Warner Music demands German police pay up for #Jerusalemadancechallenge videos

BERLIN – A German state said it was forced to fork out for licence fees to Warner Music after several police forces took part in the “Jerusalema” viral dance challenge.

The song by South African DJ Master KG became a global hit last year after it was used as the soundtrack to a video by a group of dancers in Angola.

Groups of staff at businesses, hospitals, police forces and other workplaces around the world have since filmed themselves dancing to “Jerusalema” as a way of spreading good cheer during the pandemic.

But Warner Music has now written to many of these organisations in Germany demanding licence fees amounting to several thousand euros in some cases, according to a recent report in the Focus weekly news magazine.

The interior ministry for Germany’s most populous state North Rhine-Westphalia told AFP on Monday that it had “settled claims from Warner Music on behalf of several police forces” in the region.

A spokesman for Duesseldorf University Hospital told national news agency DPA it had also received mail from Warner Music and had since taken down its video.

The North Rhine-Westphalia Fire Brigades Association warned its members about the licence fees in early January after learning about one such letter, a spokesman told DPA.

Some local fire services have since deleted their videos or cancelled plans to make one, he said.

Warner’s move sparked sharp criticism on their Facebook page on Monday, with many users accusing the label of “shabby behaviour”.

“You should donate the additional income you now receive… at least the money you get from the fire brigades, police stations, etc,” one user wrote.

But the label has defended its action.

“We love the fact that the fans are getting behind ‘Jerusalema’. But if organisations in Germany use the song to promote themselves, we think they should secure a dubbing licence,” a Warner spokesman told Focus.
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“In these difficult times, it is more important than ever that artists and performers are paid for their music when it is used by third parties to enhance their reputation,” the spokesman said.

Kenya government blames the #JerusalemaDanceChallenge for increase in Coronavirus cases

A few months ago, Master KG’s Jerusamela song got people around the world to do the Jerusalema Dance.

But recently, the very same dance has been fingered for the rise in coronavirus cases in Kenya.

On Sunday, Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe raised concerns over the rise in Covid-19 cases after the county reported just under 700 new infections.

During a press conference, Kagwe said: “I’m now told that there’s even a new dance that is now the main thing in those bars. It is Jerusalema or something. It is the main activity right now. Once Jerusamela gets in, all Covid-19 measures go out.”

Kgagwe said there is nothing that can stop people from dancing whatever dance they want to dance, as long as they adhere to social distancing measures.

“At lease you can be able to dance keeping social distances, at least. I’m told it’s not an intimate dance where you need to hold people.”

He also warned of political gatherings in Kenya which could be the spreaders of the deadly coronavirus.

“We don’t want this disease to spread so much that it begins to acquire political names for the reason why it is spread in the first place.

“If Kenyans begin to fall in the streets, political leadership that is creating those gatherings, must take responsibility and own up to that fact,” he said.

CS Kagwe: Jerusalema is now the main thing in bars, once it gets in, all Covid-19 measures go out. pic.twitter.com/drwYzmfhHX

— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) October 18, 2020

The warning, however, should also apply here in Mzansi as there are fears of the second wave of Covid-19, following the easing of the lockdown regulations.

On Sunday, the Covid-19 new cases in South Africa were 1 662. Since its arrival in South Africa, the virus has claimed more than 18 400 lives.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, who has been in the forefront of fighting against coronavirus, also announced on Sunday that he and his wife Dr May Mkhize have tested positive for Covid-19.