Following earlier news about Drake sampling an Obrafour classic, the Legendary Ghanaian rapper, has finally sued the American A-lister with a copyright claim.
In a court document that has surfaced online, the Ghanaian rapper is demanding $10 million from Drake for sampling his ‘Oye Ohene’ Remix on his track, ‘Calling My Name’ without seeking permission from him.
American lawyer, Rob Freund, who broke the news said “today, @iamobrafour sued @Drake for copyright infringement for sampling “Oye Ohene (Remix)” in the track “Calling My Name.”
“Obrafour says Drake’ previously sought permission to use the work, didn’t get it, and released the track days later anyway,” he added as she shared the legal documents addressed to the Southern District Court Of New York.
Excerpts of Obrafour’s suit reads “on June 13, 2022, Obrafour had not yet responded to the June 8, 2022 Clearance Email, and Mannis-Gardner sent Obrafour a follow-up email simply stating, “Hi confirming you received this email thanks (sic]” (the “June 13, 2022 Clearance Email”). The June 13, 2022
Clearance Email is annexed hereto as EXHIBIT D. 39. On June 17, 2022, a fourteen-song studio album entitled “Honestly, Nevermind” by Drake was released by Defendants Drake, OVO, Republic, and Universal, only hours after
Drake and OVO announced the album on social media. In doing so, Drake, OVO, Republic, and Universal released “Honestly, Nevermind” pursuant to an increasingly prevalent ‘surprise’ model for high-profile commercial album releases, whereby an album is suddenly released by ‘surprise’. i.e., either with little or no notice or promotion to the consuming public. This ‘surprise“.
Drake’s team is yet to respond to the suit. Obrafour on the other hand, has also been mute about the suit apart from the court documents that surfaced online.
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