Kwesi Arthur Faces Libel Suit from Ground Up Chale
Ghanaian music company Ground Up Chale and its founder, Glen Boateng, have filed a defamation suit against award-winning rapper Kwesi Arthur at the High Court in Accra, seeking damages exceeding GH₵10 million over allegations made on social media.
The writ of summons, filed on 27 January 2026, accuses the musician of libel following a series of posts published on 21 January that sparked widespread public reaction. The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare the statements defamatory, order their immediate removal from all social media platforms, restrain the artist from making further defamatory remarks, and compel him to issue a public apology and retraction with the same prominence as the original posts.
Ground Up Chale is claiming general damages of GH₵5 million, special damages of GH₵2 million for alleged economic harm and lost business opportunities, aggravated and exemplary damages of GH₵3 million, as well as legal costs.
At the heart of the dispute are five statements attributed to Kwesi Arthur, in which he alleged he was being asked to pay US$150,000 to use images of himself in an independent project. He further claimed that Ground Up Chale “claims to own me, my image, my music, and everything attached to it from 2016 to this day.”
The rapper also stated that he had “not made a dime from any of my 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 post warned that if anything were to happen to him, Glen Boateng and the Ground Up Chale team should be held responsible.
The allegations triggered intense debate across social media, with supporters rallying behind the artist under hashtags such as #FreeKwesiArthur, while industry observers raised broader concerns about artist contracts and rights in Ghana’s music industry.
Responding publicly, Ground Up Chale’s lawyer, Jonathan K. Amable, rejected the claims during a Joy FM X Spaces discussion. He said 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 showing the artist received royalties totalling £91,370, disputing claims that he earned nothing.
Kwesi Arthur rose to prominence after signing with Ground Up Chale in 2017 and has since become a defining voice in Ghanaian hip-hop. As of publication, he has not responded to the lawsuit.
