He is the CEO of Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd., a British-based music publishing company that ensures creators receive recognition and royalties for their musical contributions.
Kennedy Mensah, a former music journalist and columnist who spent decades rubbing shoulders with reggae icons like Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, Shaggy and Tippa Irie, talks to CaribPress Magazine about the state of the publishing industry.
If you are going to sign a contract, know what it is you are signing and who it is you are signing to.
When did you realize that the music publishing business was going to be your professional life?
The first time I realized that I was a publisher would be the first time I was traveling and I didn’t put my profession as broadcaster and or journalist but just music publisher. That would be in the last 15 years after I started Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd.
What does Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd offer and why is it important to have a publisher?
Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd is an administrative music publisher. We register, protect, and collect royalties for copyrights that we represent around the world. It’s a bit like if you have a small legal problem, you can defend yourself – but if you have a big legal case, you will need a lawyer who understands the intricacies of the law. Likewise – if you are an entry level artist, then you can register your works yourself. But when you get to a stage when you have a few albums, collaborations, and activities in various countries, you need a specialist to administer your copyrights. That is what we do.
What do you look for when you want to sign an artist for a publishing deal?
If you have money to collect, then we will sign you or if you have great talent that we have never heard of before, we will sign you.
Does Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd handle all genres of music?
Yes. We can represent all genres of music, but I personally have a specialism in reggae, dancehall and Black music. We now also have a few African clients from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa who are making Afro fusion, and we also have pop writers we now represent as well.
Artificial intelligence, is it a friend or foe for the music publishing industry?
It is too early to tell. Early indications would suggest it is foe. We can see a time when people are using music that has no creator. If you have no creator who are you paying? Especially for indie publishers like us – we will have no involvement if someone does not own the copyright. The industry is fighting to maintain some form of ownership.
Are there any location restrictions? Can Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd help royalty collection worldwide?
No restrictions. We have a network of independent music publishers around the world and have Sub publisher partners everywhere.
What sets Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd apart from other publishing companies out there?
Our specialism in reggae and Black music. The company is entrenched in music, and we also try to have a personal relationship with our clients. A lot of companies you never speak to anybody. We are here and you can speak to us.
There is so much access to music, where are you finding your talent?
90% is word of mouth and 10% is through the Grammy participation certificate ceremonies (now called The Excellence In Music Ceremony) we have been holding for the last 4 years and some advertising through press we are getting.
You have been in the industry as a music journalist and in music publishing for a very long time. Where do you see the future of the music heading and not just for Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd but the industry as a whole?
Every few years we have a situation where we are in flux. When I started in the business as a journalist, we were moving from vinyl to CD. When I got into publishing, we moved from CD to MP3. Now it’s music on demand and we have artificial intelligence. We don’t know where we are going. I wish I had a crystal ball to be able to answer. We do not know where this industry is going.
If you have money to collect, then we will sign you
If you could change one thing about the reggae music industry right now, what would it be?
To get more knowledge in the industry. Let people understand publishing and copyrights, especially contracts. We don’t respect nor understand contracts. You sign a contract today and instead of sorting out the situation with the contract that you signed you go and sign another one with another company. All it does is create a problem between two or three different parties. We have stories upon stories of situations where ‘nobody’ is getting paid because “everybody” is supposed to be getting paid and it all stems from lack of knowledge. Study and listen. If you are going to sign a contract, know what it is you are signing and who it is you are signing to. There is also one word you don’t want to see in your contract, and that word is “perpetuity”. Otherwise known as “The Life of the copyright”, if you see that in your contract it means that that company now owns your song forever.
Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd manages a catalog of over 40,000 copyrights on behalf of more than 200 songwriters, composers, and producers worldwide.
The company was responsible for collecting Grammy certificates for several of their clients who have worked on Grammy award winning albums. They include singer/musician Gramps Morgan, Morgan Heritage, Wayne Wonder and guitarist Robert Browne.
