Ghanaian gospel music group Alabaster Box has filed a lawsuit against rapper Medikal, alleging copyright infringement over his latest track “Welcome to Africa.” The group is seeking GHS 15 million in damages.
According to a writ of summons filed at the High Court of Justice, Alabaster Box accuses Medikal of illegally sampling their song “Akwaaba” in the opening moments of his new release. They claim the first ten seconds of Medikal’s track are a derivative work based on their original composition.
Known for their hit “Akwaaba,” Alabaster Box has enjoyed over 30 years in the music industry, with performances both locally and internationally—including a notable appearance before the late Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey.
The group asserts that they hold the exclusive copyright to “Akwaaba” in Ghana and the United Kingdom, and have invested heavily in promoting the song and their brand globally.
Concerns over vulgar content and brand tarnishing
The gospel group contends that Medikal’s track contains “expressive profanity, vulgarity and unprintable words,” which they argue have damaged their image and diminished the goodwill associated with their work.
Alabaster Box is therefore requesting GHS 10 million in compensation for copyright infringement, in addition to GHS 5 million in exemplary damages. These additional damages are intended to address what the group describes as the rapper’s “intentional infringement of the Plaintiff’s copyright, brand association with vulgarity, and for diminishing the good mileage of the copyright work.”
Group demands full revenue disclosure and song withdrawal
The plaintiffs are also urging the court to compel Medikal to account for all revenues earned from the track, and to have the song taken down from all digital platforms.
Although Medikal reportedly removed the first ten seconds of the track from YouTube, the original version reportedly remains accessible on Audiomack, Boomplay, Spotify, and Apple Music.
Alabaster Box views this partial removal, without any prior communication, as “disrespectful” and interprets it as an “admission of guilt.”
The case is expected to be heard at the High Court of Justice in Accra, where the outcome could have significant implications for copyright enforcement in Ghana’s music industry.
