Bad Bunny has been accused of another possible copyright infringement. The founder of the emPawa Africa record label, Mr. Eazi, claims that Bad Bunny failed to properly credit the Nigerian artist Joeboy and his producer Dëra on his 2022 song, “Enséñame a Bailar.”
According to Rolling Stone, the accusation is against both Bad Bunny and his record label, Rimas Music. He notes that the song interpolates and samples Joeboy’s “Empty My Pocket,” with zero credit.
“The team at emPawa Africa have attempted to sort this issue amicably since May of last year with our mutual legal teams,” Mr. Eazi said in a statement. “But the intent of Rimas Music is clearly to blatantly appropriate young African creators’ work for their gain without attribution.”
“We will not accept Bad Bunny and Rimas denying Joeboy and Dëra credits and a share in the ownership of a song they wrote, composed and, in Joeboy’s case, even performed on,” he added.
The publication notes that Bad Bunny has also worked with Mr. Eazi in the past on his 2019 collab track with J Balvin, “Como Un Bebé.”
Bad Bunny’s label rebutted the accusations in a statement to Rolling Stone and claimed that they purchased the track from the record producer Lakizo Entertainment.
“We are deeply concerned by the copyright infringement accusations made by Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade (Mr. Eazi), the founder of emPawa Africa, on the track ‘Enséñame a Bailar,’” the statement said. “We want to make it clear that at all times, Rimas Entertainment has acted properly and has followed standard industry protocols.”
Only time will tell if this copyright infringement claim goes any further.