The Ghanaian gospel group Alabaster Box has accused Ghanaian rapper Samuel Adu Frimpong, popularly known as Medikal, of copyright infringement, potentially leading to a legal battle over his new song “Welcome to Africa.”
In a formal letter dated April 8, 2025, the group, through their legal counsel Richard Nunekpeku of Sustineri Attorneys PRUC, alleged that Medikal unlawfully sampled their hit song “Akwaaba” without obtaining permission.
“Akwaaba,” in Akan, means “Welcome” in English and is the title of a track Alabaster Box has performed and distributed globally for over two decades.
The gospel group claims that Welcome to Africa borrows “in great detail and similarity” from their original composition, especially within the first ten seconds of the song.
According to the letter, Medikal uploaded allegedly infringing track to his verified YouTube channel, which has over 292,000 subscribers, and promoted it on streaming as, Apple Music, Audiomack, and Boom.
The song has already amassed nearly 72,000 views, 7,900 likes, and more than 1,000 comments on YouTube.
“The infringement is not only blatant but also intentional,” the letter stated, noting that the rapper’s choice of title and content indicates a clear familiarity with Alabaster Box’s work.
The group has demanded that Medikal immediately take down the song from all digital platforms, halt all forms of promotion, and submit a full account of any revenue generated from the release.
They have also demanded the termination of all commercial agreements related to the song and their intention to seek damages, an injunction, and legal costs if their demands are not met.
As of the time of filing this report, Medikal—born —Samuel Adu Frimpong has not publicly responded to the allegations. This dispute has once brought the issue of copyright and music sampling into focus within Ghana’s music industry, where the boundaries between inspiration and infringement continue to generate debate.
Below is the full statement
UNAUTHORIZED USE AND INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT MATERIAL- ALABASTA
