A former member of pop group Jamali is allegedly embroiled in a dispute with her record label, Open Mic Production. There are claims she has not been paid a single cent from her royalties for the she recorded with Open Mic. A source close to Carpede says she has never been paid a cent though they have been making deals with her music. 

LEGAL BATTLE 

The source told Zimoja that Carpede is considering a lawsuit after she failed to get her royalties. Another source close to the situation adds that she has since consulted with her legal team to take up the matter with the record label. Open Mic Productions which is owned by Molau Rammala and Lionel Jamela. Open Mic Productions is home to award-winning producer and DJ, Master KG, Zanda Zakuza, Mr Brown, Prince Benzaand Nomcebo Zikode. Carpede is not the first artist to take the legal route against the record label. In 2021 Zikode, was involved in a legal wrangle with Open Mic over non-payment from the record label despite her song, Jerusalema with Master KG, being an international runaway success.

NOTHING MADE OFFICIAL 

To rub salt into injury, Carpede's song is part of the soundtrack on one of Netflix's biggest series Blood and Water, but she has not received a cent in royalties from the track. Zimoja has also learnt that Carpede did not sign any contracts upon joining Open Mic Productions in 2021. According to the source, the drama started when she was announced as one of the talents who joined Open Mic Productions. But it turns out that she never signed a contract with the record label. The source says: "She never signed any contract because she refused to give away her publishing rights. So, they basically had a verbal contract with her," ZiMoja has it on authority that Carpede and her team were communicating with one of the label's co-founders, Lionel Jamela, who has been avoiding them. "She tried anything from sending emails to WhatsApp, but there's still no response," says the source. According to the source, Carpede is angry at the fact that she has only been receiving her other royalties from her old songs, but nothing from Open Mic since 2021.

RUNNING OUT OF FUNDS

The source says Jacqui has been living off her side gigs and savings, and that soon her emergency funds will be running low. When contacted for a comment by ZiMoja, Jamela said Carpede is too old for this kind of behaviour. "Who is going to help her after this? Asked when she will be paid money for the Blood & Water soundtrack, Jamel said: "Ag that money is not even enough to buy a cellphone. Asked which cellphone Mobicell or iphone? He laughed well. "The celeb cellphone," he said.