In 2024, Ross Kana entered a seven-year contract with 1:55 AM record label, which promised production support, song recording, high-quality videos, music promotion, and overall financial backing. This ambitious agreement envisioned the creation of 56 songs, with eight songs and three music videos produced annually. Unfortunately, two years into the partnership, the label fell short of fulfilling these promises.
By the second year, Ross Kana was expected to have completed 16 songs and three professional music videos. Instead, only three songs were recorded—two officially released (‘Sesa’ on February 2, 2024, and ‘Mami’ on November 7, 2025)—while one remains unreleased. This mismatch between the contract’s deliverables and the label's output became a driving force for the rising artist to bid farewell to the label.
Invoking his contractual rights, Ross Kana terminated the deal due to apparent non-performance from the label. Under the agreement, 1:55 AM was to claim a portion of the artist’s profits, further straining an already contentious collaboration.
According to reliable InyaRwanda sources, Ross Kana made the proactive decision to exit the label before the agreement reached its full term, avoiding five additional years stuck under unfulfilled expectations. Internal discussions within the label reportedly included plans to dismiss Ross Kana and another artist, Kenny Sol, suggesting that mutual frustrations hastened the split.
However, official legal proceedings to finalize the break have yet to be completed. Both Ross Kana and 1:55 AM remain interconnected by unresolved matters, leaving questions as to whether the label had legitimate reasons for falling short or if mismanagement played a role. Ultimately, both parties suffered significant losses—Ross Kana lost valuable time, while the label missed a chance to nurture a promising talent.
Tensions escalated when disputes arose over production costs for the hit song ‘Mami.’ Ross Kana allegedly self-funded the project with $16,000, while the label contributed only $6,000, highlighting discrepancies in financial commitments.
The fallout is a sobering lesson for both artists and labels, stressing the indispensable value of careful contract analysis and fair compliance. Breaching agreements can derail artists’ careers while tarnishing a label’s reputation and investment returns.
Challenges like these are not uncommon in the music industry. Iconic artists such as Taylor Swift, Kanye West, and Diamond Platnumz have openly shared their struggles with restrictive contracts. Their stories underline the importance of creative freedom, financial transparency, and mutual respect in artist-label relationships.
Taylor Swift famously parted ways with Big Machine Records upon discovering her songs were sold without her involvement. To reclaim her work, she began re-recording her old albums and encouraged other artists to thoroughly examine contracts before signing.
Kanye West likened artists’ contracts to "modern slavery,” emphasizing the power that record labels hold in controlling both creative output and revenue streams. This sentiment resonates with Diamond Platnumz, who founded Wasafi Records in Tanzania to support other artists while promoting labels that honor their agreements. Diamond emphasizes that artists must fully understand contract terms to safeguard their careers and organizations.
As ongoing negotiations continue between Ross Kana and 1:55 AM, this case serves as a compelling example of the need for transparency and due diligence in artist-label partnerships. Will the two parties find resolution? Only time will tell.
