The two songs: Lahore based underground rapper Iqbal released a song titled ‘Sab Maya Hai’ on the 20th of November 2020. Recently, a song by the name of ‘Bulla’ for the Bulla official web series was uploaded on the channel of influencer and Youtuber Rahim Pardesi. The beat being used on the song is the same.
Iqbal’s claim: Last night, Iqbal uploaded a video statement on his instagram handle highlighting the issue. He says that due to financial constraints, he could not buy the beat so he leased it, however it was later bought by Rahim Pardesi’s team and they own the exclusive rights to it now and no legal action can be taken.
The issue is that of flow and the rhythm of the song. Iqbal highlights how both the songs sound exactly the same in rhythm, lyricism, and flow when played next to each other. Even an untrained ear can hear the stark similarities between the two tracks.
Iqbal said in his video that he just wants the rapper Aqeel Sarfraz, from Rahim Pardesi’s team to acknowledge that the Bulla track was inspired by Iqbal’s track, and nothing else and end it on a respectful note. He even attached screenshots of his message which was very respectful. Rahim Pardesi and Aqeel Sarfraz’s response: A few hours ago, the rapper on the ‘Bulla’ soundtrack, uploaded a video on IGTV addressing the claim and calling Iqbal a ‘clout chaser’. He highlighted how the beat was purchased by him in 2019 and he had three demos ready to go. He moreover said that he could remove Iqbal’s song since he is the original owner of the beat, but he won’t do it. His video’s tone was much harsher and lacking respect than Iqbal’s.
Criticism: Aqeel Sarfraz has received criticism from fans as they demand that the demos should be shown with dates in order to prove that the song and flow was not copied. He only showed the date of purchase of the beat. Furthermore, Iqbal posted a screenshot of how he should have not been able to lease the beat if Aqeel Sarfraz had purchased the beat. Iqbal also stated that Aqeel owns the rights to the beats, not the song, so he should be wary of any threats.
