DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA — Diamond Platnumz, the visionary behind the renowned WCB Wasafi record label, has made a surprising decision. He recently confirmed that Mbosso Khan, a promising artist signed to the label, has been released from his contract without any financial penalty.
This departure marks a significant shift from previous instances where artists leaving Wasafi prematurely, such as Harmonize and Rayvanny, were obligated to pay substantial fees to terminate their agreements.
Harmonize, who left Wasafi in 2019, faced a hefty buyout of Sh25 million. Similarly, Rayvanny paid a staggering Tsh1.3 billion (Ksh69 million) to secure his early release in 2023.
In contrast, Diamond has chosen to release Mbosso without demanding any compensation, despite the existence of a valid contract.
This decision has generated considerable interest, given that Diamond has consistently emphasized the significant investments made in his artists’ careers, including marketing, branding, and artist development.
He has previously stated that these investments warrant compensation if an artist chooses to leave the label before the contract expires, with Zuchu, his most successful signee, facing a potential buyout fee of Tsh10 billion (Ksh500 million).
While Diamond has always denied exploiting his artists, WCB Wasafi has a clear policy: artists seeking early contract termination are typically required to pay a minimum of Tsh500 million (Ksh25 million) as compensation.
However, in Mbosso’s case, Diamond made a conscious decision to waive this requirement, highlighting an unexpected turn of events in the artist-label dynamic within the WCB Wasafi ecosystem.
“Mbosso came to me and asked if I would allow him to manage himself. He was willing to pay the remainder of his contract but I said no, I wouldn’t take the money, not because I didn’t want it, but because of the mutual respect he has shown me and our brotherly love over the years,” Diamond stated.
“I would have felt guilty if I had taken the money. Mbosso has shown a great deal of wisdom in the way he has handled this process and I am grateful. That is why I let him go free with all my blessings. Had he been like the other artists who have been arrogant and disrespectful to me in the past despite my investment in them, I promise you Mbosso wouldn’t have left Wasafi cheaply in the midway of his contract,” Diamond revealed to Vivid Voice News.
Diamond added that Mbosso remains part of the Wasafi family even though he is now an independent artiste.
