Kwame Mickey accuses Team Eternity of Copyright infringement in hit song Defe Defe
Ghanaian music and film producer Kwame Mickey, who resides in the United States, has accused the gospel group Team Eternity in public of using one of his songs without permission. Kwame claims that a section of a song that is featured on their song “Defe Defe” is his, and he owns the copyright.
According to Kwame Mickey, Osuani Afrifa’s song, “Defe Defe,” which has the disputed portion at the beginning of the song, was initially sung by the Halleluyah Voices. Kwame clarified that he has the appropriate paperwork to support his ownership and that he lawfully bought the song’s rights from the group.
Kwame made it clear that Osuani Afrifa, as the composer, still holds the intellectual property rights even though he owns the business. He said that Team Eternity ought to have asked his approval before incorporating the song into their work.
He stressed the value of moral behavior and stated that, as fellow Christians, he wanted the group to make things right. Kwame Mickey went on to say that if Team Eternity admits their error and makes the necessary corrections, he wouldn’t be unduly strict.
In a conciliation, Kwame expressed his appreciation for Team Eternity’s song, calling it “nice.” To prevent these confrontations, he emphasized that the song should have been used through the appropriate means. He posted on Facebook, expressing his disgust, asking, “Who is that Defe Defe singer? If I begin now, they will refer to me as “mansonia.” What distinguishes the two songs from one another? Someone please advise her to report and take appropriate action. That is all.
On social media, the claim has spurred a contentious discussion. Some people contend that Halleluyah Voices cannot claim exclusive ownership of “Defe Defe” because it is not a unique expression. Some people observe that the words of the two songs are identical. “Manhyia Nyame an anka ɔbonsam ayɛ me defe defe” by Halleluyah Voices sounds a lot like “manhyia Nyame an anka y’ayɛ me defe defe” by Team Eternity. ‘Defe defe’ is an adverb in Twi that indicates how serious a situation is.
Kwame Mickey is concentrating on the parallels in the lyrical substance despite the differences in the rhythmic rhythms and melodic phrases of the two lines. “Defe Defe,” composed by Osuani Afrifa and executive produced by Kwame Mickey for Kaakyire Music Productions, is performed by Halleluyah Voices and released in 2004.
Team Eternity, whose song ‘Defe Defe’ has recently topped Apple Music’s Top 100 in Ghana and amassed over 2 million views on YouTube, has yet to respond to the allegations. The track, part of their ‘Testimony’ album, achieved this feat shortly after its release on May 1, 2024.
