On August 19, 2025, drama hit the Ghanaian entertainment industry when music producer MOG Beatz called out Shatta Wale for allegedly cashing in millions from selling his music catalogue to an international company, without giving a dime or crediting the producers who worked on the songs.
Tensions mounted after MOG revealed that he had pulled down two of Shatta Wale’s albums, ‘The Reign’ and ‘Wondaboy’, from Apple Music.
According to MOG, the sale of the catalogue stripped him and other producers of their credits, transferring 100% ownership of the works to Shatta Wale.
MOG Beatz pulls down Shatta Wale‘s albums over catalogue dispute
The issue sparked no fewer than three X Space discussions throughout the day.
Shatta Wale defended his actions in a Space hosted by Firestick, while MOG presented his side in one hosted by DJ Slim.
Later in the evening, media personality Olele Salvador also hosted a conversation with entertainment lawyer Antoinette Boama, popularly known as Afia Blue, to unpack the legal side of the dispute.
Here are some analysis and legal information gathered about the development:
The Missing Contracts: Where it all started
MOG Beatz admitted that from the very beginning that he worked on the production for the records, there were no formal agreements, no split sheets, and no contracts signed between him and Shatta Wale.
You sell my beats, erase my credit, then buy luxury cars – MOG Beatz blasts Shatta Wale
In music production, these documents are critical. A split sheet outlines who owns what percentage of a song.
Without these documents, ownership can sometimes be murky. Yet, until the catalogue was sold, MOG claimed his name, as well as the names of other producers, had always appeared in the credits.
This removal raised alarm bells for MOG, who then moved to protect what he believes is his rightful stake.
Can “producer tags” count?
One of MOG’s key arguments rests on his signature producer tag, which he claimed is recognised across his works.
He presented this as proof when filing his DMCA takedown request with Apple Music, alongside references to previous productions carrying the same signature.
Apple Music honoured his request and took down two of Shatta Wale’s albums. While this does not automatically confirm legal ownership, it indicates that the platform found evidence of a possible infringement to act cautiously.
What the law says
Legal expert, Afia Blue explained that under Ghana’s Copyright Act, copyrights cannot be transferred verbally; they must be done in writing.
This means that unless MOG Beatz signed away his rights, he is presumed to remain a contributor, or even a co-owner, of the works he produced.
She explained that both sides had a part to play in how things went wrong.
According to the legal expert, MOG Beatz, as a producer, should have made sure there were contracts and split sheets in place before the songs were released.
On the other hand, Shatta Wale also carried responsibility because as an artiste he cannot sell a catalogue that includes other people’s contributions without first getting their written consent.
The strength of MOG’s case
The fact that Apple Music acted on MOG’s DMCA request shows that his claim holds weight, at least at the level of proof of authorship.
In copyright disputes, such proof, whether it’s a producer tag, production files, or earlier releases with credits, can be used to establish ownership in the absence of a formal contract.
If the case ends up in court, three main issues could come up.
The first is master rights versus publishing rights. As the producer, MOG Beatz owns part of the master recordings unless he signed them away, and he insists he never did.
The second is ownership. For Shatta Wale to sell the catalogue, he must prove he fully owned every song.
The third is compensation. Even if Shatta Wale is recognised as the main owner, MOG could still argue he deserves payment, since his work added value to the catalogue that was sold.
Final word
Based on current information, the legal expert mentioned that MOG Beatz does appear to have a case against Shatta Wale.
Although his ability to prove contribution, combined with the absence of any document showing he transferred his rights, places the law on his side.
However, the lack of formal agreements leaves room for a complicated legal battle.
Meanwhile, watch the trailer for GhanaWeb’s upcoming documentary on teenage girls and how fish is stealing their futures below:
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