After Court Victory, Bad Bunny Demands $456,312 from Mr Eazi’s emPawa Africa

Global music star Bad Bunny has taken further legal action following his victory in a high-profile copyright dispute involving Nigerian singer Joeboy’s song “Empty My Pocket.”

According to court filings reviewed by multiple outlets, the Puerto Rican artiste and his legal team have petitioned a U.S. federal court to order emPawa Africa; owned by Mr Eazi, to pay $456,312 in legal fees incurred during the case.

The request follows the dismissal of a copyright lawsuit filed by Nigerian producer Ezeani Chidera Godfrey, popularly known as Dera, who alleged that Bad Bunny’s 2022 track “Enséñame a Bailar” unlawfully sampled or interpolated Joeboy’s “Empty My Pocket.”

A U.S. judge threw out the case after the plaintiff failed to meet key legal deadlines and did not actively pursue the claims in court, effectively handing victory to Bad Bunny.

In the aftermath, Bad Bunny’s legal team argued that emPawa Africa played a central role in backing and financing the lawsuit, and therefore should bear responsibility for the legal costs, not the individual producer who initiated the case.

The dispute traces back to 2023 when Mr Eazi publicly accused Bad Bunny and his label of using elements of Joeboy’s song without proper clearance or credit, sparking a cross-continental debate over intellectual property rights in the global music industry.

As of now, the court has yet to rule on the request for legal fees, leaving the financial outcome of the case unresolved.