Music company Ground Up Chale and its founder, Glen Boateng, have initiated legal proceedings against award-winning Ghanaian rapper Kwesi Arthur, alleging libel arising from statements he published on social media earlier this month.
In a writ of summons filed at the High Court in Accra on January 27, 2026, the plaintiffs are seeking damages exceeding GH¢10 million, claiming that the musician’s January 21, 2026 posts contained false and damaging allegations that have harmed their reputation and business interests.
According to the suit, Ground Up Chale is asking the court to declare several statements made by Kwesi Arthur as defamatory and libellous, order their immediate and permanent removal from all social media platforms, restrain the artist from making further related publications, and compel a public apology and retraction with the same prominence as the original posts.
The reliefs sought include GH¢5 million in general damages, GH¢2 million in special damages for alleged economic loss and missed business opportunities, GH¢3 million in aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as legal costs.
The dispute centres on claims made by the rapper that he was asked to pay US$150,000 to use images of himself for an independent project, and that Ground Up Chale “claims to own me, my image, my music, and everything attached to it from 2016 to this day.” He also alleged that he earned no income from his music during his association with the label and accused its management of intimidation, manipulation, and efforts to block his current releases.
One of the most serious allegations warned that if anything were to happen to him, Glen Boateng and members of the Ground Up Chale team should be held responsible an assertion the plaintiffs say was reckless and highly injurious.
The posts sparked intense public debate across social media and within the music industry, with artists and commentators raising broader questions about recording contracts, image rights, and artist autonomy in Ghana. Supporters of Kwesi Arthur mobilised online using hashtags such as #FreeKwesiArthur.
Ground Up Chale’s legal counsel, Jonathan K. Amable, has since challenged the accuracy of the musician’s claims. Speaking during a Joy FM X Spaces discussion, he clarified that the label did not prohibit Kwesi Arthur from using his likeness generally, but only restricted the use of visual materials and footage created by the company during the contractual period.
Mr Amable also disclosed email correspondence indicating that Kwesi Arthur received royalties totalling £91,370, in addition to payments from distribution arrangements, disputing the assertion that the artist earned nothing from his music. He noted that a contract signed in 2017 granted the label ownership rights over works produced within that timeframe.
According to counsel, the dispute is fundamentally contractual in nature, relating to intellectual property rights over past works, and the company is prepared to defend its position in court.
Kwesi Arthur, who rose to prominence under the Ground Up Chale collective after signing in 2017, has been a major voice in Ghana’s contemporary hip-hop scene with hits including Grind Day and Winning. As of the time of publication, he has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
