Things fall apart between Jaywon, Kennis Music

This is, no doubt, a season of ‘divorces’ in the Nigerian music industry.

With issues ranging from the general lull in album sales to  breech of contract on the increase, more artistes seem to have chosen to part ways with their records labels.

The result is that many of the affected labels have lost their ‘prized possessions’ of late.

Recently, Kennis Music artiste, Jaywon (real name Iledare Oluwajuwonlo) reportedly asked his records label to set him ‘free’. Now, the singer has joined the growing number of singers calling it quits with their  labels and by implication, metaphorically ‘biting’ the fingers that fed them.

A statement released by the Public Affairs Unit of Kennis Communications says the singer had written a letter through his lawyer to request the termination of his contract with the company.

The statement reads in part, “Jaywon wrote, in the same letter, his willingness to pay off all costs therein accordingly. However, Kennis Music, has urged the Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria and all broadcasters on all platforms to delist the works (either single performances or collaborations) of Iledare Oluwajuwonlo James, aka Jaywon, from their respective rotational play lists until his (Jaywon) request to buy over his contract is fully completed to avoid litigation.”

When E-Punch contacted Jaywon and requested his reaction to the development, he declined to make any comment.

 He said, “I have no comment on that for now, but I am aware of the press release. When the time is right, you will hear from me. I am not saying anything for now.”

Only last month, the Kogi State born singer clinched a multi-million Naira deal with Cool World Electrical Retail Stores, the retail business unit of PZ Cussons Company.

Although this development is not peculiar to Kennis Music alone, other record companies have either found themselves in a similar situation or risen above it.

After losing its star artiste, Wizkid, to the trappings of fame, Banky W’s EME Records suffered another loss recently, with the exit of its star attraction, Skales. Though the label decided not to extend their initial three-year contract with the rapper upon expiration, it seems he is not interested in the relationship any longer either.

Also, Wande Coal’s disengagement from Mavin Records in November 2013 came as a rude shock to music fans. The messy separation saw the dark-skinned singer claim that he was never signed on to the records label in the first place.

Mavins claimed that Coal quit the label due to irreconciliable differences. It alleged that the chubby singer failed to ‘align’ with the company’s vision.

Months earlier, former Chocolate City artiste, Jesse Jagz, had shocked some fans when he said that he was taking a ‘voluntary exit’ from his label, Chocolate City, via his Facebook account.