Musicians now slave to their managers due to bad contracts - Ola Michaels

Entertainment critic Ola Michaels believes that some musicians in Ghana are ignorant when it comes to contracts and the legal issues surrounding them.

Contributing to the topic on contracts, the outspoken critic said, some musicians sign contracts they lack understanding on and what constitutes recording, marketing, publishing, and other legal terminologies on contracts.

He said some musicians complain that they are financially constraint and yet they are unaware that, their pictures used by people to promote their works, constitute an illegality when the artiste is unaware.

He told the host, I once saw a poster with the names of a lot of artists on it and when I called some of them, they were unaware of it. These artists could sue such persons.

However, they are unable to do it because they lack understanding or are ignorant.’’ He added: ‘’some musicians sign contracts without looking at the details but rather focus on the money.

It would be better for a musician to read detail by detail a contract and if possible get a lawyer to also scrutinize the contract before signing it.’’ He further posited that some musicians have become slaves due to bad contracts they have signed.

Radio owner, Alfred Kwame Larbi aka DJ Oxygen stressed the need for musicians to seek legal counsel before signing contracts.