#PayTheDJ Campaign is not to glorify payola – Merqury Quaye replies MUSIGA

Barely 24 hours after the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) in a press statement signed by its head of communication Ahuma Bosco described as “illegal and unethical” the #PayTheDJ campaign spearheaded by organizer of the Ghana DJ Awards, Merqury Quaye, the latter has clarified the air and stated the intent of the campaign.

In a six (6) paragraph statement, the radio DJ demystifies the misconception on the campaign.

Read the release as submitted to www.nydjlive.com.

“It has come to my attention that the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has described the ongoing campaign #PAYTHEDJ as a call to glorify payola. This is an unfortunate development since my intention is not to call for payola but rather for musicians and those who employ the services of the DJ to compensate the DJ adequately.

Our movement is about fair pay for work done. My argument stems from the fact that musicians sometimes adopt crude and unrefined methods of promoting their works and I am calling for a more professional approach.

I am of the opinion that when musicians or their managers engage DJs to promote their music for them as consultants, that would give them more mileage since the DJs can leverage their network of DJs to achieve a more effective promotion which would give the musicians more bang for their bucks.

Another issue I raised has to do with the ingratitude of certain musicians who virtually beg DJs to promote their music and their brand and when they attain stardom, they forget these same DJs who supported their ascent.

It is essential that there is mutual respect between DJ and musician since we are like Siamese twins, each needing the other for survival.

Once again, the #PAYTHEDJ well campaign is not a call for payola.”