Kenyan singer Bahati has publicly raised alarm over the removal of a new song by Mr Seed featuring him, putting music distribution and the protection of Kenyan artists back in the spotlight.
The song, “Mimi Na Wewe,” had brought together the two artistes in a highly anticipated collaboration. However, Bahati has now accused music distributor Ziiki Media East Africa of being behind the song’s removal from YouTube.
According to reports circulating online, the song was removed from the platform, prompting Bahati to publicly question how a song could be taken down despite what he claims was no existing contract between the distributor and the artiste.
Bahati’s Angry Message
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Bahati did not hide his frustration. Taking to social media, he directly addressed the Kenyan Government and called for action against music distributors he believes are operating unfairly in the Kenyan market.
He wrote exactly:
“THIS IS OUR CRY 😭 DEAR THE KENYAN GOVERNMENT… IF YOU MEAN WELL TO THE KENYAN MUSIC INDUSTRY, CANCEL @MZIKI DISTRIBUTORS FROM OPERATING IN THE KENYA MARKET 🇰🇪 HOW DO YOU ILLEGALLY & MALICIOUSLY WAKE UP AND DELETE A SONG FROM YOUTUBE WITH NO EXISTING CONTRACT WITH THE ARTIST??? HIII NI HASARA GANI MNAPE @MRSEEDOFFICIAL ??? 😭 WASANII WETU WAMETESKEZA YA KUTOSHA 😌… SERIKALI MNAFANYA NINI KUHUSU HAWA WAKORA ???”
The post has sparked debate among music fans, with the incident raising questions about the relationship between artistes, digital distributors and online platforms.
A Song Featuring Two Former EMB Colleagues
The controversy is also interesting because of the history between Bahati and Mr Seed. Mr Seed was previously associated with Bahati’s EMB Records before pursuing his career independently.
Their latest collaboration, “Mimi Na Wewe,” therefore carries an element of reunion for fans who have followed their musical journey over the years.
The song has been described as a love-themed collaboration, with the two artistes combining their styles for a track centred on love and commitment.
Bahati Wants Government Intervention
Bahati’s message went beyond the song itself. He used the incident to call attention to what he considers broader challenges facing Kenyan musicians in the digital era.
His appeal to the Government suggests that he wants stronger oversight of music distributors and better protection for artistes when disputes arise over the ownership, distribution or removal of their music.
For now, the allegations made by Bahati remain his account of what happened, and the circumstances surrounding the song’s removal could become clearer if Ziiki Media or other parties involved issue a response.
The incident has nevertheless opened another conversation about how Kenyan artistes can protect their work in an increasingly digital music industry.
