KAMPALA – Audio Producers under their umbrella organization Audio Producers Association of Uganda (APAU) have slammed a decision that was taken by Uganda Performing Rights Association (UPRS) to appoint NBS Hit maker show host Justin Basiima a.k.a Justin Bas as a board member in charge of music production and producers.
The Uganda Performing Rights Association (UPRS) recently distributed different positions on the board to the stakeholders in the entertainment industry where Justin Bas was voted as the board member in charge of music producers all over the country, a position he gladly accepted.
In retaliation, the audio producers met and castigated UPRS for taking such a decision of voting someone that has never even produced any song.
The producers who included Artin, Rinex, Crouch, Diggy Baur, Ian Pro, among others questioned how a person who has never produced a single song can represent them in such an office.
They argued that Justin Bas was a wrong choice because he does not understand what producers go through in their business and hence cannot be the one to solve their problems.
“UPRS voted but we as producers were given someone we don’t even know to represent us. He is not even our member, we don’t know which music he has ever produced. This is one of the things that show how our job has been totally violated,” Ian Pro shared.
The audio producers have since threatened to boycott UPRS’ activation if their matter is not solved by placing a person who understands their challenges on the board.
According to Artin Pro, producers have many challenges and the reason for any leadership position is to make sure that such challenges are solved. “The reason we want to vote representatives who understand our business is so that our grievances and challenges can be solved. We cannot accept to be represented by a person who knows nothing about how our industry operates,” he explained.
About UPRS:
Uganda Performing Right Society is a society that was formed in 1985 by authors (mainly musicians) to advance the cause of copyright administration in Uganda.
It is registered with the Registrar of Companies as a Company Limited by Guarantee having no share Capital, in other words it belongs to all of its members.
UPRS is recognized by the Government as a Collecting Society and it is a Member of the Confederation of International Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC).
