribution begins. He also encouraged musicians to formally register their songs with collecting societies, work with publishing administrators when their catalogues grow and ensure that all metadata, songwriter credits and ownership details are submitted accurately to distributors. According to him, delaying these conversations until after a song becomes successful can result in expensive legal battles and years of lost income. He described the phrase, “We’ll figure out the splits later,” as one of the costliest mistakes artists can make.
Ken Rel Bis concluded that protecting creative work begins long before a song reaches streaming platforms. As the founder of Interfine Music, he said his goal is not only to help artists create hit songs but also to ensure they receive the financial rewards those songs generate. He believes the public disagreement between Otile Brown and Jovial should encourage musicians across Africa to improve their understanding of publishing, royalty collection and ownership rights. While the dispute continues to attract public attention, it also provides an important opportunity for artists to learn how to protect their careers through proper documentation and professional business practices. His message serves as a reminder that lasting success in the music industry depends not only on talent and creativity but also on knowledge, preparation and protecting every right attached to a song before it is released.
