A royalties dispute between DJ Black Coffee and neo-soul artist Nomsa Mazwai could serve as a cautionary tale for aspiring musicians about the importance of understanding the business side of the music industry.

Mazwai confirmed that she and Black Coffee are expected to face each other in the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) in September.

The Sunday Tribune reports that Mazwai is challenging the rights and royalty arrangements surrounding Traveller, a song she says she wrote and performed.

According to Mazwai, Black Coffee approached her in 2011 after watching her perform at Madiba’s in Brooklyn and asked her to record a song with him.

‘I did not want payment; I wanted royalties. Anyway, he never paid or offered a session, so for me, recording with him was an investment. I knew I was singing and I write all my lyrics. I organised a studio. I wrote and sang all the lyrics to Traveller,’ Mazwai said.

The song appeared on Black Coffee’s Africa Rising released in 2013.

Mazwai is credited as a featured artist and songwriter, while Black Motion are also credited as featured artists.

Mazwai claims that the song generated more than R2m, but says she received less than R30 000.

Music industry expert Vusi Leeuw said the dispute should encourage musicians to learn about the laws and structures governing the industry before signing agreements or entering recording sessions.

Leeuw said that if Mazwai wrote the song alone, she could be entitled to a share of royalties generated from airplay through the SA Music Rights Organisation, depending on the applicable rights and registrations.

Full Sunday Tribune report