Ghanaian rapper Kwesi Arthur has gone public with serious allegations against his former record label Ground Up Chale and its CEO Glen Boateng, claiming they’re demanding $150,000 and unlawfully claiming ownership of his entire image and music catalog.
In a lengthy statement shared publicly, Kwesi Arthur detailed years of financial exploitation and manipulation despite having no professional relationship with the label since his Son of Jacob album.
Kwesi Arthur: “Ground Up Claims to Own Me”
“Ground Up claims to own me, my image, my music and everything attached to it from 2016 to this day,” Kwesi Arthur wrote. “Although I have not worked or had any affiliation to the company since Son of Jacob.”
The rapper revealed he’s being asked to pay $150,000 for using images of himself for an independent project, despite never earning “a dime” from his music during his years with the label.
Kwesi Arthur accused Glen Boateng of “living off my money and hard work” while receiving “constant threats and manipulation.”
“He is working constantly around the clock for me to never put out music again,” the rapper stated.
After years of silence, Kwesi Arthur says he’s speaking out for his safety and mental health, which have been “greatly” affected by the situation.
Most alarmingly, he issued a warning: “If anything happens to me Glen Boateng and all team members of Ground up chale are responsible and should be held responsible.”
Read Kwesi Arthur’s full statement below:
Kwesi Arthur has been operating independently since roughly 2022–2023, establishing his own label, Sisi Music, and releasing projects like This Is Not The Tape III (2024) through platforms that prioritize artist ownership, including the “Proud 2 Pay” model. His previous conflict with Ground Up saw him post (and later delete) tweets alleging that the label had exploited him regarding publishing and distribution matters.
