Ghanaian rapper Obrafour, whose real name is Michael Elliot Kwabena Okyere Darko, has filed a lawsuit against Drake over alleged unauthorized sampling of his music. The news was first reported in documents published by Music Business Worldwide.
Obrafour claims that Drake’s song “Calling My Name” features a short clip of the phrase “Killer cut, blood, killer cut” which was taken from his own track titled “Oye Ohene”. According to Insider, the duo was “working on a sample clearance for Republic recording artist Drake” but without any response from Drake, the rapper went ahead and released the song and album with the unsampled work.
The lawsuit has been filed in New York City courts and seeks damages from Drake for the alleged unauthorized use of Obrafour’s music. The rapper is not the first to file a lawsuit against Drake for sampling without permission. In 2018, musician Sampha sued the Canadian rapper over his song “The Motion” and in 2020, another lawsuit was filed against Drake over the song “In My Feelings”.
Sampling without permission has been a contentious issue in the music industry for years. While some musicians argue that it is a way to pay homage to their musical influences, others see it as theft of their intellectual property. The issue has led to numerous lawsuits, with many musicians taking legal action to protect their rights.
In recent years, several high-profile lawsuits have been filed against major artists, including Pharrell Williams, Jay-Z, and Ed Sheeran. These cases have highlighted the importance of obtaining proper clearance before using samples in music and the potential legal consequences for failing to do so.
As for the current lawsuit filed by Obrafour against Drake, it remains to be seen how it will be resolved. However, the case is a reminder that sampling without permission can lead to legal trouble for artists and underscores the importance of respecting the rights of other musicians in the industry.”Ghanaian rapper files $10m lawsuit against Drake for alleged ‘unauthorized sampling'”
