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Music company Ground Up Chale and its founder, Glen Boateng, have initiated legal action against Ghanaian musician Kwesi Arthur over alleged defamatory statements made on social media.
The suit, filed at the High Court in Accra on January 27, 2026, accuses the rapper of libel and seeks damages exceeding GH₵10 million. The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare several statements made by Kwesi Arthur as defamatory, order their removal from social media, restrain him from making further similar comments, and compel a public apology and retraction with the same level of prominence as the original posts.
According to court documents, the damages being sought include GH₵5 million in general damages, GH₵2 million in special damages for alleged economic losses and missed business opportunities, GH₵3 million in aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as legal costs.
The dispute stems from a social media post made by Kwesi Arthur on January 21, 2026, in which he alleged that he had been asked to pay US$150,000 to use images of himself for an independent project. He further claimed that Ground Up Chale asserts ownership over his image, music, and creative output from 2016 to date.
The musician also alleged that he earned no income from his music during his time with the label and accused its management of threats, manipulation, and attempts to block the release of his current work. One of the most contentious claims stated that if anything were to happen to him, Glen Boateng and members of the Ground Up Chale team should be held responsible.
The comments sparked widespread debate on social media, with many users raising concerns about artist rights and contractual fairness in Ghana’s music industry. The hashtag #FreeKwesiArthur gained traction as supporters expressed solidarity with the musician.
As part of the reliefs being sought, the plaintiffs are demanding the immediate and permanent deletion of the January 21 posts from Kwesi Arthur’s Instagram and X accounts, along with an injunction preventing him and his associates from publishing or circulating further defamatory content. The suit also calls for a vetted public apology.
Ground Up Chale’s legal counsel, Jonathan K. Amable, has rejected the musician’s claims, stating during a Joy FM X Spaces discussion that the label did not restrict Kwesi Arthur from using his image generally, but only limited the use of visuals and footage produced by the company during their contractual relationship.
Mr Amable also cited email correspondence indicating that Kwesi Arthur received royalties amounting to £91,370, along with payments from distribution deals, disputing the claim that the artist earned nothing. He added that the contract signed in 2017 granted the label ownership of works produced within that period.
The lawyer maintained that the dispute centres on contractual rights over past works and said the company is prepared to defend its interests in court.
Kwesi Arthur rose to prominence after being signed by Ground Up Chale in 2017 and has since become a key figure in Ghana’s hip-hop scene, known for songs such as Grind Day and Winning. As of the time of publication, the musician has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
