According to a report by the People’s Gazette on Thursday, court documents filed at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, said the plaintiffs, Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru, accused Davido of stealing their 2022 song titled ‘Work’ and using it to create his 2024 track ‘Strawberry on Ice’.
The legal filings claimed that the plaintiffs shared the demo of ‘Work’ with Davido in January 2022, hoping for a collaboration to boost their exposure in the music industry. Instead, they alleged that Davido took the song without permission and collaborated with Sierra Leonean singer Emmerson Amidu Bockarie, known professionally as Emmerson, to recreate the track, incorporating both instrumental and vocal elements from the original demo.
Davido was named in the suit alongside Emmerson, Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II, and Wynn Records, the music label responsible for publishing and distributing ‘Strawberry on Ice’.
In an attempt to resolve the matter out of court, the plaintiffs claimed they eventually reached Davido after several months and entered into a settlement agreement on March 14, 2025. The agreement stipulated that Davido would pay the group a sum of $45,000 and grant them 40% of the compositional royalties and 20% of the sound recording royalties for ‘Strawberry on Ice’.
However, Davido allegedly failed to meet the payment deadline of March 24, 2025, prompting the plaintiffs to initiate legal action on April 4.
In the lawsuit, the group asked the court to declare that their intellectual property rights over ‘Work’ were infringed upon. They also demanded $150,000 in damages and a court-ordered transfer of 40% of the compositional copyright and 20% of the sound recording copyright of ‘Strawberry on Ice’ to them.
Furthermore, the plaintiffs sought an injunction to prevent Davido and his co-defendants from further using or profiting from the song or infringing on any of their future copyrights.
As at press time on Thursday, Davido had not responded to requests for comment. Wynn Records also declined to comment on the matter.
The legal filings claimed that the plaintiffs shared the demo of ‘Work’ with Davido in January 2022, hoping for a collaboration to boost their exposure in the music industry. Instead, they alleged that Davido took the song without permission and collaborated with Sierra Leonean singer Emmerson Amidu Bockarie, known professionally as Emmerson, to recreate the track, incorporating both instrumental and vocal elements from the original demo.
Davido was named in the suit alongside Emmerson, Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II, and Wynn Records, the music label responsible for publishing and distributing ‘Strawberry on Ice’.
In an attempt to resolve the matter out of court, the plaintiffs claimed they eventually reached Davido after several months and entered into a settlement agreement on March 14, 2025. The agreement stipulated that Davido would pay the group a sum of $45,000 and grant them 40% of the compositional royalties and 20% of the sound recording royalties for ‘Strawberry on Ice’.
However, Davido allegedly failed to meet the payment deadline of March 24, 2025, prompting the plaintiffs to initiate legal action on April 4.
In the lawsuit, the group asked the court to declare that their intellectual property rights over ‘Work’ were infringed upon. They also demanded $150,000 in damages and a court-ordered transfer of 40% of the compositional copyright and 20% of the sound recording copyright of ‘Strawberry on Ice’ to them.
Furthermore, the plaintiffs sought an injunction to prevent Davido and his co-defendants from further using or profiting from the song or infringing on any of their future copyrights.
As at press time on Thursday, Davido had not responded to requests for comment. Wynn Records also declined to comment on the matter.
from leadership Newspaper
David go and do the right thing, intellectual theft is not something to joke with. It's somebody sweat. Don't profit on it without due credit and compensations.
ReplyDeleteThis is a warning to those who intend to tow that path.
O setigo
DeleteThe guys have a good adviser who advised them to sue him in the US where the law works.
DeleteThank you.
DeleteIt is utterly wicked to take advantage of someone else's work and fail to repay them.
How these people sleep at night is beyond me.
It is well. Good luck to you Davido another hurdle you will overcome
ReplyDeleteHere is your Davido. Hail him. Bunch of nitwits. I said it that it was PR. Everytime he does something bad his PR team try to rebrand his image using Chioma as bait to gain public sympathy. I once said it that he will start talking and showing his children when he begins his nonsense again to play with the mind of fools. He has started talking about his twins, his so called perfect relationship very soon he will show the pictures of his kids after some bad publicity. He knows how to play yall weak minded people.
ReplyDeleteWhat he did is not grievous, stop ranting, musician do it all the time. Face your leaders, they are the man thieves leave Davido alone!
DeleteRest, your own hatred is too much. Did he kill someone, it’s someone sound track he used. Because the system works over there that is why he is into this, you know how many musicians over here have used the same sound track over and over. He will sort it out, rest before Davido matter will chock you, evil mind. It is better to be a weak mind than to have a bitter heart like you.
DeleteDavido is not our problems but your leaders, what do you tell your President that went to France while Macron is in Egypt?
DeleteI know say David dun sheet for church that’s why all those interviews. But this isn’t grievous and no need to insult people to pass your message
DeleteYou better do the needful Davido, that's a system that is working not over here that anything goes.
ReplyDeleteSomebody on Facebook few days ago commented that when David messes up, he will be granting interviews praising his wife , the person said he believes "he don shit for church again".
ReplyDeleteNow I see 🤔
And the Facebook user was right 🤣
DeleteHe will grant interviews and sound so nice and loving to win hearts ahead of the bomb that will soon hit the headlines.
So in your mind, him granting interviews was because of this, what most of the musicians do here. Was there any other evil deeds he did.
DeleteI even said it here
Delete45000 settlement kwa?
ReplyDeleteDavido go and do the needful, thank God it's America where law works, unlike Nigeria where the highest bidder is always justified.
ReplyDeleteDavid please do the needful.
ReplyDeleteThis Davido sef. So predictable. What a life!
ReplyDeleteThis one he is granting interview every Ekeh market day and then this summon, it seems these are all PR if he wants to release an album.
ReplyDeleteDavid is known for always something like this and Nigerians will hail him. Well the good thing is that this was filled in America where the law works and doesn't care about who you are
ReplyDeleteThis one na small sin..
ReplyDeleteIt is well David6
This one na small sin..
ReplyDeleteIt is well David6
Papa Ejima Biko Do The Needful ooo..
ReplyDeleteIt is Well
Hello iya Boys
Davido, settle them. This is part of the court cases people face all the time. You are loved.
ReplyDeleteI Dont like magu magu ,I don't like it at all. Npa ejima goan settle them quickly.
ReplyDeleteIt's well
ReplyDeleteWahala wear plenty clothes 🙃
ReplyDeleteEvery time he has problems it’s one long epistle about Chioma. At least this time it’s business and not philandering. Him and controversy go hand in hand.
ReplyDelete