Joe Boy and Bad Bunny. PHOTO| COURTESY
Reggaeton sensation Bad Bunny is facing a public demand from the founder of Afrobeats label EmPawa Africa, Mr. Eazi, who accuses the star and his record company Rimas Music of copyright infringement.
Mr. Eazi claims that the track “Enséñame a Bailar” off Bad Bunny’s 2022 LP “Un Verano Sin Ti” both interpolate and samples Joeboy’s “Empty My Pocket”.
After nine months of failed attempts to resolve the issue with Bad Bunny’s team, Mr. Eazi has gone public with his request for proper publishing, songwriting, and feature credits for Joeboy and producer Dëra on the disputed track.
The publishing of “Enséñame a Bailar” has been in dispute, meaning no payouts will be distributed until the issue is resolved.
Mr. Eazi and Bad Bunny have a history of collaboration, having previously worked together on “Como Un Bebé”.
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However, Mr. Eazi sees this as part of a broader pattern in the music industry’s approach to African artists’ intellectual property. “Afrobeats has become a global phenomenon, and everybody wants to sample a piece of it,” he says.
“Unfortunately, afrobeats artists, their producers, and labels often have to pursue legal means to secure publishing and royalties after songs they originally created are co-opted without credit.”
Rimas Entertainment has formally denied the accusations, claiming that they purchased the master track from record producer Lakizo Entertainment before releasing “Enséñame a Bailar”. The statement alleges that EmPawa failed to provide proof of ownership to Rimas’ lawyers.
This latest development adds to a growing trend of African artists and labels fighting for recognition and compensation in a rapidly changing music industry. As Afrobeats continues to grow in popularity, the fight for credit and ownership will only become more important.
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