Ghanaian artist Obrafour is hitting Drake with a lawsuit over an uncleared sample that the latter used in “Calling My Name,” a song on his 2022 album Honestly, Nevermind.
Obrafour claims that the track features a part of his song “Oye Ohene” where he sings “Killer cut, blood, killer cut” though he never cleared the sample.
Rolling Stone reports that he also claims his evidence is irrefutable as he allegedly has an email from an employee at Republic Records who sought to clear the sample, but explained that Obrafour “had not yet responded.”
“Nonetheless, the Infringing Work is one of the songs appearing on the ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ album, as released to the world by ‘surprise’ on June 17, 2022,” the lawsuit, which Rolling Stone obtained, explains. “The copying of the Sampled Phrase in the Infringing Work is so direct in nature that the audio of the Sampled Phrase heard in the Infringing Work contains little or no audible manipulation, processing, or other alteration to its original character as heard in the Copyrighted Work.”
Obrafour’s lawsuit explains that the artist is seeking $10 million in compensation for using the uncleared sample given the song’s success.
Drake’s team has yet to comment on the lawsuit. Other artists involved in the suit include Canadian producer Alex Lustig, DJ Diamante Blackmon (FKA Carnage), Johannes Klahr, and Beau Nox.
