In the rapidly evolving world of African music, Frank K. Harrison is emerging as a pivotal figure not just as a music executive but as a visionary bridge between artists and their royalties. As the Active Director of Sap Music Group, the distribution and publishing arm of Sap Media Publishing Ltd, Frank, is leading a transformative effort to modernize music publishing for African creators.
With operations spanning Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, Sap Music Group is changing how music is registered, tracked, and monetized ensuring that African artists don’t just make hits, but get paid for them.
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The Problem: African Music Is Booming, But Royalties Are Not
African music genres like Afrobeats, Amapiano, Gospel, Hiplife, and Drill are gaining international recognition. Yet, most African artists are not receiving their fair share of the royalties.
“Most creators don’t control the admin side — and that’s where the money is,” says Frank K. Harrison.
A lack of proper Performance Rights Organization (PRO) registration, poor metadata, and an absence of royalty tracking systems has led to significant income loss for African musicians even those with millions of streams.
This inspired the founding of Sap Media Publishing Ltd, a UK-registered company with deep African roots, dedicated to solving the royalty and publishing challenges that mainstream platforms have often ignored.
The Birth of Sap Music Group: Building From Scratch
Unlike many industry leaders, Frank didn’t inherit a publishing empire he built one from the ground up.
Sap Music Group now operates as a full-service platform offering:
- Global distribution to over 150 DSPs
- Publishing registration with PROs and CMOs
- Royalty dashboards for real-time tracking
- Metadata management and writer split tools
- Sync licensing services for film, TV, and advertising
- Localized onboarding and Mobile Money payouts
“We’ve created the Sentric and Songtrust of Africa — but with deep understanding of African realities,” says Frank.
The Technology Powering African Publishing
At the core of Sap Music Group’s innovation is its Smart Publishing Dashboard a robust tool designed for seamless royalty collection and transparent rights management. Key features include:
- Automated song registration with correct ISRC and IPI data
- Real-time royalty tracking across streaming, radio, live performance, sync, and mechanicals
- Song approval workflows and contract storage
- Direct syncing with PRO databases
Unlike many global platforms that miss African territories in their tracking, Sap is built to capture royalties across Africa and the Middle East, ensuring that no earnings go unclaimed.
“I don’t want an artist to just feel good about releasing a song. I want them to get paid — repeatedly and fairly.”
Ownership, Transparency, and Equity
What sets Sap Music Group apart is its artist-first model:
- Artists retain 100% ownership of their publishing rights
- They keep over 80% of all royalties earned
- No hidden fees or long-term lock-ins
- Full transparency and administrative support
- Labels and managers can also white-label Sap’s infrastructure
This approach positions Sap as a Pan-African alternative to traditional Western music business models one that prioritizes local ownership and long-term sustainability.
What’s Next for Sap Music Group?
Frank K. Harrison isn’t stopping at distribution and publishing. Upcoming innovations include:
- Royalty advance programs based on catalog performance
- AI-powered metadata tools to improve publishing accuracy
- A dedicated sync licensing exchange for placing African music in global media
- Mobile-native dashboards optimized for low-bandwidth regions
- Educational programs focused on contracts, royalties, and copyright law
“I see Sap as a lighthouse,” Frank shares. “It’s guiding artists — and the African music industry — toward a future built on ownership, systems, and sustainability.”
Conclusion
While trends and viral hits may dominate headlines, Frank K. Harrison is focused on building something more lasting: a modern music infrastructure for Africa.
Through Sap Music Group, he’s delivering the tools, systems, and education African artists need to thrive in today’s digital economy, not as content creators, but as rights holders and business owners.
As more artists across Africa and the diaspora begin to understand the true value of their work, Sap Music Group is well positioned to become the foundation of Africa’s music publishing future.
For more information:
Website: www.sapdistro.com
Email: info@sapdistro.com
Company: Sap Music Group – Powered by Sap Media Publishing Ltd (UK)
