‘I deserve credit for award-winning song’
Mtambo says she arranged the hymn
Gospel legend Benjamin Dube and soul-jazz singer Brenda Mtambo are in a public fight about an award-winning song.
Mtambo, who claimed to have arranged a traditional hymn called Ungenzela, has complained about not being recognised after it won the best gospel song at the Crown Gospel Awards on Sunday at the ICC Arena, Durban.
The song is said to have been arranged by Dube, who is also a pastor, for the Spirit of Praise Volume 6 album that features gospel singer Dumi Mkokstad.
But producer, composer and singer Mtambo took to Twitter on Sunday night to voice her dissatisfaction about not being credited for the song’s arrangement.
Mtambo posted: “Ungenzela is my arrangement and I deserve to be recognised as an arranger if ever anyone decided to record it.”
When Sowetan contacted Mtambo, she refused to comment further saying her publisher will deal with the issue.
Spirit Music, the company that owns the music project Spirit of Praise, said Ungenzela was a traditional hymn and that means anyone can use it.
Spirit managing director Aubrey Peacock confirmed that the arrangement of the song on the Spirit of Praise album was done by Dube.
“[It was] our own arrangement and it was produced by Benjamin.
“The song is far different from her arrangement.”
Dube was not reachable on his cellphone for comment.