Ugandan singer Jose Chameleone has been caught in a fraud scandal.
A top Tanzanian producer is accusing the legendary singer of conning him $50,000. The producer known as P Funk claims that Chameleone received cash from Walt Disney after they used a beat created by the producer in the popular film Queen of Katwe. The mass media and entertainment Company allegedly paid the singer after he deceived them that he is the original producer and composer of the beats to the song, Nikusaidiaje.
The song was originally sung by Tanzanian artists Ferooz and Proffesor Jay and later remixed by Chameleone in his track Bomboclat which was used in the film produced by Walt Disney mid last Year. Speaking to Tanzania’s newspaper Risasi, producer P Funk revealed,
“A long time ago, we used to produce music beats separately from the A capella and we would store the two in compact discs (CDs). So, Chameleone stole the beat and inserted his A capella for the song Bomboclat. He had not sought verbal or written permission from me. I confronted him and he promised to pay me KSh2, 000. Until today, the guy has not honoured his promise. As if that wasn’t enough, Chameleone went ahead to sell the beats of the song – which he had stolen from me –, to Walt Disney. When I confronted him again, he became elusive – just like he did before. He would tell me that he sold the beats to popularize African music, he’d then give other alibis like: Walt Disney paid him little money, $2, 000 (KSh208, 000). When I realised the singer was taking me for a ride, I presented my complaint to Copyright Society of Tanzania (COSOTA), who wrote a formal letter to a body governing individuals’ creative works in Uganda. The Ugandan copyright body did not respond.” He told the newspaper.
He later took legal action when his efforts failed by writing an official letter of complaint to Walt Disney.
“Walt Disney management told me that they would refer to a contract they signed with Chameleone and see how much money they would pay me, adding they would deal with Chameleone directly,” revealed P Funk.
Source: Niaje.com
