Entertainment

Artistes Who Have Fought Over Song Ownership

Published

3 years ago

September 17, 2022

The issue of song ownership and theft is probably as old as the music industry itself. Over the years, quite a number of artistes have had issues with other artistes and even record labels over the rightful owners of certain songs. There is an ongoing controversy over the ownership of a popular song titled, ‘Machala’, and it has attracted several opinions online. Saturday Beats takes a look at this particular case and similar incidents

Carter Efe/Berri Tiga (Machala)

Oderhohwo Efe, aka Carter Efe, was more known as an Instagram comedian by virtue of the skits he has appeared in. However, many were surprised when Efe announced the release of a new song, titled, ‘Machala’. He was said to feature an artiste, Berri Tiga.

But, there was some confusion when many listened to the song and discovered that a significant proportion of the song was sung by Berri Tiga. As a matter of fact, Carter seemed to have only featured vocally in the intro.

Since Berri did not cry foul, many felt Carter was indeed the rightful owner of the song and that the duo had a working arrangement. Thus, it came as a shock when it was discovered that the song was taken down from several music streaming platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify.

Meanwhile, Efe recently released snapshot of a chat showing Berri Tiga thanking him for the opportunity to feature in the song. Efe also claimed that another artiste, Hotkid, had a verse on the song, but Tiga pleaded with him to yank it off as he felt Hotkid would ‘take the shine’ for the song. He added that Berri was claiming ownership of the song on Instagram, while still thanking him for the opportunity.

According to some reports online, the song allegedly occupied the first position in many of the music streaming sites accessible in the country.

Ay.com/Terry G (Pass Me your Love)

Though both singers— Gabriel Amanyi (Terry G) and Ayoola Johnson (Ay.com) are no longer as popular as they used to be, many can still remember their messy squabble over a song. Some years ago, Ay.com had one of the biggest songs, ‘Pass Me your Love’, in the country. He featured another reigning artiste at the time, Terry G.

However, things went sour between them, with Ay asking Terry to stop performing the song at concerts and other events. According to him, Terry G was taking the shine for the song and performing as if he owned it.

At the height of their spat, Ay once stormed an event where Terry G had performed the song. Taking to the stage, the former said, ““Whenever you are cheated, you have to speak up. Otherwise, you would lose out. What happened between me and Terry G had to happen. I want to explain something to my fans. I composed the song.

“How would you feel that after your hard work, another man is reaping the fruits of your labour? He was performing the song and getting paid. Meanwhile, me as the rightful owner of the house, would be at home doing nothing. I even told me that we should perform the song together whenever he had a show, but he did not listen to me. To all my fans, whenever you see Terry G performing ‘Pass Me your Love’, please stop him, to help the Nigerian music industry.”

However, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH about five years ago, Ay claimed that the matter had been resolved amicably. He said, “Me and Terry G is an old issue, and I don’t really like to talk about it anymore. We are ‘cool’ with each other now. We are colleagues and as regards working with him again, nobody can predict the future.”

Apparently still attached to the song, Ay.com recently released its remix; over 10 years after the first song was released. On the remix, he featured Peruzzi. However, it did not do as well as the original version.”

Tiwa Savage/Seyi Shay (Lova Lova)

For as long as many can remember, there has been no love lost between two female singers— Tiwa Savage and Seyi Shay. Their animosity culminated in showdown at a hair salon. In videos that went viral on the Internet, Tiwa could be seen venting her spleen when Shay walked up to her to greet her.

Savage asked Shay not to greet her, as she knows that she (Shay) does not like and has spoken negatively about her.

Shortly after that incident, Seyi Shay claimed in an interview that she wrote Savage’s verse in a song, ‘Lova Lova’, she was featured on by Duncan Mighty. She also insinuated that Savage had taken certain actions to undermine brand. She said, “This is the same person that took my song, ‘Lova Lova’, which is one of her biggest songs ever. I composed that song with…but when I called her that I co-wrote the song, she said she did not believe what I said, and she refused to compensate me.

“She was the same person who attacked a popular artiste because she featured on my song, after the artiste had featured on her own song too. She also approached a popular brand to withdraw me as their ambassador. All these have been going on for years but I said nothing about it. It is just unfortunate.”

However, the duo appears to have put the incident behind them, as they shared a hug at a concert in December 2021.

It also bears stating that an artiste, Danny Young, once sued Savage to the tune of N200m. According to Young, Savage used some lines from his song, ‘Oju ti ti Won’ in her song, ‘All Over’.

Both parties later settled the case out of court.

Portable/Poco Lee (Zazzu Zeh)

Calling Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, one of the most controversial artistes in recent times, will amount to putting it lightly.

Since he became popular in the latter part of 2021, the singer has mostly been in the news for the wrong reasons.

Recall that he came into the limelight with the release of his song, ‘Zazzu Zeh’, on which he featured rapper, Olamide. His fame skyrocketed and he was invited to perform at several shows.

However, the romance between him and Poco Lee did not last for long, as he accused the latter of trying to rip (cheat) him. He claimed that Poco Lee uploaded the song on the Internet, citing himself as the owner.

Shortly after performing at popular singer, Wizkid’s concert in December, Portable made a video to accuse Poco Lee of stealing his song, and the $3,000 sprayed on him on the stage by Wizkid. Speaking in Yoruba, he said, “Wizkid blessed me with $3,000. But Poco Lee, the dancer, picked the money. Out of $3,000, he gave me only $600. I am a street boy. Poco Lee, you did not show love at all. Rather, your intention was to rip (cheat) me. Are you the owner of the song? Why was the song released as ‘Poco Lee featuring Portable and Olamide’; instead of it being the other way round? Are you mad? You had better respect yourself.”

Due to the several controversies Portable has been involved in, Poco Lee has distanced himself from the singer. In a tweet which many believed was targeted at the singer, Lee wrote, “I wish I never took that talkative nuisance out of the trenches.”

2Baba/Blackfaze (African Queen)

Innocent Idibia (2baba, formerly called 2face) and Ahmedu Obiabo (Blackfaze) are both from Benue State, and they used to be members of the same music group, Plantashun Boiz. However, things have seen unravelled between the former friends and partners.

After 2baba went solo with his career, he released a song titled, ‘African Queen’, which remains one of the singer’s biggest songs. It is contained in his debut solo album, ‘Face 2 Face’.

Blackfaze later came out to say that he wrote the song; a claim that 2baba did not dispute.

At a point, Blackfaze took to insulting 2baba at every opportunity he had. This made the latter to sue Blackfaze to the tune of N50m for defamation of character. Though different stakeholders and important personalities have tried to mend fences between the duo, the truce never lasts.

However, in 2019, they both agree to settle the matter out of court. A source close to the duo was alleged to have said, “After the successful mediation, Blackfaze promised not to publicly accuse 2baba again, while 2baba agreed to make all the necessary corrections and amendments that had prevented Blackfaze from receiving royalties.”

Blackfaze even went on to release his own version of ‘African Queen’, but it did not do nearly as well as 2baba’s version.

PUNCH

Entertainment

FULL LIST: Tyla Clinches ‘Best Afrobeats’ At MTV VMAs

Published

1 day ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

Tyla beat Nigerian Afroartists to win the ‘Best Afrobeats’ category at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, clinching the prize with her hit song Push 2 Start.

The South African singer-songwriter triumphed over heavyweights including Burna Boy, Rema, Tems, Wizkid, and Asake, evidence of her growing dominance on the global stage.

However, she lost out in the ‘Best Choreography’ category, where Doechii’s Anxiety took the prize.

Nigerian stars also had a disappointing night.

Ayra Starr, nominated for ‘MTV Push Performance of the Year’, and Burna Boy, in the ‘Video for Good’ category, left without wins.

The night’s standout achiever was pop superstar Ariana Grande, having swept major headline categories, including Video of the Year and took home 3 big awards, making her the night’s top winner.

In terms of awards count, Lady Gaga won four awards, including ‘Artist of the Year’, ‘Best Art Direction’, ‘Best Direction’, and ‘Best Collaboration’ for Die With a Smile with Bruno Mars.

The MTV Video Music Awards is a show presented by the cable channel MTV, and dedicated to celebrating the year’s biggest artists and music videos with performances and honours.

The ceremony, held Sunday at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, was broadcast for the first time on CBS.

The event also featured historic inaugural awards. American rap legend Busta Rhymes was honoured with the first-ever ‘Rock the Bells Visionary Award’, while Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin received the inaugural ‘Latin Icon Award’.

Below is the full list of winners across categories:

Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga — WINNER
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Song of the Year
Alex Warren – ‘Ordinary’
Billie Eilish – ‘Birds of a Feather’
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Gracie Abrams – ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’
Lorde – ‘What Was That’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’ — WINNER
Tate McRae – ‘Sports Car’
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – ‘Timeless’

Best New Artist
Alex Warren — WINNER
Ella Langley
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Sombr
The Marías

MTV Push Performance of the Year
Ayra Starr – ‘Last Heartbreak Song’
Damiano David – ‘Next Summer’
Dasha – ‘Bye Bye Bye’
Gigi Perez – ‘Sailor Song’
Jordan Adetunji – ‘Kehlani’

Katseye – ‘Touch’ — WINNER
Lay Bankz – ‘Graveyard’
Leon Thomas – ‘Yes It Is’
Livingston – ‘Shadow’
Mark Ambor – ‘Belong Together’
Role Model – ‘Sally, When the Wine Runs Out’
Shaboozey – ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’

Best Collaboration
Bailey Zimmerman & Luke Combs – ‘Backup Plan’ (Stagecoach Official Music Video)
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – ‘Luther’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’ — WINNER
Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton – ‘Pour Me a Drink’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – ‘Sunset Blvd’

Best Pop
Alex Warren – ‘Ordinary’
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ — WINNER
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’

Best Hip-Hop
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’ — WINNER
Drake – ‘Nokia’
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – ‘Somebody Save Me’
Glorilla ft. Sexyy Red – ‘Whatchu Kno About Me’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
LL Cool J ft. Eminem – ‘Murdergram Deux’
Travis Scott – ‘4×4’

Best Pop Artist
Ariana Grande
Charli XCX
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Sabrina Carpenter — WINNER
Tate McRae

Video of the Year

Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ –WINNER
Billie Eilish – ‘Birds of a Feather’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – ‘Timeless’

Best R&B
Chris Brown – ‘Residuals’
Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – ‘Mutt (Remix)’

Mariah Carey – ‘Type Dangerous’ –WINNER
PartyNextDoor – ‘No Chill’
Summer Walker – ‘Heart of a Woman’
SZA – ‘Drive’
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – ‘Timeless’

Best Alternative
Gigi Perez – ‘Sailor Song’
Imagine Dragons – ‘Wake Up’
Lola Young – ‘Messy’
MGK & Jelly Roll – ‘Lonely Road’
Sombr – ‘Back to Friends’ — WINNER
The Marías – ‘Back to Me’

Best Rock
Coldplay – ‘All My Love’ — WINNER
Evanescence – ‘Afterlife’
Green Day – ‘One Eyed Bastard’
Lenny Kravitz – ‘Honey’
Linkin Park – ‘The Emptiness Machine’
Twenty One Pilots – ‘The Contract’

Best Latin
Bad Bunny – ‘Baile Inolvidable’
J Balvin – ‘Rio’
Karol G – ‘Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido’
Peso Pluma – ‘La Patrulla’
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – ‘Khé?’
Shakira – ‘Soltera’ — WINNER

Best K-Pop
Aespa – Whiplash’
Jennie – ‘Like Jennie’
Jimin – ‘Who’
Jisoo – ‘Earthquake’
Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye – ‘Born Again’ — WINNER
Stray Kids – ‘Chk Chk Boom’
Rosé – ‘Toxic Till the End’

Best Afrobeats
Asake & Travis Scott – ‘Active’
Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott – ‘TaTaTa’
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – ‘Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)’
Rema – ‘Baby (Is It A Crime)’
Tems ft. Asake – ‘Get It Right’
Tyla – ‘Push 2 Start’ — WINNER
Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz – ‘Piece of My Heart’

Best Country
Chris Stapleton – ‘Think I’m in Love With You’
Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood – ‘I’m Gonna Love You’
Jelly Roll – ‘Liar’
Lainey Wilson – ‘4x4xU’
Megan Moroney – ‘Am I Okay?’ — WINNER
Morgan Wallen – ‘Smile’

Best Album
Bad Bunny – ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘GNX’
Lady Gaga – ‘Mayhem’
Morgan Wallen – ‘I’m the Problem’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Short n’ Sweet’ — WINNER
The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’

Best Long Form Video
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ — WINNER
Bad Bunny – ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’
Damiano David – ‘Funny Little Stories’
Mac Miller – ‘Balloonerism’
Miley Cyrus – ‘Something Beautiful’
The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’

Video for Good
Burna Boy – ‘Higher’
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish — WINNER
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – ‘Somebody Save Me’
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – ‘Younger and Hotter Than Me’
Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan – ‘Sleepwalking’

Best Direction
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’ — WINNER
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’

Best Art Direction
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’ — WINNER
Lorde – ‘Man of the Year’
Miley Cyrus – ‘End of the World’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’

Best Cinematography
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’ — WINNER
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Miley Cyrus – ‘Easy Lover’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’

Best Editing
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’
Tate McRae – ‘Just Keep Watching’ — WINNER

Best Choreography
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’ — WINNER
FKA twigs – ‘Eusexua’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Tyla – ‘Push 2 Start’
Zara Larsson – ‘Pretty Ugly’

Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’ — WINNER
Tate McRae – ‘Just Keep Watching’
The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’

Entertainment

Shock As Dede, Joanna Leave BBNaija S10 House Via Red Phone Twist

Published

2 days ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

Viewers of Big Brother Naija Season 10 were left stunned on Monday morning after housemates Dede and Joanna were evicted through an unexpected red phone twist.

The twist unfolded when the red telephone rang inside the house and Dede answered.

The show host, Ebuka instructed her to pick a fellow housemate without explanation, then she chose Joanna, and moments later both were told they had been evicted.

Biggie later did the usual countdown for them to leave the house.

The sudden announcement left housemates in disbelief, with Sultana visibly unsettled while Isabella insisted it might be a fake eviction, recalling similar moments in previous seasons.

This has also fuelled speculation that the duo may have been moved to a secret room, a tactic Big Brother has deployed in past editions to build suspense.

The development comes barely 24 hours after Big Soso, Ivatar, and Doris were evicted during Sunday’s live show.

Entertainment

Nollywood Actor, Ibrahim Chatta, Loses ‘Son’

Published

4 days ago

September 6, 2025

Editor

Nollywood actor Ibrahim Chatta has been thrown into mourning following the death of his son.

The actor announced the loss through a post on his Instagram page on Saturday.

Posting a picture of the late boy, he captioned, “Inna liLlahi wa inna ileyhi rajiun.

“Ya Allah, You are the Knower of all things Rest on Dear Son. Champ💔💔💔💔”

The post has, however, continued to generate reactions from fans and colleagues of the actor, who have taken to the comments section to commiserate with him over the development.

An actress, Tawa Ajisefini wrote, “Haaaaa Subuhanallah. I’m so sorry uncle. condolences.”

Also reacting, “Jamiu Azeez commented, “Haaaaaa God pls have mercy on us 00 dadad this is too much o.”

However, it could not be confirmed whether the deceased is his biological son or relative as of the time of filing this report.

The news comes just days after veteran actress Peju Ogunmola lost her only child, Ayomikun, an incident that also left the entertainment industry in grief.