Bad Bunny is calling for payment after a court victory in a copyright lawsuit. The Puerto Rican singer is seeking $465,612 in legal fees following a court dismissal of a lawsuit brought by emPawa Africa, a label founded by Mr Eazi. The lawsuit was sparked by a dispute over a sample from Bad Bunny's song 'Enséñame a Bailar', which was allegedly taken from a 2019 track produced by Dera, a Nigerian producer.
Dera had claimed that Bad Bunny's team ignored attempts to settle the dispute and even called out the singer on social media. However, Dera's lawyers withdrew from the case, citing irreparable differences after emPawa Africa missed filing deadlines. The judge in the case dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that allowing it to continue would prejudice defendants and be against the public interest.
Bad Bunny's team had maintained that the sample in question had been cleared through Lakizo Entertainment, which had distributed the song at one point. The court filings reveal that Dera failed to appear at a hearing in February and missed a final deadline in March, further complicating the case.
The drama between Bad Bunny and emPawa Africa has all the makings of a Nollywood blockbuster. The allegations of copyright infringement and the ensuing court battle are a reminder that the music industry is a global village, where artists and producers from different corners of the world intersect and sometimes collide. As the Afrobeats phenomenon continues to gain traction globally, it's clear that the stakes are high, and the consequences of copyright infringement can be costly.
