Worldwide records on the Kiss Daniel issue.
There has been a lot of misinformation in the media as to
the background of Kiss Daniel’s wrongful exit from G-
Worldwide Entertainment; firstly the management of G-
Worldwide Entertainment wishes to state it had never been
its intention to seek legal redress, nor join issues with an
artist who we fear is being given bad legal advice. However,
we feel it is important that we set the records straight for
the benefit of the general public and others who are
interested in knowing the truth.
We would like to reiterate that our organization’s sole
mission is to scout, develop and promote artists till the
point where both partners become profitable and the artiste
can then decide to continue their creative journey as they
deem fit. Contrary to widespread insinuations (and though
we love a good joke) we are not a slave camp and we
have no time whatsoever held any of the talents on our
roster against their will.
The issue of restrictions on collaboration by our artists is
one which has been well flogged and one we will address
immediately - our management policy is unique in that we
look for innovative ways to position our artists to build and
own their sound and brands before seeking to collaborate
with artists from other labels. To make this work, we train
and develop our artists in a way that ensures that their
first albums are well composed and delivered in a way that
gives them the platform to sell their art as strong
individual brands. This strategy is not without its results as
is evident from Kiss Daniel’s debut album “New Era”
receiving many positive reviews and landing the 8th place
on the Billboard’s World Album Chart within a week of
release. The Nigerian music industry is very competitive, and
as such, it is pertinent that players in the market develop
unique strategies to break in and remain relevant.
The New Era album of Kiss Daniel therefore only contained
collaborative efforts with his label mate Sugarboy. However,
on the soon to be released album ‘Evolution’ by Kiss
Daniel, we have worked with other talents such as Phyno
and Olamide. Sugarboy has also collaborated with Y-Cee on
a song due to be released in January 2018.
There have also been issues raised that the company has
not made available its books of accounts to Kiss Daniel,
leading to him filing an action at the Lagos State High
Court seeking an order granting him access to the books of
the company. Whilst our lawyers have filed the necessary
papers to strike out the suit, it is pertinent that we
briefly note that at no time have we denied the artiste or
his lawyers access to our books. With the facts we have, it
is our belief that the suit is a ploy to misdirect the public
away from his untimely and unlawful exit from the company.
The label has records of email correspondence with Kiss
Daniel where he and his representatives at different times
requested for books of the company and same were
supplied to them. All these have been placed before the
court in response to the suit filed by the artist at the
Lagos State High Court. Until now neither he nor his
representatives have responded to papers filed challenging
the competence of that suit. Sadly too, even though Kiss
complained about access, in another breath he has admitted
the audits held by his accountants and the label’s
accountant.
Apart from the above, there have been rumours that Kiss
Daniel has been on a monthly stipend of NGN 50,000
(Another great joke if we ever heard one). It is a known
fact that such amounts will be insufficient to find and
retain a decent apartment in Lagos nor cater for the
lifestyle of any Nigerian celebrity. Kiss Daniel, contrary to
that rumour, has received substantial allowances over the
last two and half years. In 2013, he was offered a 360
deal, and the terms of the initial contract have been
reviewed twice in his favour, whilst the company has had to
bankroll obligations relating to advertising, promotions, music
production, videos, trips, wardrobe etc. at different times.
Indeed, the company has been quite flexible with our
remuneration policies with the belief that he will be able
to build a solid financial base for himself. For the avoidance
of doubt the following are some details of how the label
catered for his financial needs as well as his personal
welfare:
1. Contrary to rumours making the rounds that Kiss Daniel
was only on NGN 30,000 salary since he joined the label
up until after the release of the Woju and Laye singles,
this is nothing but falsehood. Before the release of those
singles in 2014, Kiss Daniel was being paid a monthly
allowance of NGN 30,000 to cover basic personal costs
whilst he was still in his father’s house in Kuto,
Abeokuta, he was also given a medical allowance of NGN
150,000 and other unrecorded stipends whilst no revenue
was being generated by him. This remained the norm while
the label invested heavily in recording sessions, productions,
transportation, and other costs associated with developing
him as an artist.
2. Loans of up to NGN 550,000 were given to him within
2 weeks of his signing onto the label for him to get a car
for his mom to start a Taxi business. There are documents
to back this. In addition following his request for financial
support for his dad’s burial, G-Worldwide released the sum
of NGN 200,000 to him which was exactly what Kiss Daniel
requested for. As recent as October 2017, he again
requested for a loan to run his account in order to acquire
a house for himself under a mortgage, to this end the
company released NGN 13,000,000 (Thirteen Million Naira)
to him though the company was not obligated under the
contract to do so.
3. As per the contract between Kiss Daniel and G-
Worldwide, the label was meant to recoup its investment
before any royalty-sharing was to commence; the only
provision available for the artiste was allowances and loans
which would be at the discretion of the label. In June 2015
following his return from his UK tour, the company amended
the contract and immediately began the payment of
royalties as agreed and from that time till the wrongful
termination of his contract. G-Worldwide has paid Kiss
Daniel the sum of NGN 117,233,318 (One Hundred and
Seventeen Million, Two Hundred Thirty-Three Thousand and
Three Hundred and Eighteen Naira) as royalties from
performances alone, he has also received money from other
incomes to the sum of NGN 3,296,826.40 (Three Million,
Two Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand Eight Hundred and
Twenty Six Naira and forty kobo) for the financial record of
2016 as opposed to the false allegations made by him and
his lawyers (The company’s books of account support this)
As it stands, Kiss Daniel owes G-Worldwide Entertainment
quite a large sum of money for the financial year due to
end in 2018.
4. Following the signing of the contract in 2013, Kiss
Daniel moved into an apartment furnished by the label in
April 2014 in Lekki Lagos and only moved out in October
2015. Despite the terrible picture painted by Kiss Daniel to
the media, the label actually during that period undertook
the payment of all the bills in the said apartment, including
waste, power, service charges, feeding, etc.
5. We have also noted the falsehood that at the time of
his father’s demise, the label barred him from attending
the burial. Let it be on record that immediately the news
of his father’s demise filtered in, Emperor Geezy, CEO of
the label authorized that his own personal car is used to
convey Kiss Daniel to Abeokuta to attend and be a part of
his father’s burial. The label CEO’s brother even
accompanied him on this trip, as well as one of the
label’s staff. Interestingly on arriving at a hotel in
Abeokuta which had been fully paid for by the label, he
refused to attend his own father’s burial on the grounds
that he believed that his family are fetish and were
responsible for his father’s death.
6. In response to the claim that Kiss Daniel was barred
from supporting other artists, especially those who supported
him and the label at the New Era album launch, we would
like to put it on record that at no time has the label
barred him from performing at events where friends in the
industry have asked for his support. We understand the
importance of collaborative efforts in a fledgling industry
such as ours. Kiss Daniel, however, has made it a habit to
turn up at events late or not at all, always blaming the
label for his truancy. Clear examples include his failure to
appear at the Reekado Banks album listening party at Hard
Rock Café and the recent 2Baba Buckwyld 'n' Breathless
Concert on 22nd of October, 2017 at Eko Hotel. He did
this even when 2Baba had provided two separate
accommodations for him and his manager Louiza Williams at
Eko Hotels, and the label had covered other logistics costs.
He stood up 2Baba and manager after claiming he was on
his way from 6pm till 1am the next day. He repeated the
same show of shame at the Chronicles of Ushebebe and
Soundcity’s 2016 MVP Awards. His excuse always being
that the label has restricted him from supporting other
talents in the industry. His favourite saying: “You know
I’m signed to a label na, I’m not my own boss yet”.
One should wonder why his manager would be at these
venues to liaise with the event organizers before his arrival
if he wasn’t approved by the label to be at those events.
His usual play was to ask the manager if money is involved
and once she says “no we are going to support” he will
either not take his calls once she’s around his house for
takeoff, or switch off his phones and later complain that
he was not feeling too well or had an urgent meeting at
Abeokuta.
Last year, many people wondered how we managed to pull
off such a massive concert for his New Era album launch
with no support from any organization. That event which
included the lease of the prestigious Eko Hotels with over
20 superstars was one of the most expensive projects the
company ever embarked upon.
Nevertheless, we understand that artists grow with their
songs and popularity, and may eventually seek an early
exit. That being said, a contract between two parties is a
legally binding arrangement and both parties having deployed
resources to perform obligations thereunder must ensure
that the contract is executed or terminated in line with its
terms and conditions.
G-Worldwide’s contract with Kiss Daniel simply put, allows
for the artiste to exit, but in so doing, he is duty bound
to repay to the company all monies expended by the
company in furtherance of the contract and all losses;
including losses suffered from the cancellation of fixed
events and shows by reason of the termination. The
contract is also expressly clear on the fact that intellectual
property rights to all the songs produced under the contract
including the stage name of the artiste are properties of
the company. We know that so far, Kiss Daniel has kept
these facts away from the public; choosing to resort to
cheap blackmail and whipping up emotions. We will not take
this route as a responsible company and this is why we are
in court.
We have done our best not to harp on the history of his
recalcitrance. Nevertheless, we are harassed by different
lawyers (his present lawyer is the fourth) with outrageous
demands, but we have retained the opinion that some terms
cannot be imposed on us. Most recently in October, he
demanded going forward, 100% of revenues from his
performances and endorsements even while he understands
his level of indebtedness to us and the terms of the
contracts. When he was referred to the contract terms, his
response was to serve us a termination notice without even
following the stipulations for termination under the contract.
He thereafter announced his personal record label in less
than nine (9) days after the undue notice and has since
been soliciting bookings and infringing on G-Worldwide
intellectual property rights by performing songs from the
‘New Era’ album and the yet to be released
‘Evolution’ album. This is the reason for the Federal
High Court order of the 30th November 2017 stating that
"both parties are ordered to maintain status quo ante
bellum under the recording contract pending the hearing of
the motion on notice."
Law abiding organizations and business concerns have either
contacted us for clarity, which we have provided through our
solicitors, Calmhill Partners. Other well advised entities have
in support of the rule of law and sanctity of contracts,
terminated their engagements with him or removed him from
performance schedules. The Nigerian musical industry we
believe will learn and grow from this incidence.
We have put everyone who wishes to contract Kiss Daniel
on notice and advise that you should not allow yourselves
be misinformed about the subject matter or be swayed by
his misrepresentations or lack of capacity to perform some
of the songs that he has been contracted to perform.
Whilst we look forward to a speedy dispensation of justice
in the matter before the Court, we reiterate our advice
that event organizers should consult their lawyers to avoid
being complicit in the offence of acting in contempt of
court.
It remains illegal to deal with Kiss Daniel directly instead of
G-Worldwide Management pending the hearing of the suit in
Court.
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