Nigerian singer Konga has reignited debate over song originality in Afrobeats after accusing Grammy-winning superstar Burna Boy of incorporating elements from his song “Kabakaba” into the 2022 hit “Last Last” without seeking permission or offering proper credit.
In recent interviews and social media posts, Konga claimed that Burna Boy used lines and concepts from his track “Kabakaba” in “Last Last.”
Lawal Olalekan Olumo, better known by his stage name Konga, is a Nigerian singer, rapper, songwriter, and producer who began his musical career as a freestyler on the streets of Ebute Metta. In 2003, his viral hit song “Baby Konga” catapulted him to fame.
He drew a direct comparison to how Burna Boy officially sampled American R&B legend Toni Braxton’s 2000 hit “He Wasn’t Man Enough,” with reports indicating Braxton reportedly receives a significant share (around 60%) of the royalties from the song.
“Why can’t he do the same for me?” Konga questioned. He revealed that his team had initially pushed for legal action, but he chose a more amicable approach by reaching out to Burna Boy with a proposal to remix “Kabakaba” instead of demanding payment.
According to Konga, Burna Boy has not responded to the offer to date.
“Last Last,” released in 2022 as part of the album Love, Damini, became one of Burna Boy’s biggest global hits. The song, produced by Chopstix, cleverly interpolates the melody and energy of Toni Braxton’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough.”
Burna Boy himself had previously spoken openly about the royalty split with Braxton, stating he was comfortable with the arrangement because the focus was on creating a great record.
Konga’s accusation has sparked mixed reactions online. Some fans defend Burna Boy, arguing that Afrobeats has long thrived on interpolation, sampling, and cultural borrowing from older African sounds, including highlife and Afrobeat pioneers.
Others accuse the “African Giant” of selective respect when dealing with Western artists versus fellow Nigerian or African creators.
This is not the first time Burna Boy has faced plagiarism or sampling-related criticism. Over the years, veteran artistes and commentators have pointed to perceived similarities between some of his tracks and works by Fela Kuti, though many of these are described as stylistic influences or interpolations rather than direct theft.
In 2025, Burna Boy was also sued in a New York court by Haitian artist Fabrice Rouzer over alleged unauthorised use of elements from the song “Je Vais.”
Burna Boy’s management is yet to issue an official response to Konga’s latest claims.
Public Reactions
Supporters of the singer often highlight that proper clearance was obtained for the Toni Braxton sample, turning what could have been controversy into a successful collaboration in spirit.
The development has once again thrown the spotlight on intellectual property rights, royalty sharing, and fair credit within the Afrobeats industry.
As the genre continues its global dominance, calls are growing louder for clearer guidelines on sampling, interpolation, and crediting originators especially among African artists.
Industry stakeholders believe such public spats could push for better structures to protect creators, whether through formal sampling deals or collaborative remixes.
“Last Last” remains one of Burna Boy’s signature anthems, with hundreds of millions of streams across platforms. Whether Konga’s claims lead to a formal resolution, a remix, or fade into online discourse remains to be seen.
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