Ghanaian Hip Hop Star Obrafour Sues Drake For $10 Million Over Copyright Infringement

Obrafour, a Ghanaian hip-hop icon, has sued Drake for $10 million in a copyright dispute. Drake’s use of Obrafour’s song “Oye Ohene” in the track “Calling My Name” from his 2022 album “Honestly, Nevermind” without permission is the source of the dispute.

According to court records, Drake’s agent approached Obrafour before to request permission to use the song, but was turned down. Despite this, Drake exploited the music in any case, resulting in significant financial gain for himself and the other defendants.

Since its debut, “Calling My Name” has been streamed over 4.1 million times on YouTube, 47,442,160 times on Spotify, and tens of millions on Apple Music, resulting in significant global streams and sales.

Obrafour’s complaint seeks $10 million in damages and an injunction requiring the defendants to stop violating his Copyright Act rights.

This discovery surprised many music lovers and industry insiders, emphasizing the need to obtain permission before using someone else’s music. The case will surely get a lot of attention and could impact how artists use and sample music in the future.

Obrafour is a well-known Ghanaian singer whose music has significantly impacted the emergence of hip-hop in the country. The Drake lawsuit highlights the significance of protecting artists’ rights and ensuring they get compensated for their work, even when others use it.

It will be interesting to see how the lawsuit develops and its impact on the music industry as a whole.