In what has fast become a viral nightmare, the Master KG and Warner debacle over royalties is a win for musicians.
Master KG’s Lawyer at Morolong Inc Entertainment, Dumisani Motsamai, joins Michael Motsoeneng-Bill, Stephen Hollis, Partner and Trademark Attorney at Adams and Adams, and General Manager Legal Services at SAMRO, Chola Makgamathe in conversation about intellectual property (IP) law and music.
Music producers have rights to their IP, and they can claim royalties for the authorized and unauthorized use of their music.
What makes an idea “patentable,” “trademarkable,” or “copyrightable”?
Any material that you think up, i.e., a creation of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic content, designs, images, music, etc., is intellectual property.
According to Stephen Hollis, the creator or thought-leader of the said content piece is the sole owner of the IP.
The Jerusalema challenge was one of those trends that took on a life of its own, with many companies using the song to advertise their products or businesses. With staff taking on the challenge, it looked innocent enough as the brand was following a popular stint, but royalties will need to be enforced.
Listen to the full breakdown of IP and music law rights on the Law Report:
Feature image: Master KG IG


