Mr Eazi, global Afrobeats singer, investor, and entrepreneur, recently told a touching anecdote about how renowned Ghanaian musicians Sarkodie and Mugeez saved his career during his university days.

Mr Eazi, who began as an event organiser in college, had a difficult experience when some of the performers he had engaged for an award show were unable to come owing to budgetary restrictions.

“In my early days as an event organizer at the university, I faced a situation where some artists I had booked for an award show couldn’t attend due to monetary issues.

People caught me, and that’s when upcoming artists in my school started being my friends, allowing me to book them for events. Although we lost more money than we made throwing parties, we continued because we loved having projects and seeing them come together. So, we transitioned to award shows, and I organized the first social awards at my university,” Mr Eazi narrated.

He recalls booking Sarkodie, R2Bees, and Wande Coal for the event as a student. Unfortunately, Wande Coal did not attend the concert, leading to the widespread belief that Mr. Eazi had fled with the money. In reflecting on the difficult circumstance, Mr Eazi stated, “I didn’t know that he [Wande Coal] didn’t receive his full money.”

Despite financial restrictions and unfinished business, Mr. Eazi addressed Sarkodie and Mugeez with humility.

“I remember begging Sarkodie, who was owed $2,500.00, pleading with him even though I hadn’t paid him completely. He came on stage, saving me with his presence. That’s why, till today, R2Bees’ Mugeez is more than a friend; he’s a brother. He came, jumped on stage, and killed it,” Mr Eazi expressed

Three months after Obrafour sued Canadian rapper Drake for copying his song ‘Oye Ohene’, the song’s producer, Hammer, has spoken out.

Hammer has reacted to Mantse Aryeequaye’s demands that Obrafour lead the suit on behalf of everyone who participated in the song’s creation.

Hammer told Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z that if the ruling goes in favour of Obrafour, everyone involved in the production wins.

Following the uproar, Nii Mantse turned to Twitter to claim that he should have been included in the complaint since his voice was sampled.

Hammer, on the other hand, claims that there is nothing to be concerned about.

“It is everybody on the song against Drake. Obrafour is only leading the conversation. So I don’t know what the hullabaloo was about,” he said.

When asked how the writ covers all of the performers despite the absence of their names, Hammer said, “We are mentioned in the docket.” Tina, Tinny, Mantse, moi, and Obrafour are responsible for the song’s publication. Because it’s his song, Obrafour takes the lead. He is the owner of the copyright.”

Hammer also stated that Obrafour spoke with Mantse and everyone else involved before going in for the suit.

“He addressed everyone. I dialled into the conference call. We were all on the phone at the same time. “We all agreed, and Obrafour continued with the suit,” he explained.

Drake utilised the shout ‘killer cut, blood’ from Obrafour’s ‘Oye Ohene’ remix in 2003 for ‘Calling My Name’ from the ‘Honestly Nevermind’ album.

The Mantse controversy

Mantse claimed on Twitter (X) in a series of tweets addressed at Drake that he was the only proprietor of the phrase ‘Killa cut blood’ on Obrafour’s ‘Oye Ohene’ remix.

He said that he did not renounce his rights to Obrafour and Da’ Hammer, the track’s producer, and so Obrafour cannot claim sole ownership of the sample or receive sole recompense.

“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.

Meanwhile, Obrafour is demanding almost $10 million in damages, among other things.

The legendary music producer Hammer of The Last Two has proposed a reason why the creative business does not often receive government or corporate assistance.

According to him, many people in the entertainment sector do not show the fact that they require assistance.

He told Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z’s Kwame Dadzie that these superstars live extravagant lifestyles unworthy of individuals in need of financial support.

He went on to say that most of these superstars who drive expensive automobiles have other sources of money aside from music.

“We are not displaying suffering to them. We are buying cars with different money. We are flexing. Most people in the creative [music] industry are not buying cars with the music money.

“If you are doing Forex Trading at home and you buy an X Class, and you are pulling up in it and a tax man is looking at you, what are you talking about? We have to speak the truth to power. Let’s show them we are suffering. But we can’t go around shopping at the expensive places, driving the biggest cars and expect them to feel for us,” he said.

He noted that some are doing it for show, but it has consequences.

“If you want to show that your works are promoting the tourism industry, show it. Prove that you are an up-and-coming artiste, and you can’t afford these things,” he further noted.

Hammer made the remark in response to calls from certain creatives for the government to provide tax breaks to creative businesses in order to get more investors to engage in the system.

Meanwhile, Hammer has announced the release of his new album, named “Upper Echelon.”

This will be his first significant project after returning to active music creation following a brief stint in the bread and juice industries.