Tanzanian music icon Diamond Platnumz has reveale a highly lucrative $5 million contract signing with Warner Music Group.In a statement which has prompted wider controversy across East Africa and beyond, Diamond disclosed that he turned down an offer by Roc Nation, the American entertainment company founded by rap titan Jay-Z. Roc Nation presented him with $250,000, which is roughly TSh 675 million, according to reports, but the artist says he is worth much more.
Prior to that, Diamond had wrapped up a prior recording agreement with Universal Music, worth $1 million, which is the growing interest and investment that foreign labels are bringing to African artists, particularly from the rapidly emerging East African music scene.
What turned the tables was Warner Music’s offer — a staggering $5 million deal (around TSh 13.5 billion), which Diamond accepted. “Nikasign na Warner na ndio hao nafanya nao kazi,” he confirmed, meaning, “I signed with Warner, and they are the ones I’m currently working with.”
His record label, Wasafi WCB, has already bred a handful of potential artists, and this new agreement with Warner could potentially give Diamond’s and the artists’ music an even greater boost in terms of globalization and distribution.
