Drake Sued For $10M Over ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ Sample

Drake is in some legal trouble. The Toronto rapper is being sued over a sample he used on his seventh studio album, Honestly, Nevermind. According to Billboard, Ghanaian artist Obrafour filed a lawsuit against the rapper on Tuesday (April 18) over a sample Drizzy used on the track "Calling My Name."

At the 53-second mark of "Calling My Name," a vocalist can be heard saying "Killer cut, blood, killer cut," which Obrafour claims is a line from his 2003 remix of "Oye Ohene."

The lawsuit states that the Ghanaian artist is seeking at least $10 million in damages. Drizzy is not the only defendant in the case. Along with the Grammy-winner music producer Alex Lustig, DJ Diamante Blackmon, songwriter and producer Johannes Klahr, and musician Beau Nox, are all listed as co-defendants and contributed to the track as a writer or producer.

Drizzy's record label OVO Sound, Republic Records, its owner, and Universal Music Group (UMG) have also been listed as co-defendants.

According to the complaint, Drake's agent asked for permission to use the sample days before the project was officially released. The email was sent on June 8, 2022, and the agent followed up on June 13.

The project was released on June 17 and a reply from Obrafour had not been received.

Like most Drake projects, the project did well. Honestly, Nevermind debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200, and "Calling My Name" was watched by 4.2 million people on YouTube.

"Defendants continue to engage in infringement, despite acknowledging that they needed to secure rights and authorization from Obrafour," the rapper’s legal team wrote. "Defendants have never accounted to, credited, or otherwise compensated Obrafour for their unauthorized use of the copyrighted work."

The $10 million is not the only compensation Obrafour is seeking. He also wants profits from record sales, streaming, live performances, and other sources of revenue associated with "Calling My Name." The Ghanaian artist wants his legal expenses paid by the Toronto rapper.

Drake is constantly being called out for having ghostwriters which the rapper addressed in 2015 in The Fader pointing out that, "music at times can be a collaborative process." In hip-hop, having ghostwriters is taken pretty seriously since the lyrics rappers use in their songs are authentic to their personal journey. However, we think it's safe to say that Drake is not just "any kind of rapper" at this point. In his decade-plus-long year career in music, it's safe that the 6God is "one of one" and shouldn't be put into any kind of box. His R&B-infused rap has inspired a generation of sound that has influenced a genre but has been successful experimenting in pop, reggae and now dance with his latest album Honestly, Nevermind. Despite what you might think of Drake as rapper, singer, --or whatever he feels like he wants be labeled today-- he has used that "collaborative process" to bring you hits by your favorite artists.

Let's put some respect on Drake's pen and check out seven songs that he has written for other artists:

Jamie Foxx's "Fall For Your Type" is off of the singer/actor's 2010 album Best Night of My Life. Drizzy is featured as a guest artist hit and written alongside Noah Shebib, and Noel Campbell. The track hit No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Beyoncé and Drake collabed on "Mine" which was released back in 2014 for her self-titled album. Drake, Beyoncé Knowles, Noah Shebib, Jordan Ullman, Sidney Brown, Dwane Weir are credited as songwriters on the track. Drake is also credited a songwriter for Beyoncé's "Heated" off her album Renaissance.

"Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" arrives on Alicia Keys' fourth studio album The Element of Freedom. Drake is credited as a songwriter alongside Alicia Keys, Kerry "Krucial" Brothers and 40.Alicia and Drake also paired up along with Noah "40" Shebib, on Drake’s track "Fireworks" off his 2010 debut Thank Me Later.

Drake linked up with his Young Money boss Lil Wayne for his song "I'm Single." The track appears on his ninth solo mixtape, No Ceilings, and his 2010 album I Am Not a Human Being. Drake is credited as a songwriter alongside Omen (Producer), Boi-1da, 40 & Lil Wayne.

Rita Ora's "R.I.P" also makes the list of songs you might not have known Drizzy has written. Drake is credited as a writer alongside Rita Ora, Tor Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen, Patrick Okogwu, Saul Milton, Farhad Samadzada, Renee Wisdom, Will Kennard. The track features Tinie Tempah and was the lead single off her 2012 album, Ora.

Kanye spoke on Drake's involvement on "30 Hours" to his since-deleted interview Drink Champs, "I gave him a line and he wrote the whole rap. I wish he wrote all my raps." Drake is also credited as a songwriter for "Facts" and "Father Stretch My Hands" from Kanye's seventh studio album Life of Pablo. Kanye, Pharrell Williams, Karriem Riggins, Mike Dean, Charles Arthur Russell, Cornell Haynes, Jason Epperson, Charles L. Brown, Isaac Hayes are also credited on "30 Hours." The song samples the 1986 Arthur Russell song "Answers Me" and drums from the 1973 Isaac Hayes single "Joy."

Growing up in Canada, Drake was a part of the collective called the The Renaissance which is where he met Melanie Fiona. The group ended splitting up but Drake co-wrote Grammy-winning singer Melanie Fiona's "I've Been That Girl" which landed on her LP The MF Life. The album also featured a duet with John Legend and other featured artists such as J. Cole, T-Pain, and Nas.