Burna Boy’s early music catalogue has sparked a legal dispute that could draw Warner Music Group into an ongoing lawsuit in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that a coalition of Nigerian music entrepreneurs, through Lagos-based law firm Creative Legal, has petitioned Warner Music over the alleged illegal sale of the singer’s early works, warning that the company may be joined in a criminal suit if it fails to respond.
The dispute centers on the albums L.I.F.E (2013) and Redemption (2016), which are reportedly part of a contested transfer from Aristokrat Records to Spaceship Music, a label owned by Burna Boy.
Creative Legal, acting on behalf of 960 Music Limited, said Warner Music, the global distributor for Spaceship Music, was formally notified of the disagreement and asked to halt all distribution, marketing, and monetisation of the albums pending a court decision.
The firm stated that 960 Music, a major shareholder in Aristokrat Records, was neither informed of nor gave consent to the transfer of the catalogue. It argued that the transaction lacked proper board and shareholder approval.
The matter is already before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, where 960 Music is seeking to nullify the deal and recover proceeds from the alleged sale. Separate criminal proceedings have also been initiated, involving allegations of fraudulent conversion.
The lawyers further demanded that Warner Music stop all commercial activities related to the albums, avoid new licensing agreements, and preserve all financial records linked to the catalogue.
Barrister Justin Ige, managing partner at Creative Legal, confirmed that the deadline given to Warner Music to comply has expired without any formal response, adding that further legal steps may be taken based on instructions from their client.
