Two songs, same lyrical content, different singers. That is what it is with two songs that are currently the centre of a bitter feud across the local music industry. The contentious songs are; Imitobe, by the local duo of Two 4Real, and Kanda Amazi, by a host of local music stars.

So, in a way, the debate over who is the rightful owner of the song reminds one of the controversy about the chicken and the egg, and which of the two came before the other.

Currently, that is the confusion surrounding the two songs, which is why it is prudent that we start by getting some facts right. 

Genesis

In March this year, the duo of Two 4Real (DJ Pius and T.K) recorded Imitobe at The Beat Music Studios in Nyamirambo with producer Sam. Although DJ Pius of Two 4Real came up with the idea, it was the video producer, Ma-Riva who wrote the lyrics in Kinyarwanda. Imitobe is the tale of a notorious drunkard whose life revolves around booze, women and cigarettes, and has no time for his family obligations.

According to Pius, one day the Dream Boyz visited Ma-Riva’s studio to pick the video for their song, Data ni Nde, and heard a clip of Imitobe, which impressed them and they immediately floated the idea of doing a collabo.

"Ma-Riva called me about it, but I suggested that he first release and play Imitobe for at least two months because the original comes first. That’s how listeners give credit to the original composer,” says Pius.

Otherwise, he warmed up to the idea of a collabo, but had his own ideas of what the song ought to be like. "My original idea was of an All-Star song, like Mr DJ, by the Ugandan All-Stars. I wanted the producer to own it. I gave him the idea as a part of the All-stars, not as the owner of the song.”

The next day, Ma-Riva crafted a beat to the song. All singers who feature in Kanda Amazi were present, namely; Jay Polly, Dream Boyz, Knowless, Tom Close, Christopher, and Pius himself. So they hit the booth for test-recordings.

"They were not recording as I wanted, so I went to the studio and recorded a demo verse. I had school next day (Pius is a law student at ULK), so I left with Tom Close, to whom I expressed dissatisfaction with the recordings and we generally talked about the song.”

"Little did I know”, he recalls, "that this was where my say in the song would end.”

Two days later, the song was on several local airwaves, and DJs, presenters and fans alike were in for more confusion as regards the song. "We had not agreed on anything yet –title, release date, how many people to feature in it etc,” claims Pius.

Pius suspects foul play from Clement, the CEO of Kina Music, which manages Knowless, Dream Boyz, Christopher and Tom Close, the artistes that appear in Kanda Amazi.

"I have no problem with any of the artistes who sung in Kanda Amazi because I was okay with the idea. My only beef is with Clement, for releasing it before Imitobe, which is the original and mine. Otherwise, Kanda Amazi was for all of us.”

DJs join the fray

As controversy and public curiosity grew about the song, the battle went to new frontiers; radio talk shows and the DJ fraternity. Last month, two key individuals in the saga, DJ Bisoso and Clement, were invited as panelists to a talk show on Isango Star FM. The topic to be discussed was the Imitobe/Kanda Amazi saga.

The moderator asked Bisoso why he and his fellow DJs had refused to play Kanda Amazi. "Is it because Pius, who lodged a complaint against the song, is a fellow DJ?” the moderator wanted to know. And Bisoso’s response was blunt, and took both studio guests and listeners unawares: He said he did not play Kanda Amazi because it was "stolen”.

For his part, Clement bragged on air that he did not give a damn whether the DJs did not play his artiste’s songs as he has his own ways of getting a song out there.

His comments rubbed many the wrong way as they went viral on social media and through word of mouth.

In a letter dated June 30, a copy of which this newspaper saw, the DJs, under their various umbrella bodies unanimously voted to boycott all music from Clement’s record label, Kina Music Products. The letter, which was copied to all nightclubs, bar and lounges DJs affiliated to the DJs association reads in part: "Due to lack of respect and refusal to apologise by Kina Music to Two 4real after releasing the song "Kanda Amazi” before it’s original "Imitobe” was released, and recently using the radio and the social media to abuse our fellow DJ Bisoso, we have come to an agreement to stop playing all products from or affiliated to Kina Music.

"This comes as a result of the words used by Clement, the CEO of KINA MUSIC "umusaruro kanda amazi yabonye suko ari aba dj bayicurangaga”. So we as dj’s feel there is no need to help KINA MUSIC because they have enough help (The success of Kanda Amazi didn’t come about because DJs play it).”

The letter took immediate effect, and advised Kina Music to reach out to the affected parties; Two 4Real and DJ Bisoso with an apology. A week later, on July 4, local music producers, under their umbrella body, met at Ndaru Restaurant in Kigali with a view to reconciling the warring parties. A resolution was reached to stop playing Kanda Amazi on all public fora with immediate effect. Even the song’s video uploaded onto YouTube was brought down. A few DJs who refused to comply were summarily dismissed from the DJs association.

However, video footage obtained by this reporter shows the Dream Boyz crooning the song away, acapella style, at subsequent Guma Guma road shows, days after the song was condemned.

To CID Headquarters

Yet it is not all over yet. On Monday, the saga reached CID Headquarters in Kacyiru, where DJ Bisoso was summoned following accusations of sabotage from fellow DJs. This followed the July 30 letter that Bisoso had forwarded to fellow DJs announcing the ban on Kanda Amazi, something that the DJs misconstrued for sabotage. Luckily, CID made light of it, and advised the parties to resolve the impasse amicably.

When I called up Clement for a comment he said: "Yes, the police summoned us and resolved the matter. As of now, all songs are allowed. Whoever is aggrieved should go to Police or courts. I have no other comment. The public will like whatever they want.” 

City Radio’s DJ Adams, who has been part of the saga from day one, commented thus of the song:

"Same lyrics, same beat, same genre, same tempo. The only difference is that one got many artistes. I don’t see Kanda Amazi as a remix, but as a second version. It’s a dead song still working with the people. The song will be out there for fun, but no artiste will gain from it.”

DJ Bisoso said: "Every industry has its pros and then the pretenders. I have been at this game for six years and counting, so I can’t accept that. I only play quality for our customers. Some radios still insist on playing Kanda Amazi, but they are just exposing their unprofessionalism.”

He also had a word for artistes like DJ Pius, who find their songs stolen and released without their consent: "Artistes, don’t fight for one song forever. Do other songs to show people that you are good at what you do.”