- Dami Twitch, a music video director and filmmaker, emphasizes the need for Nollywood filmmakers to obtain proper clearance for using Afrobeats songs.
- The change is attributed to many Afrobeats artists signing publishing deals with international companies.
- These deals impose stricter licensing controls on the use of their music in productions.
Music video director-turned-filmmaker Dami Twitch has stated that Nollywood filmmakers can no longer freely use Afrobeats songs in their productions without first obtaining proper clearance.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Afropolitan Podcast, he explained that the shift is largely due to the fact that many Afrobeats artists are now signed to publishing deals with international companies, which places stricter controls on how their music is licensed.
According to him, this development has made music licensing significantly more expensive for filmmakers in Nollywood. He added that many producers are unable to afford the required fees to legally feature popular Afrobeats tracks unless they have strong financial backing or external investors.
He further noted that this situation is beginning to strain the relationship between the Afrobeats music scene and Nollywood, as both industries continue to grow but face new challenges around collaboration and content usage rights.
His words…
“Nollywood producers can’t freely use Afrobeats songs in movies anymore. Some artists have already sold their music rights, so adding their songs to films becomes difficult.
“Even if the artist is my friend, they can’t give me permission to use their song freely because they have already entered a contract. That is a major challenge in the movie industry.
“The collaboration between Nollywood and Afrobeats is at a very weird place right now. A lot of producers can’t afford putting Afrobeats songs in their movies unless a big studio or investor supports them. Nigerian producers are mostly independent filmmakers so a lot of us won’t be able to afford it,” he said.
Leave a Reply