960 Music Approaches Court To Void Multi-Million Dollar Burna Boy Catalogue Deal

960 Music Group has approached a Federal High Court in Rivers State to void the sale of Burna Boy’s early musical catalogue, alleging that the 2024 transaction between Aristokrat Music and Spaceship Music was conducted illegally and without the consent of key shareholders.

The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, challenged the sale of the Grammy-winning artist’s early master recordings and intellectual property rights — assets described as Aristokrat’s “crown jewels.”

960 Music, which owns a 40 per cent equity stake in Aristokrat Music, claimed the deal was executed without its knowledge, approval, or board authorisation. The company argued that Aristokrat’s founder and CEO, Piriye Isokrari, unilaterally finalised the sale to Spaceship Music, Burna Boy’s current label co-owned with his mother, Bose Ogulu.

“You cannot sell 100 per cent of an asset when you only have the authority to manage the company, not bypass the owners of 40 per cent of its soul,” an unnamed executive at 960 Music said.

“This was a coordinated effort to move the IP under the radar, and we are asking the court to bring those assets back.”

The case has also drawn criminal attention. The Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) has reportedly filed charges against Isokrari following an investigation into alleged financial misconduct and fraud.

Isokrari was accused of fraudulent conversion, allegedly diverting proceeds from the multi-million-dollar sale for personal use or rerouting them outside the company’s official accounts. He is also alleged to have breached his fiduciary duties by striking a private deal that undermined 960 Music’s interests.

960 Music insisted the CEO’s actions violated corporate governance principles and deprived shareholders of their rightful share in the company’s assets.

For Burna Boy, who won the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album in 2021, the development posed a serious challenge. The 2024 transaction was reportedly aimed at securing full control of his early works, but the legal dispute now placed those assets in jeopardy.

If the court rules in favour of 960 Music Group, Burna Boy’s label may be forced to surrender rights to some of his early hits, including “Like to Party” and “Tonight.”

The lawsuit, now closely watched across Nigeria’s entertainment industry, could have far-reaching implications for intellectual property rights, label-artist relations, and corporate transparency in the country’s booming music sector.

Neither Burna Boy’s management nor Aristokrat Music has publicly commented on the case as of press time.