ZORA music star, Leonard “Karikoga” Zhakata said there was need to explore how music pirates — the bane of many a musician — could turn their illegal operations into a formal music distribution business that will mutually benefit musicians and the hawkers.
BY ARTS REPORTER
The multiple award-winning musician, who is set to release his 21st album on July 1, said music pirates could eke an honest living through formalising their operations.
Zhakata, who is in pastoral training at the United Families International Church, recently told his planning committee that most pirates were ripping off musicians because of the bleak economic situation in the country, so there was need to come up with a win-win situation to benefit both parties.
“I fully understand that some people venture into piracy because they find themselves in an economic situation that requires them to do something to eke out a living and we have lowered the wholesale price to below $1 so that those who have been practising piracy can still buy original copies of the CD from us, sell at $1 and still make a living. That is a win-win situation,” he said.
The strategy was meant to ensure that Zhakata’s fans across the country would be able to buy the album at an affordable price, while people, who survive on piracy, could sell the album legally.
