Alex Muhangi, the CEO of Comedy Store, has provided further details on the ongoing legal dispute with musician Moses Ssali alias Bebe Cool regarding copyright infringement.
The case, which began today, March 19, at City Hall in Kampala, centers around Bebe Cool’s allegations that Muhangi posted videos of his performances on the Comedy Store platform without permission.
Ahead of the court session, Alex Muhangi spoke to the media, offering clarification on several points.
Muhangi explained the root cause of the conflict which he attributed to Bebe Cool.
According to Muhangi, the artist had agreed to a Shs 6 million payment for a performance at Comedy Store. However, upon arrival, there was confusion about the payment amount.
“I was surprised when Bebe Cool arrived and started demanding his money in the parking lot. I called my team to check, and they informed me they only had Shs 5 million in cash,” Muhangi recounted.
To resolve the situation, he instructed his team to pay the Shs 5 million in cash and promised to send the remaining balance via Mobile Money. However, Bebe Cool left without performing leading to a public fallout.
On the issue of Bebe Cool’s accusations that Muhangi profited from videos of his performances posted on YouTube, Muhangi explained that the Comedy Store videos are shared for promotional purposes and are not monetized.
“It’s impossible to monetize the content if it includes someone else’s music. That’s just how YouTube works. I don’t earn a single penny from any video featuring Bebe Cool’s music,” Muhangi clarified.
He further stated that Bebe Cool should be grateful for the increased engagement his content brings to the singer’s channels.
Muhangi also emphasized that all performers at Comedy Store are informed about their rights regarding content.
“When we invite an artist to perform, we record both video and audio, and that content belongs to us. We are free to use it as we see fit.Any content featuring Bebe Cool or any other artist posted on our social media or YouTube is strictly for promotional purposes.”,Muhangi explained.
He also pointed out that there are clear guidelines for artists including a large banner at the venue outlining the conditions for recording and using content.
