KEL FINALLY LEAVES CAPITAL

KEL

Young femcee Kelechi Ohia (Kel) may have finally brought an end to her bottlenecked contract with Capital Hill Music owned by Clarence Peters. A statement from her management outfit, M.et.al Entertainment states that they have finally reached an agreement to dissolve her contract which was originally meant to run till March 2011. She would now leave Capital Hill Music with but without the rights of her debut album, The Investment, which was released last year under Capital. She would only get the rights to it when she has fully paid up the amount stipulated in the new compromise contract which they just agreed on.

The money, according to Kel’s representatives, is not a debt which they incurred but a compensation package for not seeing through the contract. “The money is nowhere near the 11 million naira that was being spread around before; it is not even up to half of it. But we are moving on and we are still friends with everyone at Capital. What has just come to an end is the business part of the relationship, the personal friendships still remain,” they said.

Capital, on their part, revealed that a compromise was only arrived at after very long sessions of deliberation. “Capital spent so much on her and would never allow her to just leave without recouping anything from their investment. But they still recognized that both parties gained nothing from the situation so they are letting her go with an arrangement to pay Capital an amount not up to five million naira. The rights to her album would remain with the label until she pays up.”

Kel’s career had practically stalled since she fell out with Capital and they withdrew all their support for her. Her songs and videos which were doing well at that time were pulled off air as they struggled to come to some sort of arrangement but she somehow managed to remain visible despite these and even got an endorsement deal with hair care producers, Soulmate. It was even mooted in some quarters that her success then may have been part of what caused the rift as she wasn’t remitting the label’s percentages of her earnings and endorsements as agreed in her contract, hence the impasse. But Kel disagrees. “She obeyed the terms of the contract but all that is in the past now, we are moving on.”

While a breakdown in any relationship is not something to be celebrated, this one is welcome as it allows both parties to move on their different paths. Various labels are being touted as Kel’s next destination. It was even reported on some websites few weeks backs that she has signed on to Audu Maikori’s Chocolate City, but that turned out to be untrue at that time. Yet, the label’s promotion of rap music might be very suitable to Kel’s career as M.I, Jesse Jagz and Ice Prince, who are all rappers, have prospered. Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment (Eme) is another possible option as there are strong friendship bonds between them and young rappers, Skales and Whizkid are both receiving proper grooming and exposure there. But all that would be sorted out in due course as Kel maintains that she is going to be on her own for the time being.