Machala, Caterefe vs Berri Tiga : Understanding Split Sheets And Ownership In Music

Recently, social media has been filled with news over the controversy surrounding the ownership rights of Machala. Machala is a single that was jointly released by Carter Efe and Berri Tiga and which eventually became a hit. However, a dispute regarding the ownership percentage of the song recently arose between the parties. According to the parties, the song was written and recorded by Berri Tiga while Carter Efe actually owns the song. The parties are also said to have accepted a 70/30 split of the record.¹ However, Berri Tiga has made claims that Carter's team tried to pay him off and also presented him with an agreement relinquishing him of his rights to perform the song. Although, he refused to sign the agreement and has insisted that parties maintain their initial agreement. In this article, we are going to discuss the ownership rights of parties in a musical work under the Copyright Act and also the ways in which parties can protect their interests in such