Musicians Fungisai Zvakavapano Mashavave and Madzibaba Nicholas Zakaria have cried foul over their music which they allege was stolen and uploaded on streaming platforms without their permission.
The alleged thief is raking in a fortune as he has been granted the licence rights to the music by the platforms. When the musicians try to upload their own music, the alleged thief files a copyright removal strike against them and wins.
Fungisai revealed that the music thief uses a Youtube account named “Vangodza.”
Vangodza is alleged to be based in the United Kingdom and has uploaded an extensive collection of music belonging to local artists. The catalogue is so extensive that it covers music from the 1980s up to the 2000s. The music was mainly uploaded on Youtube in the late 2000s, a few years after the online streaming platform was launched.
Revealing her woes over the stolen music, Fungisai said,
VaNgodza tovawanepi veduwe? Wakaba catalogue yangu yese vakaiisa youtube & iTunes zvekuti inini ndinotobvisirwa music yangu pa authentic YouTube channel yangu after reporter. He is living large nekalife in the Diaspora nekutengesa music of these hardworking souls.
Someone send me a lawyer who knows how to get back my children’s heritage and inheritance. How can someone be this callous? All yesteryear music has been captured by this high profile tsotsi and surely can we not do anything about him?
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| Fungisai, Madzibaba Cry Foul Over Stolen Music As Copyright ‘Thief’ Makes A Fortune On Streaming Platforms! |
This could be the biggest music copyright heist in Zimbabwean history.
Mako also referenced a post he made in December questioning the identity of Vangodza. Mako wrote,
Who is VANGODZA? It seems he/she has the biggest catalogue of Zimbabwean old school music & videos on youtube.
Madzibaba Nicholas Zakaria’s son Lazarus Zakaria revealed that Vangodza is claiming copyright even on new videos of old songs. Lazarus is the CEO of Nicholas Zakaria and Khiama Boys. Respond to Plot Mhako’s post, Lazarus said,
Haa true elder vangodza vakatigadza mu dish all our music vakatora even if we try kutoita ma videos akuitwa copyright claim.
He went on to share details of some of the music which has been stolen and copyrighted by Vangodza.
Plot Mhako echoed that there needs to be a concerted effort or platform for victims to recover their music.
