Veteran Nigerian singer Konga has publicly demanded 60 per cent of the royalties from Burna Boy’s 2023 hit single ‘Update,’ alleging that the Grammy-winning artist sampled his 1990s classic ‘Ka anyi chikota’ without securing permission or offering compensation.
Konga made the claim during a recent appearance on the ‘Hits Don’t Lie’ podcast. He stated that despite a peaceful public call-out several months ago, Burna Boy has not engaged with him. Konga contrasted this with Burna Boy’s 2022 settlement with American singer Toni Braxton, where Burna Boy agreed to pay her 60 per cent of royalties from his track ‘Last Last’ after it sampled her song ‘He Wasn’t Man Enough.’
“If Toni Braxton is having 60% royalty of Last Last, why can’t he do the same thing to come and meet me first, talk to me?” Konga queried.
He revealed that his legal team has been restrained from pursuing formal litigation out of respect for Burna Boy’s role in advancing African music globally. However, Konga accused Burna Boy of prior uncredited sampling, noting the artist used his lyrical ad-libs in the 2022 ‘Sungba’ remix with Asake.
The dispute escalated when Konga alleged Burna Boy rejected a proposed remix of his evergreen hit ‘Kabakaba.’ In response, Konga stated he has now decided to sample Burna Boy’s work in his own upcoming releases without seeking clearance, mirroring the action he accuses Burna Boy of taking.
This public confrontation highlights ongoing tensions within the Afrobeats ecosystem regarding sampling rights and fair compensation for foundational artists. As both musicians hold significant influence in the genre, the dispute underscores the industry’s evolving legal and ethical standards around intellectual property. Konga’s threat to reciprocate with unsanctioned sampling suggests a potential escalation unless a resolution is reached. The situation calls into question the protocols for clearing samples from legacy African recordings in contemporary hit-making. With no public statement yet from Burna Boy’s camp, the case may test the enforcement of copyright norms across different jurisdictions within the African music market.
