The founder of Chalewote Street Arts Festival Mantse Aryeequaye is claiming ownership of the sample on Drake’s Calling My Name’ track off his 2022 ‘Honestly Nevermind’ album following a suit by Ghanaian rapper Obrafour.
The sample is found at 0:53 seconds of the Drake tune, where it transitions into a house music vibe sending the song into a different type of ambiance compared to its initial trajectory.
“Killa cut blood!” is the chant heard multiple times.
That part was sung by Mantse Aryeequaye as an opener to the late 2003 remix of ‘Oye Ohene’ off the Ntete Pa album.
In a series of tweets directed at Drake, Mantse, as he is popularly called, said that he is the sole owner of the phrase ‘Killa cut blood’ on Obrafour’s ‘Oye Ohene’ remix.
He stated that he did not relinquish his rights to Obrafour and Da’ Hammer, producer of the track and thus not only can Obrafour not claim sole ownership of the sample but he also cannot be given sole compensation.
“I Mantse Aryeequaye maintain my intellectual property rights and claim over all my artistic works including the “Killer Cut” sound you sampled off “Oye Ohene” remix used on Obrafuor’s album My lawyer Kofi Bentil esq. of Lex Praxis Incorporated kbentil@lexpraxis.net who is pursuing this matter has informed me of a lawsuit against you solely in the name of @IamObrafuor,” he wrote.
“This is to confirm I [Mantse Aryeequaye] insist that although @IamObrafuor has an interest in the matter, he is not the owner of the right, and cannot assert it, definitely not alone, or make any demands for sole compensation for its use,” he noted.
This comes after Obrafour sued popular Canadian rapper Drake for sampling his 2003 remix of ‘Oye Ohene’ on his song ‘Calling My Name’ off the Honestly Nevermind album.
In the documents presented to a court in New York, Obrafour stated that he “never granted Defendants permission to use the Copyrighted Work and the Infringing work was released mere days later,” parts of the document read.
The Ghanaian rapper is seeking about $10 million in damages among other things.
Hours after the lawsuit went viral, Mantse also made a claim to the sound.
He stated that he was disappointed in Obrafour dor seeking sole compensation adding “would be good to tell the public the truth about this matter or I will be forced to lay out how you’ve never paid a dime for any of my works on your songs over the last 20yrs.”
