Afrobeats superstar Davido has just 21 days to respond to a U.S. court order after four Nigerian artists accused him of stealing their 2022 song to create his hit “Strawberry on Ice.”
- Davido faces a copyright lawsuit in New York over allegedly stealing a song.
- Plaintiffs claim he breached a $45,000 settlement agreement and royalty deal.
- They’re demanding $150,000 in damages and 60% rights to “Strawberry on Ice.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OR LISTEN ONLINE TO “STRAWBERRY ON ICE”
Nigerian music icon David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has landed in legal trouble in the United States. A federal court in Manhattan has issued a 21-day ultimatum for the singer to respond to a lawsuit accusing him of copyright infringement and intellectual property theft.
The Backstory: A Deal Gone Wrong
According to court documents filed on April 4, 2025, four Nigerian artists, Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru claim they shared their demo work with Davido in January 2022.
Their intention? To collaborate with the Afrobeats megastar.
But things allegedly took a turn when Davido, instead of collaborating, handed the track to Sierra Leonean singer Emmerson Amidu Bockarie, who sampled its vocals and instrumentals. This, the plaintiffs say, resulted in Davido’s 2024 release, “Strawberry on Ice,” without their consent.
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Attempted Settlement & Breach
Legal filings state that on March 14, 2025, Davido agreed to settle the matter by paying $45,000 and offering 40% royalties on the song’s composition and 20% on the sound recording. However, the agreement reportedly fell through when Davido failed to meet the March 24 payment deadline.
Frustrated by the breach, the artists took legal action, filing a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The lawsuit names not only Davido and Emmerson, but also several others associated with the production and distribution of “Strawberry on Ice,” including Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II, and Wynn Records.
The Plaintiffs Demands
The artists are demanding a court declaration that their rights were violated, $150,000 in damages, and legal ownership of 40% of the song’s composition rights and 20% of the recording rights.
They’re also asking the court to bar Davido and all defendants from further exploiting their work or engaging in future copyright violations.
As of April 10, 2025, Davido has not made any public comment regarding the lawsuit.
The case raises serious concerns about intellectual property rights in the music industry, especially for emerging artists seeking collaborations with global stars.
What’s your take on this unfolding drama? Should Davido speak up or settle out of court?
Drop your thoughts in the comments!
