Record label Ground Up Chale and its founder Glen Boateng have filed a defamation lawsuit against Ghanaian rapper Kwesi Arthur, seeking more than GH¢10 million in damages over social media posts the artist made last week.
The lawsuit, filed at Accra High Court on January 27, 2026, accuses the Ghanaian star of making libelous statements that damaged the reputation of both the label and its founder.
The Lawsuit Details:
According to the writ of summons seen across social media platforms , the plaintiffs are demanding:
- GH¢5 million in general damages.
- GH¢2 million in special damages for economic harm and lost business opportunities.
- GH¢3 million in aggravated and exemplary damages.
- Full legal costs.
The suit also seeks a court declaration that Kwesi Arthur’s statements were defamatory, immediate removal of the posts, an injunction against further defamatory comments, and a public apology with the same prominence as the original posts.
What Kwesi Arthur Posted
The dispute centres on statements the rapper made in a January 21, 2026, social media post. In those posts, Kwesi Arthur alleged that:
- He was being asked to pay USD 150,000 for using images of himself in an independent project.
- Ground Up Chale “claims to own me, my image, my music, and everything attached to it from 2016 to this day”
- He had “not made a dime from any of my music” while working with the label.
- The management engaged in threats, manipulation, and attempts to block his current music releases.
- “If anything happens to me, Glen Boateng and all team members of Ground Up Chale are responsible and should be held responsible”.
Label’s Response
Ground Up Chale’s lawyer, Jonathan K. Amable, has firmly denied the core allegations. In recent interviews and discussions, he clarified that:
- The label did not restrict Kwesi Arthur from using his images broadly, but only from using footage and visuals produced by the label during their contractual relationship.
- Email correspondence shows the rapper received £91,370 in royalties plus payments from distribution deals.
- The 2017 contract included standard terms granting the label ownership of material created during that period.
“The dispute is rooted in contractual rights over past works, and Ground Up Chale is prepared to defend its interests,” Amable stated.
The allegations have sparked widespread debate on social media about artist rights and contract fairness in Ghana’s music industry. Supporters of the rapper rallied behind him using hashtag #FreeKwesiArthur, with many industry observers raising concerns about the treatment of artists under record label agreements.
Background
Kwesi Arthur signed with Ground Up Chale in 2017 and rose to national prominence through the collective. His music has significantly influenced Ghana’s hip-hop scene, particularly among younger audiences, with hits including “Grind Day” and “Winning.”
As of publication, Kwesi Arthur has not publicly responded to the legal action.
