Afrobeat singer Mr Drew has addressed the controversy surrounding his 2020 track Eat, which featured dancehall artist Stonebwoy.
The song, which sampled Rotimi’s track, was removed from YouTube and other streaming platforms due to copyright issues.
Mr Drew explained that his former management failed to secure proper clearance from Rotimi before releasing the song. As a result, Rotimi’s team flagged the track, leading to its removal for copyright violations.
Speaking on Hitz FM five years later, Mr Drew clarified that his version was intended to be a cover and not for monetization, blaming his management for the unnecessary friction.
He recalled the backlash he received from Stonebwoy’s fan base, Bhim Nation, who accused him of dragging the BHIM brand into disrepute.
Mr Drew revealed that he later met with Stonebwoy to resolve the misunderstanding and personally apologized to Rotimi.
Despite the setback, he stated that the controversy helped boost his visibility in the music industry.
He added that the incident was a learning experience on the importance of intellectual property rights and proper industry practices, especially in creative collaborations and covers.