Mr Molzz threatens to sue his former record label
Spira Tlhankane | Wednesday April 22, 2015 18:00
The 22-year-old who has enrolled in the government Tirelo Schaba programme to make ends meet said he may not have money to sue the record label yet, but he will do anything to get what is rightfully his.
Mr Molzz has worked with the record label for five years though he concedes he does have a contract.
“Ever since I started, I performed in big shows and events but I have nothing to show. They told me that I had a lot of potential only to pay me P200 for each show,” Mr Molzz said. He said Deceiver Records always told him that the rest of the money was spent on transport, recording, printing and food.
He said Deceiver Records failed to fulfill their promises and took advantage of him. “I was promised music videos, clothing merchandise and big endorsements,” Mr Molzz said. Up to now, he said, he has recorded enough songs to make an album but no album has been released. He explained that initially he did not complain about the treatment he got from the label but now he wants his dues.
“I want my money. I have a family to feed,” he said. He accused the owners of the record label of wasting money on personal things, rather than promoting his music.
He said even though he failed his Form Five exams due to alcohol addiction and personal problems, he has learnt his lessons and he is destined for great things.
“I wanted to be bigger and they stood in my way,” he said. Mr Molzz explained that he has known the owners of the record label, Dada Tshukudu and Martin Batshwareng since their days at Gaborone Senior Secondary School (GSS), but disputes over money have ruined their relationship. “I sing motivational hip-hop but I am going to give them a bad name,” he swore.
Mr Molzz’s former manager and marketing manager of Deceiver Records, Batswareng said they made the rapper into a brand and now he has become big headed. “We found him on the streets and we made him into the artist he is today,” he said.
Batswareng, also known as Lemarto, said the money Mr Molzz allegedly demands was used to pay his transport, food, recording and clothing. “He is just a boy. He doesn’t know how much it costs to pay all those expenses,” he asserted. He said because the money they received from shows was not much, they gave the musician P500 to buy toiletry.
However, Lemarto acknowledged that Mr Molzz has always been a very good artist, only that his ego is getting in the way. “I promoted his music. I got him into big events such as Kabelano, African Youth Games and My Star,” he said. Lemarto said he even shot a music video for the young rapper, costing a fortune. He said as a record label, they were willing to work with street children because they can tell the story first hand.
Lermato indicated that Mr Molzz has not come to them yet about the lawsuit, but they have heard rumours about it. He said they still have a contract with the musician, but he seems to be running around with other record labels.
“If he approaches us, he has to have reasons because as of now, we deny everything he alleges,” he said. Lermato said as a rapper, he is going to release a diss track on Mr Molzz.