After the Ojuelegba crooner was accused recently by his fellow musician and friend, Dammykrane, of stealing his songs and slangs, which later degenerated to exchange of blows between the duo at a popular club, Veteran reggae act and a former member of the defunct Afro-pop singing group, Plantashun Boyz, Ahmedu Augustine, popularly known as Blackface, has also called on, Wizkid, to “stop stealing” his songs. The latest controversy follows the release of a new song by Blackface titled Killa where he was believed to have taken a swipe on Wizkid for allegedly copying many of his songs especially two tracks from his Dancehall Business album released in 2010.
Blackface said during an interview that the young hip-hop artiste had been copying many of his songs for a long time but he decided to keep quiet just to let peace reign. The Benue State-born raga performer however said he decided to speak out now because he could no longer sit and watch someone else take the glory for his efforts.
“I never really wanted to talk about it all this while but after people started checking out my new song, Killa, many felt Blackface sounded like Wizkid, which I didn’t like.
“If you check properly, you would realise that Wizkid’s hit, Ojuelegba, sounds exactly the same as the track 13 on my dancehall album released as far back as 2010. You need to listen to that album to know what I am talking about. The song is so similar that I think it shouldn’t be that way.”
“Well, in Killa, I sang that “they tried to copy my melody,” and the bloggers got a hint of the gist and put their reports out. What I said is the truth and I am going to get to the root of this matter because I deserve justice.
“The Ojuelegba song has made so much revenue for Wizkid. I am not bothered about that but I want the industry to be in a position whereby people will understand that some of the artistes and the songs they are cheering is someone else’s efforts, especially fellow artistes that they are doing everything to bring down. All they are doing is to bring down Blackface and to say that he is not relevant in the industry. Some people are bent on killing my legacy. I believe there is definitely a gang-up against me in the industry and this has been going on for a long time,” he said.
He was asked if he had contacted wizkid personally on the matter, the dancehall artiste said he did his best in that regard but that the response from the Star Boy act shocked him. To get justice on this issue, Blackface disclosed that he could seek legal redress if Wizkid or others do not refrain from stealing his intellectual properties.
“There was a time Wizkid followed me on twitter and I told him that I don’t want him taking my songs and that if he wants to do any of my rhythm, he should let me know. I told him that because I was just being a big brother to him. I told him that our songs can’t be sounding so similar and that if he wants anything, he should let me know. But after some time, he ‘unfollowed’ me and it was shortly after then that the Ojuelegba song was released. I don’t have any problem with Wizkid or any other person, all I am saying is that they shouldn’t be tampering with my songs because those are my properties.
“Wizkid and I do different kinds of music and he doesn’t have my type of skill. I don’t have a problem with that. I am only bothered when somebody takes my song and tries to turn it around into theirs without giving me due credit,” he said.
Efforts to reach Wizkid to react to Blackface’s claims proved abortive
as his phone numbers were switched off. His manager, Sunday Are, couldn’t be reached as his line was switched off as well.
