Lifestyle
Storm Brews As Burna Boy Faces US Lawsuit
By Gideon Ayeni
Afrobeats megastar Burna Boy has found himself at the center of a fresh legal storm as popular Haitian musician and producer, Fabrice Rouzier, has dragged him to court over claims of copyright infringement.
According to court filings made at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Rouzier accused Burna Boy of participating in the unauthorized use of his 2002 song Je Vais in the remix of 4 Kampe II, which was released on March 28, 2025. The track, performed by French-Haitian singer Joe Dwet File, features Burna Boy as a guest act.
Rouzier’s lawsuit stems from the original version of 4 Kampe, released in late 2024, which he alleges unlawfully sampled key elements of Je Vais. He claims that after the initial release, he issued a cease and desist letter to Joe Dwet File, who allegedly acknowledged the unauthorized use.
Despite this, the remix was released with Burna Boy’s vocals, prompting Rouzier to escalate the matter legally.
In the court documents, Rouzier alleges that the remix reproduces critical elements of his original composition, including lyrics, sound recording, and even aspects of its visual representation. He pointed specifically to the French lyric, “Chérie, ou sou sa kampe” (“Darling, let’s do this in the standing position”), which he says was lifted directly from his work.
The Haitian musician contends that Burna Boy and Joe Dwet File willfully ignored previous warnings and instead went on to profit from a remix built on plagiarized content. He said the alleged copyright violation has caused him substantial financial losses and damage to his reputation.
Rouzier is now seeking compensatory and punitive damages, coverage of legal fees, and an injunction to bar any further use of his intellectual property. He is also requesting a court order mandating the destruction of all existing copies of both 4 Kampe and 4 Kampe II.
GWG.ng reports that this development comes shortly after Nigerian superstar Davido was sued in the U.S. by four musicians who accused him of unlawfully appropriating their song Work.
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