Davido Faces Copyright Lawsuit Over Alleged Song Theft

Nigerian music star Davido has been given 21 days to respond to a copyright lawsuit filed by four Nigerian artists, who allege that he stole their 2022 song “Work” to create his 2024 hit “Strawberry on Ice”. The lawsuit, filed on April 4, claims that Davido and his collaborators infringed on the plaintiffs’ intellectual property rights.

The plaintiffs, Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru, claim that they shared their song “Work” with Davido in January 2022, hoping for a collaboration. However, they allege that Davido instead passed the track to Sierra Leonean singer Emmerson, who sampled its vocals and instrumentals to create “Strawberry on Ice” without permission.

The lawsuit names several defendants, including Davido, Emmerson, Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II, and Wynn Records, which published and distributed the disputed song. The plaintiffs claim that the defendants’ actions constitute copyright infringement and seek damages and recognition of their ownership rights.

The plaintiffs claim that Davido agreed to settle the matter on March 14, 2025, with a $45,000 payment and a royalty split of 40% for the song’s composition and 20% for the recording. However, Davido allegedly failed to honor the deal by the March 24 deadline. As a result, the plaintiffs are now demanding $150,000 in damages and legal recognition of their ownership rights.

Davido has yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit, while Wynn Records declined to comment when contacted by Peoples Gazette. The case is ongoing in the United States District Court in Manhattan, and the outcome will be closely watched by the music industry.

The copyright lawsuit against Davido highlights the importance of protecting intellectual property rights in the music industry. The case also raises questions about the responsibility of artists and record labels to ensure that their work is original and does not infringe on the rights of others. As the case unfolds, it will be interesting to see how Davido and his collaborators respond to the allegations and what the ultimate outcome will be.