Alleged Theft: Music Icon Fabrice Rouzier Sues Burna Boy Seeks Heavy Damages
Rouzier is asking the court to award compensatory and exemplary damages against Gilles and Burna Boy.
In a recent legal development, renowned Haitian music icon Fabrice Rouzier has initiated legal action against Nigerian musician Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, by filing a lawsuit in a New York court.
The lawsuit arises from allegations that Burna Boy, in collaboration with French-Haitian artist Joe Gilles, also known as Joe Dwet File, has appropriated the sound and video compositions of Rouzier’s 2002 track ‘Je Vais’ without authorization.
This accusation centers around the release of the song ‘4 Kampe II’, where Rouzier contends that elements of his original work were extensively replicated.
The dispute began when Gilles released ‘4 Kampe’, allegedly incorporating material from ‘Je Vais’, prompting Rouzier to issue a cease and desist order.
Despite acknowledging the infringement, Gilles proceeded to collaborate with Burna Boy on a remix, ‘4 Kampe II’, which further paralleled Rouzier’s original creation, including distinctive French lyrics. Rouzier asserts that both Gilles and Burna Boy were aware of the unauthorized use, yet persisted in actions detrimental to him, resulting in financial losses and diminished reputation.
Consequently, Rouzier is seeking compensation for damages and legal fees, along with a court order preventing future use of his intellectual property and the destruction of offending materials.
Simultaneously, this case against Burna Boy surfaces shortly after another legal challenge against his competitor Davido by Nigerian artists over similar allegations of intellectual property theft, marking a noteworthy pattern in the music industry’s ongoing legal battles over artistic ownership.
