Ghanaian highlife and afrobeats artist Kuami Eugene has addressed widespread accusations of song theft, responding to claims that he samples music from other artists.
Speaking in an interview with Andy Dosty on Hitz FM he said, “I don’t ‘steal’ music, Every artist takes influences from different places”.
Kuami Eugene cited iconic figures like Michael Jackson and popular Nigerian artists like Davido and Wizkid to highlight that borrowing lines or melodies is a common practice in the music industry.
“There’s nothing wrong with taking a line or two and modifying it to fit my style. It’s a part of how we create music, and it’s something that professional musicians do all the time”.
“I feel like many artists can get away with it, but for me, it’s like every time I release a hit that includes a line reminiscent of another artist’s work, I’m criticized. It’s disheartening because I put a lot of effort into making my music original while drawing inspiration,” he lamented.
His comments emphasized the ongoing discussion about creativity and originality in the music industry.
He also emphasized that music is an evolving art form that flourishes through inspiration and collaboration.
