Ugandan singer Kiggundu Bruno, popularly known as Bruno K, has been awarded UGX 130 million in compensation after the High Court ruled in his favor in a copyright infringement case against an American music label.
Justice Patricia Mutesi of the Commercial Division of the High Court found that Black Market Media, a U.S.-based music promotion company with a branch in Uganda, violated Bruno K’s intellectual property rights by unlawfully profiting from his work. The court determined that the company distributed his songs without permission, lodged false copyright complaints, and interfered with his online platforms.
“I find that the plaintiff’s copyright was infringed when his music was removed from YouTube, his channels were deactivated, and false copyright claims were filed. The defendant not only exploited his work without approval but also failed to pay any royalties,” Justice Mutesi stated in her ruling.
As part of the judgment, Bruno K was granted UGX 100 million in general damages and an additional UGX 30 million in aggravated damages.
Court documents reveal that Bruno K had entered into an agreement with Black Market Records LLC, under which he was to produce music for joint promotion and profit-sharing through royalties. However, he told the court that shortly after signing the agreement, the company became unresponsive and uncooperative, prompting him to let the contract lapse after just one collaborative song.
Following the contract’s expiry, Bruno K independently released new songs through his personal YouTube channel. However, Black Market Records reported his content to YouTube, alleging copyright violations, which resulted in the suspension of his channels.
It was only after Bruno K discovered that Black Market Records had been deregistered in California in 2013 making it legally incapable of entering into contracts that he successfully appealed to YouTube. The platform eventually restored his channels, clearing the way for legal action.
The ruling marks a significant win for local artists seeking to assert control over their work and protect their digital presence from misuse by international entities.