BY Nadia Ntiamoah
The public fallout between award-winning Ghanaian rapper Kwesi Arthur and his former record label Ground Up Chale has exposed the often opaque contractual structures governing the music industry, reigniting debate about artist-label relationships, ownership rights and revenue sharing.
What began as a series of emotionally charged social media posts has since evolved into a complex dispute anchored in contracts signed nearly a decade ago, financial disclosures, and competing interpretations of intellectual property rights.
From Breakout Star To Label Flagship
Kwesi Arthur rose to national prominence in 2017 after emerging as one of the most promising young rap talents. That same year, he signed a recording deal with Ground Up Chale, the creative collective and label founded by music executive Glen Boateng.
The partnership proved pivotal in shaping the artist’s early career, producing multiple hit records and culminating in the release of the critically acclaimed Son of Jacob album in 2020.
According to legal disclosures now in the public domain, the original agreement signed in 2017 was a four-year recording contract, with an option for a two-year renewal. The deal, as explained by Ground Up Chale’s lawyer Jonathan Amable, stipulated a 60–40 revenue split in favour of the label, reflecting the financial risk and investment assumed by the company at the time.
Contract Terms And Post-contract Arrangements
Amable has maintained that the contract was “straightforward,” stressing that it did not include clauses relating to image rights, visual ownership beyond works created during the contract period, or restrictions on Kwesi Arthur’s personal brand. After the expiration of the initial four-year term, the rapper reportedly entered into a separate one-year agreement with Ground Up Chale, under which profits were shared on a 50–50 basis.
The lawyer insists that all music and visuals produced during these contractual periods remain the intellectual property of Ground Up Chale, consistent with standard industry practice.
The spark: Allegations And Online Backlash
On 22 January 2026, Kwesi Arthur ignited a social media storm by accusing his former label and Glen Boateng of extortion, intimidation, and deliberately blocking his attempts to release music independently.
The claims resonated strongly within the creative community, drawing public support from high-profile figures including Nana Aba Anamoah, Efya, Medikal, Kwaw Kese, Kofi Mole, and Kayso.
Public sentiment quickly hardened, with sections of the online audience levelling harsh accusations against Glen Boateng and calling for accountability from the label.
A competing Narrative Emerges
The discourse shifted sharply following the circulation of alleged email correspondence between Kwesi Arthur and Glen Boateng dating back to May 2025, alongside a legal briefing delivered by Amable during an X Space discussion.
According to the lawyer, the crux of the dispute is not an attempt to block new music, but rather the unauthorised use of visuals and images that were created while Kwesi Arthur was still under contract.
Amable argued that promotional materials used for the rapper’s recent Redemption Valleys project included footage dating back to the earliest stages of his career at Ground Up Chale.
“These visuals carry emotional and historical value,” Amable said, explaining that their impact and viral traction stem directly from Ground Up Chale’s original creative investment.
He insists their use without written permission constitutes a breach of intellectual property rights.
Financial Disclosures And Disputed Earnings
Further complicating matters, emails obtained online reportedly detailed accounting statements covering Kwesi Arthur’s projects prior to 2021.
These records claim that the artist earned approximately £91,370 (about GH¢1.46 million) in royalties during his time with the label.
In addition, Glen Boateng alleges that Kwesi Arthur independently received $118,712.08 (around GH¢1.42 million) from an external entity identified as Platoon, without the label’s knowledge or consent.
According to the emails, Boateng even contacted the rapper’s father and attempted to arrange meetings to resolve the matter, meetings he claims were not honoured.
Seven-day Ultimatum And Legal Threat
As tensions escalated, Ground Up Chale issued Kwesi Arthur a seven-day notice, demanding corrective action.
The label’s conditions include:
A written admission acknowledging unauthorised use of Ground Up-owned visuals
Payment of an invoice covering retroactive licensing fees and damages linked to widespread promotional use
A written undertaking to refrain from using Ground Up Chale-owned visuals without prior approval
The notice warns that failure to comply could result in platform takedowns and further legal action. An industry-wide reckoning
While both parties remain entrenched in their positions, the dispute has become emblematic of broader structural tensions within the music industry—particularly around transparency, contract literacy, and post-contract ownership rights.
