Obrafour, a Ghanaian hip-hop artist, has filed a lawsuit against Canadian rapper Drake for alleged copyright infringement.
Drake is being sued for using a sample from Obrafour’s song “Oye Ohene (Remix)” in his tune “Calling My Name.”
According to Obrafour, the “Certified Lover Boy” singer and his crew approached him earlier seeking permission to use the sample in the song, but were denied.
Despite the refusal, Drake released the song, causing Obrafour’s reputation to suffer as well as financial loss owing to prospective royalties.
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According to the court records, “The Pae Mu Ka” rapper is demanding “at least $10 million in damages,” according to Robert Freund, a lawyer for businesses, agencies, and creative who shared them on social media.Obrafuor’s lawyers, who filed the action in the Southern District of New York, are requesting that the court make a judgment finding the “Defendant willfully infringed Obrafour’s Copyrighted Work in violation of the Copyright Act,” among other reliefs. Drake joins a long list of celebrities who have been sued for unlawful usage of samples, including Kanye West, Robin Thicke, and Pharrell Williams.A number of these cases have resulted in large compensation to the original artists or their estates, emphasizing the significance of securing permission to utilize samples in music.
In the instance of Obrafour and Drake, the decision of the lawsuit will likely have consequences for both artists and the entire music industry on how to secure necessary clearance before using any copyrighted material.
