1. Introduction

Welcome to the Shafee Artist Program! This Artist Agreement ("Agreement") is between you ("Artist" or "you") and Shafee Technologies ("Shafee", "we", "us"). By uploading content to Shafee and enabling monetization, you agree to these terms in addition to our general Terms of Use.

2. Eligibility

To participate in the Artist Program, you must:

• • Be at least 18 years old (or have parental/guardian consent)

• • Have the legal right to enter into this Agreement

• • Own or have proper licenses for all content you upload

• • Comply with all applicable laws and regulations

• • Provide accurate tax and payment information

3. Content Rights and License

Regarding your content:

4. Content Requirements

All uploaded content must:

• • Be your original work or properly licensed

• • Not infringe on any third-party copyrights, trademarks, or other rights

• • Meet our quality and technical specifications

• • Comply with our content guidelines and Terms of Use

• • Be properly tagged with accurate metadata (title, artist name, genre, etc.)

• • Include proper attribution for any samples, covers, or collaborations

5. Royalties and Payment

Here's how you earn money on Shafee:

6. South African Compliance

For South African artists and compliance:

• • All payments are made in South African Rand (ZAR) to local bank accounts

• • You must provide a valid South African ID number or passport number

• • SARS Tax Reference Number (TRN) is required for all payments

• • VAT-registered artists (turnover above R1 million) must charge VAT on services and provide tax invoices

• • We comply with the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) for verification purposes

• • Artists must comply with POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) when handling user data

• • Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECT Act) governs electronic agreements

• • B-BBEE compliance information may be requested for enterprise development reporting

7. Analytics and Data

You will have access to:

• • Real-time streaming statistics

• • Listener demographics (aggregated, anonymized)

• • Geographic performance data

• • Revenue breakdowns and payment history

• • Engagement metrics (likes, shares, playlist adds)

8. Prohibited Practices

You must not:

• • Artificially inflate plays using bots, click farms, or fake accounts

• • Use streaming manipulation services or "stream farms"

• • Create multiple accounts to game the payment system

• • Upload content you don't own or have rights to

• • Misrepresent your identity or the origin of your content

• • Engage in payola or pay-for-play schemes without disclosure

• • Upload duplicate or substantially similar versions of the same content

9. Content Moderation and Removal

We reserve the right to:

• • Review content before it goes live

• • Remove content that violates this Agreement or our policies

• • Disable monetization for content that doesn't meet our standards

• • Remove or restrict AI-generated content as per our AI policy

• • Take action on content based on user reports or copyright claims

• • Demonetize or remove your account for repeated violations

10. Copyright and Intellectual Property

Regarding copyright and intellectual property:

• • You are solely responsible for ensuring you have rights to all content

• • We comply with South African copyright law (Copyright Act 98 of 1978) and international treaties

• • Copyright strikes may result in content removal or account suspension

• • Repeat infringers will have their accounts terminated

• • You indemnify Shafee against any copyright claims arising from your content

• • SAMRO, CAPASSO, and other collecting society requirements are your responsibility

11. Collaborations and Features

For collaborative content:

• • Clearly indicate all collaborating artists

• • Revenue is split according to the percentages you specify

• • All collaborators must agree to this Artist Agreement

• • Featured artists must consent to their inclusion

• • Disputes between collaborators are your responsibility

12. Promotional Opportunities

Shafee may:

• • Feature your content in playlists, promotions, or marketing

• • Use your content in platform advertisements or demos

• • Include your music in user-generated content on the platform

• • Promote your content through our social media channels

• • You will not receive additional payment for promotional use, but it helps grow your audience

13. Platform Changes

We reserve the right to:

• • Modify royalty rates with 60 days' notice

• • Change platform features or functionality

• • Update content requirements and guidelines

• • Introduce new monetization options or revenue streams

• • Modify payment methods or minimum thresholds (with reasonable notice)

• • Adjust for currency fluctuations (ZAR/USD exchange rates)

14. Account Suspension and Termination

We may suspend or terminate your Artist account if:

• • You violate this Agreement or our Terms of Use

• • You engage in fraudulent activity or streaming manipulation

• • You receive multiple copyright strikes

• • You fail to provide required SARS tax information or valid banking details

• • Your content consistently violates our guidelines

• • You breach South African laws including the Copyright Act, ECT Act, or Consumer Protection Act

15. Upon Termination

If your account is terminated:

• • Your content will be removed from the platform

• • Outstanding payments at or above the minimum threshold (R750) will be processed

• • Final payments will be made within 60 days of termination

• • You will lose access to analytics and dashboard features

• • Existing user downloads or offline streams may remain temporarily

• • Your license to use Shafee artist tools and services ends immediately

16. Representations and Warranties

You represent and warrant that:

• • You own or have licensed all rights to your content

• • Your content does not infringe any third-party rights

• • All metadata and information you provide is accurate

• • You have obtained all necessary permissions (samples, covers, features)

• • You will comply with all applicable laws and regulations

17. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold Shafee Technologies harmless from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

• • Your content or any infringement claims

• • Your breach of this Agreement

• • Your violation of any laws or third-party rights

• • Disputes between you and other artists or users

18. Limitation of Liability

Shafee Technologies is not liable for:

• • Lost revenue due to technical issues or platform downtime

• • Changes in streaming rates or payment models

• • Currency exchange rate fluctuations affecting ZAR payments

• • Bank fees or charges for EFT or international transfers

• • Actions of users or third parties

• • Copyright claims or disputes between artists

• • Any indirect, consequential, or punitive damages

• • Delays in payment processing due to banking systems or public holidays

19. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes will be resolved through good faith negotiation first. If unresolved, disputes will be submitted to arbitration under the Arbitration Act 42 of 1965 in Johannesburg, South Africa, except where prohibited by law or where the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 provides for alternative dispute resolution. You waive your right to participate in class action lawsuits.

20. Changes to This Agreement

We may update this Artist Agreement. Material changes will be communicated via email at least 60 days before taking effect. Continued participation in the Artist Program after changes means you accept the new terms.

21. Contact and Support

For Artist Program questions or support:

• • Email: artists@shafee.app

• • Artist Support Portal: Available in your dashboard

• • Copyright Issues: copyright@shafee.app

• • Payment Questions: payments@shafee.app