It Seems That King Of Pop Amr Diab Likes Greed

Update: The Anti Rotana composers are now urging the Egyptian minister of Culture to look into the types of contracts Rotana asks Egyptian poets, and musicians to sign. Ayman Baghat Amar took issue with Rotana labeling Amr Diab Arab and not Egyptian.   

For Amr Diab, our difference with him are about compensation, but we see our difference with him to have "moral, national and materialistic significance." is how composer turned singer Amr Moustafa sees his disagreement with the pop star Amr Diab. Ayman Bahgat Amar is the lyricist who have led the attacks on Amr Diab and Rotana, Amr Moustafa joined forces with his colleagues in their taking issue with Amr Diab.

The way this disagreement started needs for one to understand how the music industry works. As explained by Amr Moustafa via his Facebook page,

Throughout our history with the pop star we license him or his production company the right to sing our music and lyrics  put them in his album, make ring tones and shoot music videos. In exchange we accept a fee and the rights to perform our own work and other mechanical rights as well. Amr Diab would make money from singing out songs at private functions and weddings--he is withing his rights. We would get compensated for public performance of our songs like at concerts and public events. This all changes when we worked on his soon to be released album, Amr Diab was trying to get us to sign the rights over to him which would not entitle us to any fees or the right to perform our own work in public--this way they are erased from our legacy. Amr Diab can then sell the rights over to Rotana and make more money. 

Now this makes more sense and we all have a full grip of the confrontation between the pop star and those talented and hard working musicians and lyrics who refuse to let others rob them of the fruit of their labor. This has more to do with business, and less to do with patriotism. Trying to change the contracts seems to be a bone headed move by Amr Diab, people love someone who embraces their action and owns up to their mistakes. To be clear, Amr Diab is not selling out, he loves his home, but for a moment it seemed that he loved his business a little bit more.

I think it's a great loss for Amr Diab, talents like those I have mentioned above are great and have tens of stars who would kill to work with them. This is a business of having many friends, few enemies and a lot of cash. It seems Amr Diab at the moment has only one of those on the list.

Soula with Amr Mostafa - Hossam Habib - Adel Haki - Fayrouz Arakan (3-5)