Music of Thursday, 3 November 2011

Source: Hi Newspaper

Bulldog To Iwan: Pay Gh¢85,000 & Walk

Until dancehall [possible] next big thing, Iwan pays his former boss/executive producer, Bulldog of Bullhauz Entertainment, an amount close to Ghc85,000, the musician is likely to face legal action seeking to place an injunction on his performances.

Bulldog who funded Iwan's music career and launched him to commercial status has given Iwan's lawyers about 10 days to respond to his demand to pay him (Bulldog) about GHc85,000 before the artiste would be allowed to leave Bullhauz management to a new outfit.

In essence, Iwan wants to say (if not already said) goodbye to his former management team but the latter says: “Pay us all we have invested on your way to becoming Iwan then you can go”, a source within Bullhauz tells myhiworld.com.

Iwan (of Thanks & Praise fame) and Bulldog, the source said, “have been working together as artiste/ Executive producer for the past 3 years without a formal contract apart from verbal agreements. Iwan has allegedly refused to continue a relationship with Bulldog immediately the manager proposed that a legally binding contract be entered into, which would allow Bullhauz earn 40% of all businesses secured on behalf of Iwan.

The source told myhiworld.com that: “Iwan refused to sign the contract, but at a time agreed to do so only on condition that he earns 70% instead of 60%, plus full copyright ownership to his songs produced under Bullhauz management, which Bulldog declined and has warned to take the case to the highest possible legal platform”.

Iwan, according to our source, “has since broken communication with Bulldog and even gone ahead to do several businesses minus Bullhauz including the launch of his label and album, Gideon Force, at Tawala Beach on September 12th, 2011, something we had planned to do together.”

Now, Bulldog is ready to stop Iwan from performing at any show until this conflict was resolved. Bulldog is demanding cash to the tune of GHc85,000 to wash his hands off Iwan, else no shows for Iwan. Our source says at the recent Mavado-Samini Concert at the Accra Stadium, Bulldog made sure Iwan didn’t perform.

Asked to give us a breakdown of the purported GHc85,000, our source said “Lawrence Hanson (Bulldog) has produced 5 videos for Iwan so far, at the cost of GHC20, 000. He has spent more than double that amount on album production and promotions- Studio bills, Promo CDs, Iwan personal grooming, live band rehearsals, not to mention, 'payola' etc”.

Our source continued, saying: “the legal action would demand that Iwan pays that amount before walking out of the contract (even if ‘verbal’)”.

When contacted Lawrence Hanson (Bulldog) confirmed the differences between Iwan and his team but was not ready to go into details saying his lawyers were on it. His posture however revealed he was damn serious about going to the bottom of the case, at all cost.

When called for his side of the story, Iwan promises Hi Newspaper a later meeting to respond- more next week.