Oskid vs Winky D: Who is right?

. Bruce Ndlovu
It is a battle that threatens to bring to an end a partnership that has brought magic to the ears of scores of Zimbabweans.

While his work behind the production boards has brought hits from Killer T, Fungisai, Jah Prayzah and Leonard Zhakata, ita��s wonder kid Oskid Tapfumaa��s combination with the Ninja President that has got fans on their feet and listening intently.

Like the early 90 combination of producer turned billionaire Dr Dre with rapper Snoop Dogg, the two were irresistible on last yeara��s Gafa Life Kicks Tape, with Winky Da��s style fitting hand in glove with Oskida��s luxurious riddims.

Now, a year later, a lot has changed. Winky D is ready to roll out another chapter that will shed further light on his now famous Gafa Lifestyle with the release of Gafa Futi, an album whose production credits will be dominated by Oskida��s name.

Oskid has left the Kenako Studios from where his prodigious talent first started to shine, until it climaxed to the blinding brilliance that was his production on Winkya��s last effort.

Now the two are at each othera��s throats, with Oskid alleging that his partner in the business of hit-making is set to remove his signature tags from songs in the Gafa Futi album which comes out on Friday.

According to the producer, in their initial agreement, Winky had agreed to leave the tags on if Oskid took a reduced fee, a provision which he agreed to.

This way, Oskid gets the credit for his work for everyone to hear, in the same way that the likes of DJ Khaled and Mike Will do in the United States.

While the details of their agreement still remain hazy, with both camps refusing to further shed further light, the jury is still out on who is right or wrong in the dispute. What is acceptable practice internationally and locally for beat merchants and their superstar clients?

Under an ordinary producer contract, Oskida��s demands dona��t fly. For starters, as soon as a contract is signed and beat or piece of music is brought from a producer, he is no longer the owner of that beat and the owner then decides what happens to that beat.

a�?When I sell a beat it completely ceases to belong to me,a�? says rapper Cal_vin, who is also a producer who has sold some of his beats to some of Zimbabwe and Bulawayoa��s finest wordsmiths.

When the song that a producer made becomes a hit, as a Oskid produced beat would do, therea��s an opportunity for the producer to make additional revenue. Ita��s here where most producers lose, especially the uninitiated.

Contracts should leave room for secondary revenue that comes when the song is used for commercials, films and other endeavours. In their haste to sell a beat to a hot artiste, most young producers just give away a beat outright.

Indeed ita��s hard to see a young beat-smith from Mbare negotiating such nitty-gritties with Winky D should he come knocking.

However, Oskid seems to be aware of these and other provisions in the agreements. Besides his production work, he has proved to be business savvy, perhaps exemplified by his decision to leave the umbrella of Kenako Music. Other producers in the genre have it harder.

a�?The producer makes a riddim and they dona��t get paid a single cent. They just invite big artistes to contribute to that riddim. Why? This works as marketing ploy as it will get airplay simply because of the bigger artistes that are featured on it. They get their money from the smaller artistes that bring $10 and $15 to feature in that riddim,a�? says dancehall aficionado Plot Mhako.

The provision to accept a lesser fee is in line with international standards where tags, or drops as they are more commonly referred to as, are also kept if the producer accepts a lesser fee. Simply put, if there was a prior agreement as Oskid alleges, then the Ninja President should gather legal arsenal for a future legal battle.