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Mampintsha's management suing Apple Music for removing his music

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Mampintsha. (Photo: Getty Images/Gallo Images)
Mampintsha. (Photo: Getty Images/Gallo Images)

Johannesburg - Mampintsha's manager, Lindo Buthelezi popularly known as Dogg DBN is in the process of suing Apple Music/ iTunes for R10 Million, following the company’s removal of Mampintsha’s music from their platform.

Speaking to DRUM, the event manager said that he had decided to take the legal route because Apple had not followed the correct procedure before deciding to remove the Gqom artist’s music amidst his domestic abuse charges.

"I have attempted to reach Apple but I have now handed over everything to my lawyers. We had a contractual agreement with Apple and upon hearing the news of Mampintsha and Babes Wodumo’s dispute, the store was supposed to consult with us and tell us why they would be removing our goods from the store. Mampintsha has not been convicted by law and has paid Apple to load goods onto the store. On top of that, the store is getting a percentage from his products being on their store."

According to Dogg, Apple is being unfair since they have never removed Chris Brown and other international artists’ music even after they were convicted of criminal charges.

“There’s a loophole in the platforms that we use. Chris Brown was convicted by law and there are images of Rihanna being hurt out there but because they make so much money from Chris Brown’s music, they could not risk that by removing his music. But because Mampintsha is from South Africa and doesn’t make them those millions, they remove his music. It is not fair,” he said before explaining that him suing Apple was a calculated move that would serve as a moral compass to other artists that were being treated unfairly by such platforms.

Apple is not the first brand or organisation to distance themselves from Mampintsha, shortly after his assault video went viral, Somizi Mhlongo as well as the University of the Western Cape refused to continue to work with the artist.

Some radio stations have also reportedly stopped playing the musician’s songs and Dogg says he would be taking on those stations too.

"Radio stations need artists to survive as artists are influential, so if they boycott us then it is also a loss for them," he concluded before explaining that he is not condoning Mampintsha’s actions by defending him, but is rather putting sense into things.

"In no way am I saying Mampintsha was right for what he did, but I just want people to be able to approach every situation objectively."

Apple Music was unable to respond to Drum's questions by the time of publishing.

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