My music was sold without my approval - Amakye Dede

One of Ghana’s top highlife musicians whose music is being sold on the market without his approval, has warned that his outfit will soon deal drastically with all those involved in the illegal distributing of his music.

The highlife music icon, Abrantie Amakye Dede, wept over the rate at which music was being pirated in the country and disclosed that for the past years, his musical works had been sold on the local and international music markets and online without his approval.

Speaking to BEATWAVES in an interview yesterday, the evergreen highlife musicians described pirates as thieves, and nation wreckers, and therefore called for an effective and rapid legal system in the country to deal with them.

“I have to make things uncomfortable for the pirates who are depriving Ghanaian musicians from making ends meet. We will chase them out of their hideouts very soon. We will use all available means to uproot them and destroy their criminal operations,” he declared.

He added that “it is time for all forms of piracy to be dealt a lethal blow. Pirates must be jailed. I call on all Ghanaians to expose their illegal activities in the supreme interest of the country.

“Piracy has not only decimated Ghana’s music industry, but has impoverished its creators and deprived government of legitimate tax revenue.”

According to him, measures were being put in place by his management team to check the activities of those pirating his musical works, adding that he would wage an intensive war against those behind the illegal sale and distribution of his musical works.

He asked music sellers and distributors in the country who want to do business with his music to contact him personally or his management.

Abrantie stated that he had not authorized any company such Mega Star or any group of persons to distribute and sell his musical works on his behalf.