King Paluta and Lali X Lola Sound the Alarm Over Boomplay Royalties

Streaming numbers are high, but for some Ghanaian stars, the bank accounts are empty. On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, Boomplay released its official list of the "Top 10 Most Streamed Ghanaian Artistes" for the first quarter (Q1) of 2026. While the list was intended to celebrate industry growth, it instead ignited a fierce debate over transparency and fair compensation.

King Paluta, who ranked 6th on the list with over 7.7 million streams for the quarter, was the first to publicly call out the platform. In a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), the "Makoma" hitmaker accused Boomplay of exploiting artists by providing exposure without financial reward.

"You Are Taking Us for Granted": King Paluta’s Protest

King Paluta’s reaction was blunt and immediate. Replying to Boomplay’s announcement, he expressed frustration that the "Top 10" status did not translate into financial stability:

"Yes, but no money! You people are taking us for granted and it’s sooo wrong! @BoomplayMusic !!!"

The Lali X Lola Petition: A Legal Move

King Paluta is not alone in his grievance. This protest follows a formal petition submitted in May 2025 by the award-winning duo Lali X Lola to the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George.

The duo alleged they had not received a single cedi in royalties from Boomplay since April 2023, despite amassing nearly a million streams. Minister Sam George responded swiftly, appointing the Director of Digital Technology to investigate and requesting verification of whether Boomplay maintains a functional office in Ghana for accountability. Frustrated by the "unresponsiveness," Lali X Lola officially instructed their distributor to remove their music from Boomplay in 2025, choosing instead to focus on platforms like Audiomack and Spotify.

The Industry Crisis: "Transparency or Exploitation?"

The recurring theme in these complaints is a lack of transparency and detailed reporting. Artists and their managers claim that while Boomplay publicly celebrates their "milestones," the backend data for royalty payouts remains opaque.

With King Paluta now lending his high-profile voice to the cause, pressure is mounting on Boomplay to address these "non-payment" allegations. Analysts suggest that if the platform fails to provide a clear audit, more Ghanaian artists may follow Lali X Lola’s lead and pull their catalogs from the service.

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