In January 2026, a problem arose between Kwesi Arthur and his former record label, Ground Up Chale, which he started with Glen Boateng. It all started on X when Kwesi Arthur talked about not being free to make the music he wanted, not getting paid fairly, and feeling taken advantage of. Things got worse and worse, and soon Ground Up Chale sued Kwesi Arthur for GH₵ 10 million for saying bad things about them. This whole situation shows that there are still a lot of issues in Ghana’s music industry, like how contracts are made and who owns the music.

Background

Kwesi became very popular in Ghanaian hip-hop and urban music in the mid-2010s. He joined Ground Up Chale in 2017, which was a four-year deal that could be renewed for two more years. The deal was pretty good, with the label getting 60% of the revenue and Arthur getting 40%. But after the first four years, the deal changed to a 50-50 split. While he was with the label, Arthur released some really influential tracks like “Grind Day” and “Winning”, which helped create the modern sound of Ghanaian music. . One of his biggest projects was his 2020 album “Son of Jacob”, which the label supported heavily.
Things apparently went bad between them after the “Son of Jacob” thing. Arthur says he cut ties with Ground Up Chale after the album and started doing own thing. But they still had issues over who owned the old stuff, like videos and music rights, from when they were working together.

Kwesi Arthur’s January Post

It all started on January 21, 2026, when Kwesi Arthur posted a statement on social media, mainly on X and Instagram. His words were pretty strong, and he made some serious allegations.
Ground Up Chale wanted a lot of money, $150,000 to be exact, to let someone use pictures and videos of him in a new project called *Redemption Valleys* or something similar.
They say they own everything about me, including my picture, my songs, and all that comes with it, from 2016 up until now.
He hadn't earned any money from his music while he was with them.
He was constantly dealing with threats and being manipulated by Glen Boateng.
If something were to happen to him or his new project were to be shut down, Glen Boateng and the rest of the Ground Up Chale team should be the ones to blame. They would be the ones responsible, so it's only fair that they are held accountable for their actions.
On January 22, 2026, he sent some more messages, and in these messages, he really wanted to make it clear that all he wanted to do was share his music, without anyone getting in the way or trying to control what he was doing.
A lot of people started supporting Arthur after these posts came out. Some big names in the industry, like Nana Aba Anamoah, Kwaw Kese, Medikal, Efya, and a few others, all showed their support for him. Hashtags like #FreeKwesiArthur started trending, with fans and other creatives saying that the label was treating Arthur unfairly, which is a common problem in the African music industry. Some people even went as far as to criticize and threaten Glen Boateng. This whole situation really brought attention to the issues that artists face when dealing with labels.

Ground Up Chale’s Response and Counter-Claims

Ground Up Chale and Glen Boateng pushed back through their lawyer, Jonathan K. Amable. In a Joy FM X Spaces discussion on or around January 22, 2026, Amable disputed Arthur’s narrative:
Arthur got around £91,370, which is roughly GH¢1.46 million, from royalty payments.
It's claimed that he quietly got $118,712 from a company called Platoon for a project called Son of Jacob, but he didn't give the label their cut of the money.
The label didn't say it owned Arthur, or that no one could use his image. It just wanted to be paid for any pictures or videos made by Ground Up while they were working together.
The contract mainly talked about who owns the work that people create together. It didn't say anything about "image rights" that people were arguing about in public. But it did say who gets to own the content that is made.
Emails from Glen Boateng to Arthur (including from May 2025 and August 15, 2025) surfaced, detailing accounting, investments in projects, and demands for resolution. The label issued a seven-day ultimatum for acknowledgment of unauthorized use, payment of licensing fees, and assurances against further use of their materials.
Ground Up made it clear that they didn't have a problem with Arthur putting out new music, they just didn't want him using their intellectual property without permission.

The Lawsuit: Filed January 27, 2026

On January 27, 2026, Ground Up Chale (1st Plaintiff) and Glen Boateng (2nd Plaintiff) filed a writ of summons at the High Court in Accra against Kwesi Arthur. The suit accuses him of libel through his January 21–22 posts.

Key allegations in the suit

Arthur’s statements falsely portrayed the plaintiffs as “violent,” “engaged in criminal conduct,” “exploitative predators,” “modern day slavery,” and “wicked cheats.”
The posts were completely made up and meant to hurt them, making them look bad and stupid in front of everyone.
They really hurt my reputation and chances of doing well in my career.
Boateng went through a really tough time, dealing with emotional distress and trauma, and he even felt like he was in danger of getting hurt by some fans.

Reliefs sought(totalling over GH¢10 million)

Right away, the posts that are causing the problem should be completely and permanently removed.

  • Publication of an unqualified, unreserved apology (approved by plaintiffs) with equal prominence.
    • GH¢5 million general damages for libel.
  • They are asking for GH¢2 million in special damages to make up for the economic harm and lost opportunities they have suffered.
  • GH¢3 million aggravated and exemplary damages.
  • Legal costs and an injunction against further defamatory statements.

The suit portrays Boateng as a pretty quiet but really important person in Ghana's urban music scene.

Critics And Supporters

This situation is not a one-off, it's actually a common problem that many artists face when dealing with record labels.
Supporters argue it highlights exploitative contracts that trap artists. Critics of Arthur’s approach point to the need for private resolution before public accusations, especially those implying threats to safety. The label maintains they invested significantly in Arthur’s career, including a Mercedes-Benz GLC vehicle.
No matter what happens, this whole situation shows that the music industry needs to get its act together.

What Lies Ahead?

It's been a while since the lawsuit was filed, and as of late January 2026, Kwesi Arthur still hasn't said anything publicly about it. The case is still going on, and it's possible that it could be settled out of court or go to a full trial, which could set some important precedents.