A legal dispute over the early music catalogue of Burna Boy is set to continue on Monday, April 20, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Lagos, as questions around ownership and the validity of a 2024 sale remain unresolved.
The case concerns master recordings from the artist’s early career, including his debut album L.I.F.E (2013) and the follow-up project Redemption (2016), both of which are widely regarded as key works that shaped his rise in the Afrobeats scene.
The suit was filed by 960 Music Group, which holds a 40% stake in Aristokrat Records, the label that originally signed Burna Boy. The company alleges that the catalogue was transferred in 2024 without its knowledge or approval.
According to the claim, Piriye Isokrari, founder of Aristokrat Records, carried out the transaction involving the sale of the catalogue to Spaceship Music, an imprint associated with Burna Boy and his mother, Bose Ogulu. 960 Music argues that the sale bypassed required shareholder consent and that proceeds were not properly accounted for within the company structure.
The matter is being heard through both civil and criminal proceedings. In Port Harcourt, 960 Music is seeking to have the sale declared void and to recover funds linked to the transaction. In Lagos, a separate criminal charge relates to allegations of fraudulent conversion arising from the same set of events. The defendant has not been present at several scheduled hearings, contributing to repeated adjournments.
Financial documents referenced in the dispute suggest that Aristokrat Records had outstanding obligations at the time of the transaction, including unpaid royalties reportedly owed to Burna Boy and producer Leriq. The label is also said to have received advances from The Orchard, adding further complexity to the financial background of the catalogue.
The case has also drawn in Warner Music Group, which distributes Spaceship Music’s catalogue globally. Lawyers representing 960 Music have issued a formal notice requesting that Warner Music suspend all distribution, licensing, and monetisation activities tied to the recordings until the court reaches a decision. They have also indicated that the company could be joined to the proceedings if those activities continue.
At the centre of the dispute is the question of whether the 2024 sale was legally executed and whether all stakeholders were properly consulted. If the court rules in favour of 960 Music, the transaction could be invalidated, potentially altering ownership of some of Burna Boy’s earliest and most influential recordings and affecting existing global distribution arrangements.
The next hearing is scheduled for April 20, 2026, and is expected to determine whether the case advances substantially or faces further delay as legal proceedings continue.
