Davido Summoned to U.S. Court Over Alleged Soundtrack Theft and Unpaid $45,000 Settlement

 

Nigerian music superstar David ‘Davido’ Adeleke has been summoned by the United States District Court in New York to answer allegations of intellectual property theft and breach of contract. According to court filings, Davido has 21 days to respond to claims that he stole a 2022 song titled "Work" to create his 2024 track "Strawberry on Ice."

The lawsuit was filed by four Nigerian artists—Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru—who claim they shared the demo with Davido in good faith for a possible collaboration. Instead, they allege, Davido passed the material to Sierra Leonean artist Emmerson, who helped produce the new song without permission.

Court documents reveal that Davido agreed in March 2025 to pay the plaintiffs $45,000 and offer royalty shares (40% composition, 20% sound recording), but failed to meet the payment deadline. As a result, the group filed a lawsuit on April 4, seeking $150,000 in damages and ownership rights to the song.

The lawsuit also names Emmerson, Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II, and Wynn Records as co-defendants. The plaintiffs are asking the court to block further use of their work and prevent future copyright violations.

Davido and Wynn Records have not commented on the allegations.

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