MacDee accused of reaping where he did not sow

Standard People
BY SILENCE CHARUMBIRASome musicians have accused talented producer MacDonald ‘MacDee’ Chidavaenzi of swindling them of royalties by demanding to be credited as co-composer of their songs.

MacDee is alleged to be gaining from the sweat and talent of musicians from his stable through the “scheme”. Speaking on conditions of anonymity, a female musician at MacDee’s stable confessed that the producer has been having problems with many musicians.

“When I first engaged MacDee I was shocked when he ordered me to register his name at Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) with mine,” she said.

“Of course I would love to have my money from royalties but I would rather not have it because I do not want him to enjoy my sweat,” she added.Contacted for comment MacDee refuted the allegations and dismissed them as malicious.

“I do not know anything about that. I actually wish I knew how to get that money, because if I did, I would be rich today,” said MacDee. Another gospel musician also alleged  MacDee is not the good person he purported to be.

“To tell you the truth urban groovers and  upcoming gospel musicians, who do not have live bands are going through hell. “That guy is killing the music industry. His studio charges are also too high for upcoming musicians because he demands more than US$200 per song,” said the musician also declining to be named.

It is alleged that MacDee orders them to register his name as composer of the music and if the musician does not comply he then demands a hefty payment well beyond what an upcoming musician can afford.

Zimura executive director Polisile Ncube however said such allegations have not come to their attention. “We have not heard of such cases as yet so I would not know if something like that has happened. What we do here is we register the name that appears on the sleeve of the project as the composer’s name,” said Ncube.

She said there was no way they would know if the rightful owner of the music had been coerced or had entered into an agreement with the producer.However, she admitted that MacDee was receiving royalties in conjuction with some artists he works with.