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Medikal in Hot Water: Alabaster Box Threatens Lawsuit Over Alleged Theft of ‘Akwaaba’ in New Track
Veteran Ghanaian gospel group Alabaster Box has issued a stern copyright infringement notice to rapper Medikal over his newly released track, “Welcome to Africa”. The group, through their legal representatives, Sustineri Attorneys PRUC, accuses the rapper of unlawfully sampling their iconic song “Akwaaba” without authorisation.
In a strongly worded letter dated this week, the gospel quartet asserts full ownership of “Akwaaba” — a song that has gained international recognition over the past two decades for its cultural resonance and musical uniqueness.
They allege that Medikal’s song significantly samples the intro of “Akwaaba”, especially within the first 10 seconds, creating what they describe as a “derivative work” without any licence, grant, or consent.
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“Our clients consider this infringement intentional,” the letter reads, adding that Medikal’s “familiarity and knowledge” of the group’s music is evident in his choice of song title and verses.
According to Alabaster Box’s lawyers, “Welcome to Africa” has been uploaded to Medikal’s verified YouTube channel — which boasts over 292,000 subscribers — and is already enjoying considerable traction with nearly 72,000 views. The rapper is also said to be actively promoting the song on major digital platforms including Audiomack, Spotify, Apple Music, and Boomplay.
In what the group sees as an attempt to “unjustly exploit” their original work, they claim the infringing song is being “aggressively promoted, distributed, and performed” for commercial gain.
Demands Issued
Alabaster Box is demanding the immediate removal of “Welcome to Africa” from all traditional and digital platforms. Among other remedies, they are seeking:
- The cessation of any further public performance, distribution, or marketing of the song.
- Full disclosure of all revenues generated from the track.
- A list of all parties in possession of the song and efforts made to retrieve it.
- Termination of any existing production or promotional agreements regarding the track, along with proof of termination.
- The provision of a detailed account of all revenue from the promotion, disfribution, performance, and marketing of the infringing song.
The group warns that failure to comply will lead to legal action, which may include an injunction, destruction of all infringing copies, and a demand for both compensatory and exemplary damages — as well as legal fees.
“This letter is a formal notice of our clients’ resolve to protect the copyright to their song Akwaaba,” the notice concludes.
As of now, neither Medikal nor his management has issued a public response to the allegations.
Read the full statement here:
UNAUTHORIZED USE AND INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT MATERIAL- ALABASTA
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