Presidential digital strategist Denis Itumbi has raised concerns over the situation facing Gengetone and Urbantone artists who allegedly signed controversial contracts with Black Market Records, claiming several young musicians are now trapped in a legal dispute that has restricted their music distribution and image rights.

He shared the details during an appearance on JKLive, where he narrated the struggles faced by artists behind popular Gengetone songs such as Hatupangwingwi and Najikunakuna.

                                             Dennis Itumbi // Kenya News

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Contracts signed before the company registration

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According to Itumbi, an investor associated with Black Market Records signed contracts with young Kenyan artists before the company was officially registered, raising questions about the legality of the agreements.
He said the contracts have made it difficult for the artists to control their own music and online presence.

“Those young men were signed by Black Market Records, but the contracts were illegal because he signed them before registering the company,” Itumbi said on JKLive.ALSO READ: Itumbi Discusses Why He Has Never Suffered Heartbreak or Had His Fare ‘Eaten’

He added that the artists can no longer freely upload music on YouTube or use their images for promotional activities without facing ownership claims.
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Artists reportedly blocked from YouTube.

Itumbi further alleged that the investor continues to claim rights over the artists’ content even after some of them opened new YouTube accounts to restart their careers.
One of the affected musicians mentioned was Fathermoh, a Gengetone artist who has been part of the urban music movement in Kenya.

“If they upload on YouTube, he claims their rights; if they do a billboard, he claims their image rights,” Itumbi stated.

He explained that the legal dispute has affected multiple artists who were signed under the same arrangement.

Alleged $1 million lawsuit in California

The digital strategist also claimed that the matter had escalated internationally, with the investor reportedly filing a lawsuit in California seeking up to $1 million in damages against the artists.
According to his remarks, the legal action has followed some of the musicians even after they attempted to start fresh platforms to distribute their content independently.
Dennis Itumbi // Hivi Sasa

Background on Gengetone and Black Market Records

Gengetone emerged in Kenya in the late 2010s as a youth-driven urbanmusic genre combining hip-hop, dancehall, and Sheng lyrics, quickly gaining popularity across East Africa through viral hits and online streaming platforms.

Black Market Records has previously worked with several Gengetone artists and played a role in distributing urban music content internationally, particularly through digital platforms.