‘Killer cut, blood’ sample: Mantse loses case against Hammer, Obrafour, fined GHS10k
The lawsuit the founder of Chalewote Street Art Festival, Mantse Aryeequaye, brought against record producer Edward ‘Hammer’ Nana Poku Osei and rapper Michael ‘Obrafour’ Elliot Kwabena Okyere Darko has been dismissed by an Accra High Court.
Mantse took Obrafour and Hammer to court for allegedly claiming sole ownership of a performance he did which was used for Obrafour’s Hiplife classic Oye Ohene Remix featuring Tinny (2003). In the performance, Mantse, playing hypeman, euphorically said: “Killer cut, blood”. Music producer Hammer then placed said performance, reportedly, without Mantse’s permission, at the very beginning of the Oye Ohene Remix song, to affirm Obrafour’s music prowess.
In 2023, Obrafour sought US$10,000,000 in legal damages from Canadian rapper Drake for using the “Killer cut, blood” portion of Oye Ohene Remix without his permission. Drake used the sample for his 2022 song, Call My Name, from the Honestly, Nevermind tape.
In view of the Obrafour vs Drake US lawsuit, Mantse sued Obrafour and Hammer on January 12, 2024, stating Obrafour inappropriately registered Oye Ohene Remix in the US, including the “Killer cut, blood” sample, as his sole property, evident in his lawsuit against Drake.
Mantse argued the sample was his and not Obrafour’s.
On Thursday, February 15, an Accra High Court threw out Mantse’s case citing “inconsistencies and breach of court rules” in his writ. It was observed Mantse had filed separate lawsuits against Obrafour and Hammer. Thus, the cases had to be heard individually.
Further, Mantse was fined GHS10,000.
Obrafour’s lawyer, Bobby Banson, explained on Joy Entertainment that Mantse “should not have sued Obrafour and Hammer for different causes of actions, but he did, and the law is the law. So, I asked for the case to be struck out, and the court agreed.”
Obrafour and Hammer cannot celebrate just yet because, according to Mantse’s representative, Anny Osabutey, even though “a cost of GHS10,000 was awarded against us, Mantse will go again”.
Source: classfmonline.com
