As given below, this is an extract from a press release from 2010 after Daddy’s demise which clearly states that nobody is allowed to make a video, or change the lyrics or rerecord the music of his original song. My family owns the copyright.
https://www.deccanherald.com/content/60039/wilfy-rebimbus-works-shall-not.html
“All rights to the works of literature, songs and music, poems and plays of the late Wilfy Rebimbus, shall solely and wholly belong as valuable property of his family only. No organization, body, person or individual shall use these works for any reason whatsoever or stage performances, publish books or materials, record or release audios, videos or films in any form whatsoever of such works either in part or in whole. This is a sincere appeal to all, by the family and legal heirs of the late Wilfy Rebimbus, viz. his wife Meena and children Veena and Vishwas”.
For the past 2 days there is a lot going on in the social media regarding one of Daddy’s Tulu composition "Madime Dayeg Aayena". A group called Rhapsody has done a video on this song and uploaded on YouTube. This has been done without our knowledge. I got it on one of the Whatsapp group and was surprised to see the video. The lyrics were also changed at some places. Nowhere was the acknowledgement given to the Composer of the song. When finally one of the ROL members called my brother, we were very clear that Daddy’s name should be mentioned in the Video and not in any comments section or description or subtitles. The title showed Madime Dayeg Ayena Tulu song -Rhapsody. In every publicity that they have done for this video, its mentioned “OUR FIRST TULU SINGLE” “TULU SONG – RHAPSODY”. Nowhere in the title was it mentioned that it was a Cover.
Until yesterday they were oblivious to the fact (or acted not to know) that the song was composed by Wilfy Rebimbus and now suddenly they claim that it’s a ‘TRIBUTE’.
They only acknowledged our claim after I sent whatsapp message to all groups who were circulating this video. Acknowledgement was then done by mentioning it in the subtitles, which is an option that has to be clicked on and not something that would appear as soon as you click the video. This group did not ask my Mom, my brother or self, the permission before uploading the video and also before changing the lyrics as you can see it is mentioned in the above given press release. They sent us an email on 10th July (day before yesterday) informing us about the video (not asking permission)…. by then already 19K views were on their Youtube. When we asked them to mention Daddy’s name on the video then they found difficult to add it, cause if they had to redo the video their view counts will go…. and today trying to justify their act mentioning it’s a tribute. Is this a way to give tribute to any person? Was it so difficult to do it when the video was published? Was it so hard to give a call before producing this so called ‘TRIBUTE’?
OUR FAMILY HAS ALWAYS ENCOURAGED YOUNGER GENERATION IN THE FIELD OF MUSIC AND SINGING AND ARE VERY OPEN TO ANYONE WISHING TO SING DADDY’S COMPOSTION UNLESS ITS IS FOR ANY COMMERCIAL REASON AND WITH PRIOR PERMISSION.
Yesterday 11th July 2018, one of the ROL members called home and requested permission to upload video again in YouTube with proper credits to Daddy as the composer of the song, since the video has been removed from YouTube due to copyright violation. We replied positively and asked them to wait till today 12th July morning till we review the Video and get back to them. Instead of waiting for our reply A big message comes on each of their walls yesterday (11th July 2018) justifying their act to gain sympathy since the video was removed by YouTube and asking people to download this video and share it on all social media. Thus disrespecting my mother who is the copyright owner.
Dear ROL guys, the video that you have now uploaded with due credit to Daddy, if the same was done before, our family would have appreciated your work. A tribute is given with respect and not after it has been claimed by someone else. Daddy was never a part of your video while you produced it. Neither it showed anywhere in your promo nor when you initially uploaded it. So please don’t claim it now that you made this as a tribute to my Father. Throughout his life Daddy got all support from Tulunadu people. Not to worry about that. He was also given the title as “TULUNADA KOGILE” in the year 21-02-1992 by one of the Tulu Organisation of the Middle East. He doesn’t need your cover to get popularity. He has done his job well and is now with his heavenly Father. We are here to protect his ORIGINAL work, and do not tolerate anyone altering his lyrics. So please don’t claim that this video is for my Daddy. This work you have done is for your own popularity not for Daddy's.
Whatever you have posted on your wall yesterday (11th July 2018) is again UNACCEPTABLE.