Senator Crystal Asige, a nominee for the Kenyan Senate, has accused her former colleagues, the popular band Sauti Sol, and their record label, Sol Generation, of exploiting her disability for profit.

The allegations stem from her involvement in five songs, including hits like “Extravaganza” and “1919 to Forever,” during her time with the label before she was reportedly dismissed.

In a legal battle that began in 2022, Asige filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Sauti Sol and Sol Generation, claiming that her contributions were undervalued and misused.

During her testimony at the High Court this week, she explained that she was given various reasons for her dismissal, but one factor seemed to stand out: her persistent requests for a meeting with Sauti Sol to discuss a more comprehensive 360 recording deal.

Asige had been offered an Artist Development Agreement but refused to sign it, believing it to be exploitative after seeking legal counsel.

The senator told the court that her repeated attempts to arrange a meeting with “the boys” from Sauti Sol were met with delays and excuses, despite being told that management was working on it.

She further claimed that, while she did not have a formal contract with the label, Sol Generation continued to use her image as part of their marketing efforts, presenting her as one of their signees.

“They used my likeness to promote the label, branding me as one of their four artists. My disability was a key part of their marketing strategy—it was not just about being the only woman in the group, but the only person with a disability.

They leveraged my condition to build a narrative that garnered public support for the label as a champion of young women with disabilities,” Asige told the court.

However, the legal counsel for Sauti Sol and Sol Generation, Moriasi Omambia, denied these accusations in his written statement. “At every stage of our engagement with her, Crystal was treated with respect and care.

When she needed to take time off for medical reasons, we communicated with her brother, Kelvin Asige, and made it clear that she should take as much time as she needed. There was never any intention to exploit her disability for financial gain,” Omambia asserted.

Asige recalled a meeting on November 7, 2019, when she was informed of her dismissal from Sol Generation. Present at the meeting were Bien Aime, one of the members of Sauti Sol, and Omambia.

“I was told that they had decided to let me go, but the reasons were confusing and inconsistent,” Asige testified. “Bien said I was the weakest of the artists in terms of performance and recording, but then also praised me for my songwriting.

Omambia told me they were broke and could no longer afford as many artists. The reasons given were all over the place—there was no clear explanation, just a mix of excuses.”

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