Kwesi Arthur’s contract was a 60-40 split in favor of Ground up - Glen’s lawyer explains

On 22 January 2026, Ghanaian musician Kwesi Arthur became the centre of an online storm after taking to X to level serious allegations against his former label, Ground Up Chale, and its founder, music executive Glen Boateng.

In a series of posts, the rapper accused the label of extortion, intimidation, unreasonable financial demands, and deliberately obstructing his attempts to release music independently.

The claims quickly gained traction, drawing reactions from prominent figures within Ghana’s creative space. Media personality Nana Aba Anamoah, alongside artistes such as Kayso, Kwaw Kese, Kofi Mole, Efya, and Medikal, openly voiced their support for Kwesi Arthur online. Beyond that, sections of the public escalated the debate, branding Glen Boateng “evil” and attaching further accusations to his name.

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However, the narrative took a sharp turn when alleged email exchanges between Kwesi Arthur and Glen Boateng, dating back to May 2025, began circulating on social media. These communications appeared to present a more nuanced account of the dispute. The situation was further complicated when Glen Boateng’s legal representative participated in an X Space discussion to outline his client’s version of events, covering the period from 2017 to 2025.

During the live discussion, Jonathan Amable, lawyer for both Glen Boateng and Ground Up Chale, disclosed that Kwesi Arthur entered into a four-year recording contract with the label in 2017. According to him, the agreement stipulated a 60–40 revenue split in favour of the label and included an option for a two-year renewal. Amable stressed that the contract did not contain any clauses relating to image rights or the alleged withholding of visuals, as claimed by the artiste.

He went on to explain that once the initial four-year term ended, Kwesi Arthur signed a separate one-year agreement with Ground Up Chale, under which profits were divided equally.

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Amable stated,

He added,

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Addressing Kwesi Arthur’s claim that he was barred from using visuals for his Redemption Valleys project, Amable argued that the images and videos in question were created while the artiste was still under contract with the label. As such, he maintained, they remain the intellectual property of Ground Up Chale.

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“The images and videos were recorded during the period he was signed to the label. Some of the footage he used to promote his recent work actually dates back to the very beginning of his career,” he explained. “Those visuals evoke a specific emotional response and generated significant online buzz. That reaction is precisely why they were effective, but they were used without authorisation.”

Following the X Space discussion, GhanaWeb reportedly obtained copies of email correspondence sent by Glen Boateng to Kwesi Arthur concerning their contractual and financial dealings. Included were accounting statements detailing projects undertaken prior to 2021, as well as information regarding the substantial financial backing provided by Ground Up Chale for Kwesi Arthur’s Son of Jacob album in 2020. The emails reiterated that the label retains full intellectual property rights over the album, as it was produced while the artiste was signed to them.

In a subsequent email dated 15 August 2025, Glen Boateng expressed frustration over Kwesi Arthur’s failure to respond to earlier messages sent in May of the same year. In that correspondence, Glen claimed that the rapper had earned approximately £91,370 (GH¢1,461,920) in royalties since joining the label in 2017.

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He further alleged that Kwesi Arthur had independently obtained $118,712.08 (GH¢1,424,544) from an external entity identified as Platoon, without the knowledge or approval of Ground Up Chale. According to the email, Glen also reached out to Kwesi Arthur’s father in an effort to resolve the matter amicably and arranged a meeting to discuss repayment, which he claimed the artiste failed to attend.

Amid the escalating controversy, Glen Boateng has emphasised that Ground Up Chale is not opposed to Kwesi Arthur releasing new music. Instead, the dispute centres solely on the unauthorised use of visual content owned by the label.

In a final development, Ground Up Chale has issued Kwesi Arthur a seven-day notice demanding corrective action, failing which legal proceedings may follow. The label’s demands include:

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A written admission acknowledging the unauthorised use of visual materials owned by Ground Up Chale;

Payment of an attached invoice covering retroactive licensing fees and damages arising from widespread promotional use across multiple platforms, including incorporation into permanent album branding;

Written assurance that no further use of Ground Up Chale-owned or unlicensed visuals will occur without prior written approval.

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The notice concludes with a warning that failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe would leave the label with no choice but to pursue all available remedies.

“If this matter is not resolved within seven days, Ground Up Chale reserves the right to enforce platform takedowns and pursue further legal action,” the email stated.