From L to R: Kuami Eugene, Mr Eazi, M.anifest, and Mr. Drew
Over the years, several Ghanaian artistes have faced controversy after being accused of copyright infringement by their colleagues, both locally and internationally.
While some of these musicians publicly admitted to the accusations, others claimed ignorance regarding the technicalities pertaining to copyright issues.
This article highlights some of Ghanaian musicians who have been accused of copyright infringement in the past years
Mr. Drew
Mr. Drew became the subject of public discussion in 2020 after American-Nigerian artist Rotimi accused him of “stealing” his song “Love Riddim.”
Drew created a cover of Rotimi’s single and titled it “Eat,” and subsequently it brought out issues.
However, after a back-and-forth between his management and Rotimi, both musicians publicly acknowledged the issue.
In an interview later that year, Mr. Drew admitted he did not have in-depth knowledge about copyright issues and apologised to Rotimi for his actions.
The song, which featured Dancehall musician Stonebwoy, was subsequently removed from all streaming platforms.
Team Eternity
Gospel music group Team Eternity, after gaining recognition for their hit song “Defe Defe,” became embroiled in controversy.
The group was accused of incorporating lyrics from Hallelujah Voices’ song into theirs and titled it “Defe Defe.”
On June 17, 2024, Executive Music Producer Kwame Mickey took to Facebook Live, accusing Team Eternity of using unoriginal elements in their composition without copyright clearance.
He demanded that the group do the needful and take the song down or face a lawsuit.
However, both parties later reached a consensus and settled the issue.
Kuami Eugene
Former Lynx Entertainment signee Kuami Eugene faced criticism on two separate occasions for allegedly stealing lyrics for his hit songs.
The musician was accused of borrowing lyrics for his song “Confusion” from a Malian artiste and also using parts of Ice Prince’s song in his “Wish Me Well” hit.
MOG Beatz
In 2024, music producer MOG Beatz called out up-and-coming musician Deon Boakye for allegedly sampling his beat without permission.
MOG Beatz took to social media, threatening legal action against the musician for using his work without clearance.
M.anifest
Award-winning Ghanaian rapper M.anifest has also been once accused of sampling songs without proper clearance.
He was scrutinised when musician and producer Ivan Duran accused him of stealing his beat for the hit song “Someway Bi.”
After the controversy in 2013, M.anifest acknowledged Ivan Duran’s intellectual property and credited him accordingly.
Mr. Eazi and Sarkodie
In 2019, Nigerian veteran artiste Zaaki Azzay accused Sarkodie and Mr. Eazi of copyright infringement on social media after the two released their song “Do You.”
Zaaki Azzay claimed that the artistes had “robbed” lines from his 1996 hit song “Marry Am” without consent.
He also threatened legal action if they did not address the issue appropriately.
JHM/EB
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