A Nigerian Grammy-winning artiste, Burna Boy, is being sued in a New York court by Haitian music legend Fabrice Rouzier for alleged theft.
The legal documents state that Burna Boy is being sued for allegedly stealing the sound and video compositions of his 2002 song “Je Vais” for his most recent collaboration with French-Haitian musician Joe Gilles, better known as Joe Dwet File, for their hit song “4 Kampe II.”
According to the court documents, the first infringement happened in the fall of 2024 when Gilles purposefully released “4 Kampe” using content from “Je Vais.”
Rouzier then sent the defendant a cease and desist letter, which the plaintiff said the defendant later acknowledged.
Notwithstanding the first warning, Gilles, not able to ignore the success of “4 Kampe,” released a remix of the song with Burna Boy on March 28, 2025, titled “4 Kampe II.”
The plaintiff claimed that this remix again imitated “Je Vais,” with similar lyrics such as “Cherie, ou sou sa kampe” in French (“Darling, let’s do this in the standing position”).
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According to court filings, Burna Boy was well aware of Gilles’ admission of stealing from Rouzier, but the two have persisted in their direct actions, causing the plaintiff significant harm, such as lost opportunities, lost revenues, and strained goodwill.
Rouzier claimed that he had no alternative but to sue Gilles and Burna Boy in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York in order to obtain redress because of their flagrant lack of cooperation.
Meanwhile, Rouzier is asking the court to impose compensatory and exemplary damages on Gilles and Burna Boy. He is also asking for reimbursement for appropriate legal costs and fees.
Additionally, the plaintiff is requesting that the court issue an order prohibiting Mr. Gilles, Burna Boy, and their representatives from using his name, image, or likeness in connection with “4 Kampe” and “4 Kampe II” in the future.
Additionally, the court should order that they dispose of all copies of videos related to the song.
