Ghanaian hip-life artist Obrafour has taken legal action against Canadian rapper Drake for alleged copyright infringement.
The lawsuit stems from Drake’s use of a sample from Obrafour’s song “Oye Ohene (Remix)” in his track “Calling My Name.”
According to Obrafour, the “Certified Lover Boy” singer and his team had previously approached him seeking permission to use the sample in the song, but they were denied.
Despite the refusal, Drake went ahead and released the track which has caused damage to Obrafour’s reputation and financial loss due to potential royalties.
Robert Freund, a lawyer for brands, agencies, and creators who shared the court documents on social media said “The Pae Mu Ka” rapper was seeking “at least $10 million in damages”.
Lawyers of Obrafuor who filed the case in the Southern District of New York are asking the court to enter into judgment that the “Defendant willfully infringed Obrafour’s Copyrighted Work in violation of the Copyright Act” among other reliefs
Drake joins a list of Hollywood artists who have faced similar lawsuits for unauthorized use of samples, including Kanye West, Robin Thicke, and Pharrell Williams.
A number of these cases have resulted in substantial payouts to the original artists or their estates, highlighting the importance of obtaining clearance for any samples used in music.
In the case of Obrafour and Drake, it remains to be seen how the legal proceedings will play out as the outcome of the lawsuit will likely have implications for both artists and the wider music industry on how to obtain proper clearance before using any copyrighted material.
Source: 3news.com