Global music star Bad Bunny is now seeking approximately $465,000 (KSh 60M+) in legal fees from emPawa Africa after winning a high-profile copyright lawsuit.
The request follows a U.S. federal court decision that dismissed claims against the artist over his hit song “Enséñame a Bailar” from the album Un Verano Sin Ti.
The case stemmed from a lawsuit filed by Nigerian producer Ezeani Chidera Godfrey (Dera), who accused Bad Bunny of using an uncleared sample from the track “Empty My Pocket”, originally produced for Joeboy.
The claim was backed by emPawa Africa, the label founded by Mr Eazi, which alleged that the Latin superstar had used African music without proper clearance or credit.
However, Bad Bunny’s legal team maintained that the sample had been legally licensed through another rights holder, Lakizo Entertainment.
The lawsuit ultimately collapsed—not because of a full trial—but due to procedural failures on the plaintiff’s side.
Dera failed to attend a key court hearing, legal representatives withdrew from the case and deadlines to continue the lawsuit were missed
As a result, the judge dismissed the case in March 2026, effectively ending the dispute in Bad Bunny’s favor.
Following the dismissal, Bad Bunny’s lawyers filed a motion asking the court to order emPawa Africa to cover $465,612 in legal costs.
According to court filings, his legal team argued the lawsuit was:“meritless from the beginning and should never have been brought.”
They further claimed emPawa aggressively pursued the case in hopes of forcing a settlement, citing Bad Bunny’s global status and financial power.
Importantly, the artist is not seeking payment from Dera personally, but instead from the label, which his team believes drove and financed the lawsuit.
emPawa Africa had previously argued that African creators are often under-credited when their work is used internationally, while Bad Bunny’s camp insists all rights were properly secured.
