Nigerian Afrobeats star D’banj has disclosed that his legal team is pursuing action against American singer Marc Anthony for allegedly sampling his 2012 hit Oliver Twist without proper clearance.
During a chat with Adesope Live, D’banj revealed that the title track of Marc Anthony’s 2024 album Muevense featured a Latin version of Oliver Twist. Initially, he said he felt excited and honored that an international icon had drawn inspiration from his work, but the lack of communication or clearance prior to release meant legal steps had to be taken.
“Marc Anthony sampling my song was one of my greatest highlights last year,” D’banj said. “At first, I was happy because of who he is, but my legal team and the business side of it… He didn’t reach out before sampling it. The song wasn’t cleared, and it was released officially as the lead single and album title.”
He emphasized that while he respects Marc Anthony, the business aspect of music requires proper procedures. “I’m so happy—those are the advantages of the digital era. The good thing is that the song is already out. My legal people are handling it, and I know they’re going high. But deep down, I still admire Marc Anthony. We have to clear it.”
