Ghanaian music artist Obrafour is seeking millions of dollars from Drake over what he claims is an unauthorized sample on one of the Canadian rap star’s Honestly, Nevermind tracks – but there’s a twist in the case.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Obrafour (Michael Elliot Kwabena Okyere Darko) alleges that Drake’s “Calling My Name” incorporates a vocal phrase – “Killer cut, blood, killer cut” – from his 2003 track “Oye Ohene (Remix).”
But, on Wednesday, Ghanaian voice actor Mantse Aryeequaye came forward claiming he owns the “Oye Ohene” samples. “Would be good to tell the public the truth about this matter or I will be forced to lay how you’ve never paid a dime for any of my works on your songs over the last 20yrs,” he tweeted at Obrafour. “I expect you to tell the truth about this matter or I will … You cannot claim compensation on my intellectual property that you also didn’t pay for.
According to the lawsuit, Obrafour received an email on June 8, 2022 from Deborah Mannis-Gardner of DMG Clearances, Inc. informing him that Drake sampled “Oye Ohene” on a track and was seeking “the right to use this sample.”
Honestly, Nevermind was released only days later.
Ghanaian artist Obrafour, pictured in a publicity photo.
Obrafour alleges that Drake and others behind “Calling My Name” have “wrongfully benefitted, and continue to wrongfully benefit, from their wrongful exploitation” of his song and claims he has been “irreparably harmed.”
The lawsuit seeks an injunction as well as a cut of revenues from “Calling My Name” and at least $10 million U.S. in punitive damages.
Among the more than a dozen defendants is Canadian producer Alex Lustig, who is credited as part of the creative team behind “Calling My Name,” and Drake’s Toronto-based label OVO Sound.
None of the allegations have been tested in court and reps for Drake have not responded to the lawsuit.
In a series of tweets directed at Drake, Aryeequaye challenges Obrafour's right to go after the rap superstar. “The intellectual property more specifically the ‘KILLER CUT’ sound which was sampled in your song ‘Calling My Name’ belongs to me.
“Rights to the said ‘KILLER CUT’ sound were never relinquished to [Obrafour] and was used by Edward Nana Poku Osei aka Hamma, Producer of Obrafuors album on Obrafuor’s song as he did with others.”
Aryeequaye added that “although [Obrafour] has interest in the matter, he is not the owner of the right, and cannot assert it, definitely not alone, or make any demands for sole compensation for its use.”