Music Record Label, OFM Computer World, has lodged a complaint with YouTube, alleging copyright infringement by Team Eternity Ghana’s hit song “Defe Defe”. In a letter dated June 20, the label claimed that the song unauthorizedly reused portions of the original copyrighted song “Defe Defe” by Hallelujah Voices.
The label requested YouTube to make the video private, citing pending legal action in Ghana’s capital city court. “But before any legal action is taken…I request YouTube to make the video private, not visible since its copyright infringement,” the label stated.
Kwame Mickey, executive producer for Hallelujah Voices’ ‘Defe Defe’, first raised the allegation on Facebook, saying Team Eternity Ghana infringed on his copyright by using the ‘defe defe’ line without permission. While the songs have different structures and melodies, Mickey argues that the lyrical content is similar.
The original “Defe Defe” song, written by Osuani Afrifa and produced by Kwame Mickey, was released in 2004. The recent copyright issue has sparked debate, with some arguing that Team Eternity’s song is different, while others believe the identical lyrical content constitutes infringement.
“But before any legal action is taken in Ghana’s capital city court, I request YouTube to make the video private, not visible since its copyright infringement,” OFM Computer World stated.
“Who is that Defe Defe singer? If I start right now, they go say I am ‘mansonia’. What is the difference between the two songs? Somebody tell her to report and do the needful. That’s all,” Kwame Mickey posted on Facebook.
