Kenyan producer Ares 66 lashes out at Boomplay over unpaid royalties

Kenyan music producer, artist, and sound engineer Ares 66, known for his work under the Bigbeatsafrique label, has publicly called out music streaming platform Boomplay over alleged unpaid royalties for 2024. 

The producer took to his X (formerly Twitter) page to air his grievances, sparking a heated conversation within the music industry.

In a post, Ares 66 wrote, " _Vile wasanii wamenyamazia Pesa za Boomplay unpaid the whole of 2024 nashindwa ku understand. (These artists have been silent about Boomplay's unpaid money for the whole of 2024. I fail to understand.) 

The statement has ignited a wave of reactions from artistes, producers, and fans, with many questioning the transparency and accountability of digital streaming platforms.

This revelation adds to a growing list of grievances against Boomplay regarding delayed or unpaid royalties. 

In December 2024, it was reported that major music labels, including Sony Music, AWAL, and The Orchard, withdrew their catalogs from Boomplay due to unpaid royalties dating back to 2021. This action led to the removal of works by prominent African artistes from the platform. 

Additionally, Tanzanian Bongo Flava singer Rutta Maximillia Bushoke won a copyright infringement lawsuit against Boomplay in August 2024, resulting in a court awarding him Ksh 24 million. 

Bushoke, who gained fame in the late 2000s with hits like Nalia Kwa Furaha and Usiende Mbali featuring Ugandan songstress Juliana Kanyomozi, took legal action against digital the platform for allegedly profiting from his music without a binding contract.

He maintained that he never authorised Boomplay to publish or distribute his songs on its platform. However, in court, Boomplay argued that it had obtained the tracks through a third party, who allegedly provided the album’s songs.

Disputing this claim, Bushoke told the Court that he had never entered into any agreement with any other party to license his music. He further stated that Boomplay had been streaming his songs since 2018, yet he had never received a single cent in royalties.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023, came after failed attempts to negotiate an out-of-court settlement with Boomplay.