Burna Boy Faces Legal Action Over Alleged Song Theft

Burna Boy is under legal fire in the United States, with a lawsuit claiming that he improperly incorporated elements from a Haitian song into his latest release.

The lawsuit, filed by renowned Haitian musician Fabrice Rouzier, was submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Rouzier accuses Burna Boy and French-Haitian artist Joe Dwet File of plagiarizing parts of his 2002 hit Je Vais for their collaborative track 4 Kampe II, which was released on March 28, 2025.

Court filings reveal that Rouzier believes the original 4 Kampe—which Joe Dwet File debuted in late 2024—already infringed upon his intellectual property. Rouzier reportedly issued a cease-and-desist letter, and claims Joe Dwet File acknowledged the breach. However, Rouzier argues that rather than removing the song, the artist proceeded to release a remix featuring Burna Boy, exacerbating the alleged infringement.

The lawsuit asserts that the remix continues to mirror significant aspects of Je Vais, including its musical arrangement, lyrics, and even the visual concepts used in the accompanying music video.

Rouzier is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages, as well as reimbursement for legal fees. He is also requesting that the court issue a permanent injunction to prevent further use of his work and mandate the destruction of all copies of the infringing material. Additionally, Rouzier wants an order that prevents the use of his name, likeness, or image in connection with the song.

At this time, neither Burna Boy nor Joe Dwet File has made a public statement regarding the lawsuit.