Nigerian Afrobeats pioneer D'banj has confirmed that his legal team is taking action against American Latin music legend Marc Anthony for sampling his 2012 hit song 'Oliver Twist' without proper authorization.
The unauthorized sample appears on the lead and title track of Marc Anthony's 2024 album 'Muevense', essentially creating what D'banj described as "a Latin version of 'Oliver Twist'."
Mixed Feelings About the Unauthorized Sample
Speaking during a recent interview with Adesope Live, D'banj expressed his initial positive reaction to discovering the sample, given Marc Anthony's legendary status in the music industry. However, the business realities of music rights quickly took precedence.
"Marc Anthony sampling my song was one of my greatest highlights last year," D'banj stated. "At first, I was happy because of who he is, but my legal team and the business side of it.... He didn't reach out to me before sampling it. The song wasn't cleared and he put it out officially, lead single and title of the album."
Despite the legal proceedings, the Afrobeats star maintained his admiration for Anthony, saying, "I still admire Marc Anthony. We have to clear it."
Digital Era Advantages
D'banj highlighted how the digital era has made it easier to identify and address such copyright issues. "I'm so happy those are the advantages of the digital era. The good thing about it is that it is already released," he noted, suggesting that the evidence of sampling is clear and publicly available.
This case highlights the increasing global recognition of Afrobeats and Nigerian music, while also underscoring the importance of proper licensing and clearance in international music collaborations and sampling.
The original 'Oliver Twist' released in 2012 was one of D'banj's breakthrough international hits, helping to introduce Afrobeats to global audiences.
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