On 29th of August 2017, Nigerian rapper and Tinny Entertainment lead act Ycee openly attack Sony Music’s general manager in west-Africa Micheal Ugwu of ” fraud & theft ” for ripping-off artist hard-earn money through his FreeMe Digital, a music distribution channel.
Though, the Sony Music‘s executive Ugwu in Africa has responded to the openly call out attack by the ” Juice ” crooner Ycee on Twitter. But to clear the perception of un-professional business approach by the FreeMe Digital toward creative artists, the company has released an official statement regarding the Ycee v. Michael Ugwu Sony‘s social media brouhaha.
Here is the official press statement below :
Following the series of occurrences that have transpired on social media since Tuesday 29th August 2017 between Ycee of Tinny Entertainment and Michael Ugwu of Sony Music Entertainment; this is our position.
Freeme Digital had a distribution agreement with Ycee which was signed in November 2015 and was terminated in April 2016 with effect from June 2016. This wasn’t on the basis of any feud whatsoever as Ycee still featured on FreemeTV’s ZoneOut Sessions even after the termination of his contract.
His EP “The First Wave” which was released in April 2017 was solely between his management and Sony Music and we, Freeme Digital were not involved in that deal. We were never, and are still not partnering with Sony Music on any of its recording and/or distribution deals with artistes, and we definitely have no current and existing contractual relations with Ycee or his team. Anything and everything that happened between Freeme Digital and Ycee after the expiration of his contract was on the basis of a cordial industry relationship, NOTHING MORE.
We are aware that several assumptions and baseless propaganda have been flying in the media as expected but we have chosen to respond to it as it is and call it by its real name – Baseless.
Freeme Digital is Nigeria’s foremost online digital music distribution network with a growing array of artists, labels, comedians and content creators across the region on our platform with radio rights to all content licensed so unsubstantiated disputes like this don’t come as a surprise. We work hard to offer world-class services in our industry and in this sub-region so unfounded arguments though common with the industry never stay on us. This dispute is between Tinny entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment; Freeme Digital has no part in it.
~Peter Akhigbe
Head, Digital Marketing and PR
As the situation unfold, we’re waiting for official statement from Ycee’s management on this issue.