Last week, Kelela‘s latest collaboration with araabMUZIK was released out into the world by Gustavo Guerra, an A&R guy at Distrolord. However, this was apparently not supposed to happen.
Final Hour is said to be a track from araabMUZIK’s upcoming album Dream World. However Kelela says that this song was taken without permission. araabMUZIK tweeted that he “never approved this song”. He also says that the album will not be released as he is “recording brand new music for the project.”
Both Kelela and araab published a series of tweets in response. Among the tweets, Kelela also claims that sexism may be a factor in why this happened, saying, “The only reason why you think you can be so brazen and get away with it is cuz I’m a woman”.
SO @araabMUZIK's a&r @Distrolord put out a song I NEVER FINISHED. The demo is 2 YEARS OLD and I never knew it was gonna be on his record!!!
— Kelela (@kelelam) October 25, 2015
Only reason why you think you can be so brazen and get away with it is cuz I'm a woman @Distrolord. @araabMUZIK you need a new a&r
— Kelela (@kelelam) October 25, 2015
If you were gonna blatantly take the song, you coulda at least first gotten my best work!!! You dumb…and sad and cheap @Distrolord
— Kelela (@kelelam) October 25, 2015
1st of all i would like to address this Final Hour song situation. It was leaked by @distrolord i never approved this song by @kelelam
— araabMUZIK (@araabMUZIK) October 25, 2015
Lastly Dream World wont be released since im recording and working on brand new music for the project. New King EP drops nov 5!!! #MVP
— araabMUZIK (@araabMUZIK) October 25, 2015
Sure was! RT @BevanSSBM: @araabMUZIK @Distrolord @kelelam was distrolord the one who leaked the fake Electronic Dream 2?
— araabMUZIK (@araabMUZIK) October 25, 2015
araabMuzik released a statement on his Facebook page, saying that “Araab himself or anyone affiliated with his current team had nothing to do with the release of Final Hour ft Kelela” and it was apparently the fault of his “previous management”.
Guerra responded to the claims made in a phone conversation with Pitchfork. He says the matter was discussed between himself and Kelela’s management, as well as Kelela herself.
“I met Kelela back at the CMJ showcase. She wanted to work with us. She gave me her email, I said “great.” I sent her over some tracks. I said, “We’re working on an album, we want you for our project.” She said, “Great, send me over the beats.” She selected the track, which is “Final Hour”. She sent me over a copy of the song and was like, “Here you go.” I was like, “Yo, this is dope. I respect this. This is the song, let’s use this for our project.” She was like, “Cool.” She was psyched about it.”
In terms of the sexism claims, he had this to say, “I was brought up by four women. I’ve got three sisters and a mother, so I don’t understand where this ‘woman’ thing came from. I put out a song. That’s what I do. This is a project that I’m working on—that I’ve been working on for a long time—and I put out the song.”
In the midst of the storm of accusations, the original video featuring the track has been set to private.