Gospel choral music group, Amazing Chorale, has threatened drag rapper EL to court for copyright infringement.
A few months ago, EL released ‘Efa Wo Ho Ben’, a rap song laced on choral music.
According to Nicholas Essah, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Amazing Chorale, the choral part of EL’s rendition was sampled from their performance of Asare Bediako’s ‘W’ano Pe Asem’.
He told Citi News‘ Kwame Dadzie on Celebrity Radar that the particular song was recorded by TV3 during their performance at the station’s gospel music contest, ‘Celebrations’ in 2015.
“The voice we recorded is the same thing he has used, doctored it and just added some few words,” he said.
Mr. Essah also stated that they are speaking to their lawyers to take the matter up.
“We have spoken with Asare Bediako; he is bitterly hurt. We have also spoken to our lawyers and in collaboration with Asare Bediako we shall take him on,” they added.
In a phone interview with the composer, Asare Bediako from his base in Toronto, Canada, he remonstrated the fact that EL did not seek permission from either him or the performance right holders (Amazing Chorale).
“Some people sent the song to me and I wondered how such things could happen in Ghana just like that. This is an old song. Everybody knows this is my song, and somebody picks it and nobody is saying anything about it,” he said in the interview.
According to him, some people have infringed on his right a few times and he has dealt with them.
However, Rex Omar, the Chairman of Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), told Citi News that if Amazing Chorale did not finance the recording of the song, they cease to own any rights to the song.
In Citi News’ attempt to get EL’s side of the story, he declined to comment on the matter.
