BULAWAYO The Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) has warned artists against signing contracts that may violate their rights.
Zimura chairperson Albert Nyathi said artists should be careful when signing contracts as the content in the contract may have provisions that would violate their rights as musicians.
A lot of times artists just sign contracts after verbal briefings and promises of a bright career without taking their time to study the contracts and taking them to legal professionals who can give them advice, Nyathi said.
Then, when their rights are violated, these artists start crying foul when they had just rushed to sign contracts they had not studied and understood.
Nyathi made the statement last week during Zimuras annual general meeting held in Bulawayo. Zimura is offering legal advice to members on contracts they wish to sign so as to reduce the violation of their music rights.
Zimura board member and local musician, Bob Nyabinde, said the problem with Zimbabwean musicians was that they are into music as a quick way of getting money and this distracts them when they sign contracts, especially with recording companies.
When you get to the recording company do not sign papers that will give away your rights, the problem with musicians in Zimbabwe is that they are in it for the money and not for the love of music so they get excited when given a contract and are verbally promised a better career so they are quick to sign not knowing that they have signed away their rights, said Nyabinde.
Before you sign a contract, take it to the Zimura office and show them because there could be certain problematic areas in your contract.
