Rickman puts unreleased album on sale for Shs111 million

What the report says

Ugandan singer Rickman Manrick has publicly put his unreleased album, Yatula, on the market instead of launching it in the usual way, according to Sqoop Uganda. The project is being offered for $30,000, which the report says is about Shs111 million, and the buyer would receive full ownership of the album and its master recordings.

The announcement was made on social media, where Rickman said he was selling the masters and granting complete rights to the nine-track project. Sqoop Uganda reported that the album includes songs such as Muwangude, Yatula, Ndagukunda featuring Lilian, Lullaby featuring Lydia Jazmine, and Yo Body featuring Sky Boy, among others. The project is said to have been worked on by producers including Artin Pro, B.L.T Pro, Gene, Yeee Femi and Andre.

The move has drawn attention online because it gives the buyer control over future release, distribution, marketing, licensing and monetisation decisions. Sqoop Uganda said the offer has prompted debate among fans and industry observers, with some viewing it as an unusual but potentially creative business strategy for an artiste, while others questioned why Rickman chose to sell the album before releasing it himself. The report does not say whether a buyer has been found.