Afrobeats icon D’banj reveals legal action after Marc Anthony sampled his 2012 hit ‘Oliver Twist’ on 2024’s ‘Muevense’ album without clearance

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]frobeats superstar D’banj has disclosed that his legal team is pursuing action against American music legend Marc Anthony for allegedly sampling his 2012 hit, Oliver Twist, without permission.

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Speaking during a recent interview on Adesope Live, D’banj revealed that Marc Anthony used a Latin-flavoured rendition of Oliver Twist as the lead track and title of his 2024 album Muevense all without clearance.

“Marc Anthony sampling my song was one of my greatest highlights last year,” D’banj said.

“He released an album last year, and the title and track one was a sample of my song Oliver Twist. I listened to it, and it was just like a Latin version.”

The Fall in Love singer admitted to feeling flattered initially, given Anthony’s global stature, but business realities quickly necessitated legal intervention.

“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 to me before sampling it.

The song wasn’t cleared and he put it out officially. Lead single and title of the album. I don hammer… God works in mysterious ways,” D’banj added with a mix of humour and resolve.

The Nigerian icon stressed that while he still respects Marc Anthony as an artist, intellectual property must be honoured especially in the era of digital rights management and streaming.

“The good thing about it is that it is already released. My legal people are handling it and I know they are going high, but deep down I still admire Marc Anthony. We have to clear it.”

The development has reignited conversations around copyright protection for African artists and the global recognition of Afrobeats.

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D’banj’s Oliver Twist, released during his historic partnership with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music, remains one of the genre’s early global breakthroughs.