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Shallipopi speaks on copy right issues with ‘ObaPluto’
Nigerian sensation Shallipopi recently addressed the copyright challenges surrounding his hit single ‘Obapluto.’ In July, he found himself entangled in a copyright infringement claim related to the use of a sample from the record ‘Ovonramwen n’ Ogbaisi’ by veteran singer Pa Monday Edo Igbinidu in his song.
The infringement claim prompted Pa Monday Edo to file a lawsuit against Shallipopi, seeking 200 million naira in damages. In a candid interview with the ‘Zero Condition’ podcast, Shallipopi shed light on the circumstances that led to the copyright dispute.
Watch him speak below:
Shallipopi speaks about the copyright issues he had with ObaPluto. pic.twitter.com/Mam3ee3985
— 🐬 @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) November 21, 2023
In an interview with the podcast “Zero Condition,” Shallipopi discussed the events leading up to the copyright violation. The singer, who was born in Benin, made the implication that musicians from Benin City frequently ignore their cultural roots in favor of taking their musical cues from different Nigerian tribes and cultures. Shallipopi wished to avoid being associated with or likened to these artists. He released a song especially for the indigenous people of Edo, Benin, as a result of this commitment.
The ‘ObaPluto’ crooner said, “You know artists that come from Benin city dey always run. It’s either dey use other tribes to sing their music or they never come back to Benin again. I know wan be that artist wey be like say I kon forget where I for come”.
The man known as Pluto Presido claimed to be unaware that the rhythm from “ObaPluto” had ever been utilized before. He said that he was ignorant about copyright. All he was doing was attempting to honor his culture.
“That’s how I dropped the song and began to see ‘things on things’. ‘My mother said do you know this song that you used, Don’t you know the person is alive?!’. We had to do everything legally. I said okay he should be in the video”.
The Plutomania founder made the decision to include Pa Monday Edo Igbinidu in the “ObaPluto” music video. This suggested that any earlier disagreements or problems between Shallipopi and Pa Monday over the track’s sample had been settled peacefully.