A Ghanaian gospel acappella group has sued rapper Medikal for allegedly copying their song without permission. Alabaster Box filed a GHS15 million lawsuit at the Accra High Court, claiming Medikal used portions of their hit song 'Akwaaba' in his new single 'Welcome to Africa'.
The group is seeking GHS10 million in general damages and an additional GHS5 million in exemplary damages. They argue Medikal's use of their music infringes on their copyright and damages their brand reputation. Legal notices from their attorneys, Sustineri Attorneys, specifically point to similarities in the first 10 seconds of the song.
Medikal reportedly deleted the contested section from the YouTube version of the song. However, Alabaster Box claims the original version remains on other streaming platforms. They view the deletion as an admission of guilt and are demanding that the rapper withdraw the song from all media, stop performances, and provide a detailed account of generated revenues.
The lawsuit highlights ongoing tensions between musical artists over intellectual property rights. Alabaster Box seeks to protect its artists' creative work and prevent the unauthorized use of its musical content. The legal action brings attention to copyright challenges in the Ghanaian music industry.
The group is seeking GHS10 million in general damages and an additional GHS5 million in exemplary damages. They argue Medikal's use of their music infringes on their copyright and damages their brand reputation. Legal notices from their attorneys, Sustineri Attorneys, specifically point to similarities in the first 10 seconds of the song.
Medikal reportedly deleted the contested section from the YouTube version of the song. However, Alabaster Box claims the original version remains on other streaming platforms. They view the deletion as an admission of guilt and are demanding that the rapper withdraw the song from all media, stop performances, and provide a detailed account of generated revenues.
The lawsuit highlights ongoing tensions between musical artists over intellectual property rights. Alabaster Box seeks to protect its artists' creative work and prevent the unauthorized use of its musical content. The legal action brings attention to copyright challenges in the Ghanaian music industry.
