Overview:
Fabrice Rouzier and B.E. Relations file a federal lawsuit searching for damages exceeding $150,000 per infringement and orders banning “4 Kampé” performances and video use.
PORT-DE-PAIX, Haiti — Haitian musician Fabrice Rouzier and music writer B.E. Relations filed a federal lawsuit on April 22 in the US District Court docket for the Jap District of New York in opposition to Joe “Joé Dwèt Filé” Gilles, Damini “Burna Boy” Ogulu, and Daniel “Tonton Bicha” Fils-Aimé, and others, alleging unauthorized use of Rouzier’s traditional “Je Vais” within the hit tune “4 Kampé.”
Within the criticism, Rouzier and B.E. Relations allege that Joé Dwèt Filé’s “4 Kampé,” launched in October 2024, considerably copied lyrics, melodies, and the narrative from Rouzier’s “Je Vais,” together with direct excerpts from the unique sound recording.
Along with searching for monetary damages of $150,000 per infringement, Rouzier and B.E. Relations have requested sweeping injunctions to forestall the distribution, sale, public efficiency, and different exploitation of “4 Kampé,” “4 Kampé II,” and the “4 Kampé” music video. The criticism additional alleges that the “4 Kampé II” remix with Nigerian celebrity Burna Boy continues to infringe on Rouzier’s authentic work.
Amongst their calls for:
- A preliminary and everlasting injunction prohibiting the copy, distribution, sale, public efficiency, or different use or exploitation of “4 Kampé” and “4 Kampé II.”
- A preliminary and everlasting injunction in opposition to the “4 Kampé” music video.
- A everlasting ban on the usage of Rouzier’s persona, picture, and likeness in reference to “4 Kampé” and “4 Kampé II.”
- An order requiring the destruction of all copies containing Rouzier’s unauthorized picture.
- A separate injunction prohibiting Tonton Bicha from publicly performing “Je Vais” or any parts thereof with out Rouzier’s prior written consent.
Rouzier additionally seeks compensatory and exemplary damages for the unauthorized use of his picture.
They’re additionally demanding restoration of attorneys’ charges and prices related to the copyright and civil rights claims, together with declaratory aid affirming their unique rights.
Tonton Bicha, the famed Haitian comic, can also be named for publicly performing parts of “Je Vais” with out authorization throughout a live performance in Brooklyn, New York, on Nov. 29, 2024.
Streaming success brings authorized penalties
Lower than six months after the discharge of Joé Dwèt Filé’s “4 Kampé,” the tune has confirmed enormously profitable, boasting greater than 70 million views on YouTube.
Against this, Rouzier’s authentic “Je Vais” — from which Dwèt Filé allegedly sampled parts — has garnered about 459,000 views over a 10-year interval. Though “Je Vais” was created in 2002, its relative attain stays a lot smaller.
The plaintiffs declare that “4 Kampé” had surpassed 100 million streams on YouTube Music by April 2025, arguing that the unauthorized use of “Je Vais” instantly contributed to the tune’s industrial success and the defendants’ income.
The criticism additional alleges that Joé Dwèt Filé, a French-Haitian artist, publicly acknowledged sampling “Je Vais” to create a stronger cultural reference to Haitian audiences. Nonetheless, in accordance with the lawsuit, this acknowledgment was not accompanied by any formal request for a license or authorization from the unique creator.
“Dwèt Filé has admitted copying and sampling Mr. Rouzier’s Je Vais in his work 4 Kampe particularly as a result of it’s extensively identified amongst Haitians and they’d acknowledge it,” the go well with alleges.
In response to the go well with, Joé Dwèt Filé admitted to copying Je Vais in his work 4 Kampe in an unnamed interview, the place he stated in French: “It’s the Troubadors Je Vais, so I actually needed to pattern part of Je Vais which all Haitians know in actual life.”
Haitian Music Business followers react
Throughout social media and past, followers of Joé Dwèt Filé have rallied behind the artist, praising his contributions to the business by means of quite a few musical releases even earlier than the success of “4 Kampé.”
Some followers imagine {that a} settlement between the 2 events could be preferable to a drawn-out courtroom battle, saying the dispute could possibly be resolved with out a formal ruling. Nonetheless, many emphasize that honoring the unique creators’ rights is crucial.
“Joé Dwèt Filé has not wronged Rouzier; quite the opposite, he revived and promoted Rouzier’s work by means of ‘4 Kampé,’” stated Eugens Nord, 24. “He has already charmed the world with the Konpa sound he delivered to his model.”
“Rouzier knew very effectively that Tonton Bicha was a part of the unique music video for ‘Je vais,’ so he shouldn’t deserve this therapy. I believe Bicha ought to declare his share of his rights in courtroom; it’s unfair of Rouzier to take action,” stated Mideline Aristide, a 16-year-old Joe Dwet File fan dwelling in Port-de-Paix.
In the meantime, Joé Dwèt Filé briefly reacted on Instagram following the announcement of the lawsuit, posting to Instagram, “ music. I do know it too. Let’s meet in courtroom.”
He thanked the Haitian group for his or her assist, saying he had already obtained a number of messages.
“Because of all of the Haitian group who despatched me messages — I see them,” he wrote on Instagram. “Nobody will cease us from taking our cultural music so far as we will.”