A fierce legal battle over Burna Boy’s early music catalogue has intensified, with Warner Music Group now facing pressure to halt distribution as the ownership dispute threatens to undo the artist’s bid to reclaim his masters. The conflict, which erupted in February 2026, centres on the 2013 debut album L.I.F.E and the 2016 follow-up Redemption, foundational works that launched the Grammy winner’s career.
At the heart of the storm is a mid-2024 transaction that was supposed to be a triumphant homecoming: Aristokrat Records, the label that signed Burna Boy in 2011, allegedly sold his historical intellectual property and master recordings to Spaceship Music, the imprint co-owned by the artist and his mother, Bose Ogulu. But 960 Music Limited, which holds a 40 per cent equity stake in Aristokrat, claims it was never notified of the deal and never consented to it .
The allegations are serious. 960 Music argues that the sale of what it calls Aristokrat’s “crown jewel” assets was executed without board or shareholder approval, a violation of corporate governance that effectively sidelined a major stakeholder. An executive from the company put it bluntly: “You cannot sell 100 per cent of an asset when you only own 60 per cent of the soul”.
The dispute has now splintered into both civil and criminal proceedings. In the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt (Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/188/2024), 960 Music is seeking to nullify the assignment and recover proceeds from the alleged sale. Meanwhile, criminal charges have been filed in Lagos (Charge No. FHC/L/1087/2025) against Aristokrat Records founder Piriye Isokrari, accusing him of fraudulent conversion and breach of fiduciary duty.
The global entertainment giant Warner Music Group now finds itself caught in the crossfire. As the distributor for Spaceship Music, Warner has been formally notified by 960 Music’s legal team, Creative Legal, to immediately suspend all distribution, marketing, monetisation, and licensing activities tied to the disputed catalogue . The firm also demanded that Warner preserve all financial and royalty records and refrain from entering new agreements.
The deadline for compliance has passed. Warner has not responded . Now, lawyers say they are “considering all options,” including adding Warner as a co-defendant in the ongoing civil proceedings.
For Burna Boy, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The 2024 deal was widely understood as a strategic move to give the “African Giant” full ownership of his early recordings, a goal many global stars actively pursue. But if the courts rule in favour of 960 Music, Spaceship Music could be forced to relinquish the catalogue. That would mean breakout hits like Like to Party and Tonight returning to the original partners behind Aristokrat, undoing the very ownership shift the deal was meant to achieve.
The case has also sparked broader conversations about artist rights, corporate governance, and transparency in Nigeria’s rapidly growing music industry. For now, Burna Boy’s early catalogue remains in legal limbo, with a Lagos court set to reconvene on April 20, 2026. Until then, the music plays on, but who ultimately controls it is far from settled.
