Global music superstar Bad Bunny has officially prevailed in a copyright dispute tied to his blockbuster album Un Verano Sin Ti, after the producer who brought the case failed to follow through with court proceedings. According to Rolling Stone, the lawsuit was dismissed after the plaintiff repeatedly missed key deadlines and court appearances. The case centered around the track Enséñame a Bailar, which Nigerian producer Ezeani Chidera Godfrey, also known as Dera, allegedly used an uncleared sample from the 2019 song Empty My Pocket by Joeboy. The lawsuit was filed in May last year, claiming that Bad Bunny’s team had used elements of the song without obtaining proper authorization or credit.
However, the legal battle came to an abrupt end when Godfrey failed to continue pursuing the case. As reported by Rolling Stone, Judge Otis Wright dismissed the lawsuit after the producer missed a March 6 filing deadline and failed to appear at a discovery hearing scheduled for February 5. In court documents cited by Rolling Stone, the judge stated that dismissal was appropriate because the plaintiff appeared to have abandoned the case.
The ruling noted that allowing the lawsuit to continue without participation from the plaintiff would unfairly burden the defendants and would not serve the public interest. The missed deadlines came after a significant development earlier this year when Godfrey’s legal team withdrew from representing him, citing irreconcilable differences regarding legal strategy. According to Rolling Stone, his record label emPawa Africa was also removed as a plaintiff in the case after failing to meet filing deadlines.
The controversy surrounding “Enséñame a Bailar” dates back to 2023, when Mr Eazi, the founder of emPawa Africa, publicly accused Bad Bunny of copyright infringement and urged action to secure proper credit for the creators behind “Empty My Pocket.” The allegation suggested that the track both sampled and interpolated elements of the earlier song.
Bad Bunny’s legal team maintained that the necessary permissions had been obtained through Lakizo Entertainment, which had previously distributed the original track. However, Godfrey’s lawsuit argued that Lakizo did not have the authority to grant those rights. Reports also indicated that Lakizo Entertainment and emPawa Africa were engaged in their own legal dispute over the song, which led to the track temporarily disappearing from streaming platforms.
With the lawsuit now dismissed, the case effectively closes without a trial, allowing Bad Bunny to move forward without legal penalties related to the claim. Neither Bad Bunny’s representatives nor the plaintiff’s side immediately responded to requests for comment, according to Rolling Stone.
The ruling marks another chapter in the ongoing conversation around sampling and copyright within modern music. As artists continue to blend genres and draw inspiration from global sounds, disputes over ownership and credit have become increasingly common.
For Bad Bunny, whose album Un Verano Sin Ti became one of the most successful Latin albums in recent history, the dismissal of the lawsuit removes a legal cloud that had lingered over one of its tracks. The artist continues to dominate global charts while maintaining his status as one of the most influential figures in contemporary music.
As reported by Rolling Stone, the court ultimately determined that the case could not proceed because the plaintiff failed to actively pursue it, effectively handing Bad Bunny the legal victory.
