Gospel group Alabaster Box has filed a lawsuit against rapper Medikal for copyright infringement, demanding GHS 15 million in damages.
According to the writ of summons filed in the High Court of Justice, Alabaster Box alleges that Medikal’s new song, “Welcome to Africa,” unlawfully sampled their copyrighted song “Akwaaba.”
The group claims that the first ten seconds of Medikal’s song are a derivative work of their original composition.
Alabaster Box, known for their hit song “Akwaaba,” has been performing for three decades and gained international recognition, including a performance for the late Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey.
The group emphasizes that they have invested significantly in promoting their music and own the exclusive copyright to “Akwaaba” in Ghana and the United Kingdom.
The lawsuit highlights that Medikal’s song contains “expressive profanity, vulgarity and unprintable words,” which Alabaster Box argues has tarnished their brand.
Alabaster Box is seeking GHS 10 million for copyright infringement and an additional GHS 5 million in exemplary damages “for Defendant’s intentional infringement of the Plaintiff’s copyright, brand association with vulgarity and for diminishing the good mileage of the copyright work.”
The group is also asking the court to order Medikal to account for all revenues from his song and to withdraw it from all digital platforms.
The legal document notes that Medikal initially removed the first ten seconds of his song from YouTube but the original version remains on other streaming platforms like Audiomack, Boomplay, Spotify, and Apple Music.
Alabaster Box views this partial removal without contacting them as disrespectful and an admission of guilt.
The case is set to be heard in the High Court of Justice in Accra.
Read the full legal document below:
