British poet and spoken word artiste of Ghanaian descent, Suli Breaks, has weighed in on the ongoing misunderstanding between musician Kwesi Arthur and Ground Up Chale founder Glen Boateng.

He has therefore described the public narrative surrounding the matter as misleading and unfair.

Speaking to arts and culture journalist Kwame Dadzie during a Joy FM X Spaces conversation on Thursday, January 22, 2026, Suli Breaks, who says he has known both men since the early days of their journey, dispelled claims that the issue centres on bad contracts or exploitation.

“I feel like there’s been a lot of narratives in this conversation that have not been understood clearly,” he said. 

“As someone who’s been there from the start of this journey, I’m talking 2014 to 2015 with Glen and Kwesi in the studio, I’ve seen this story from the genesis, and for it to get to this point, it’s quite tragic,” he added.

Kwesi Arthur has accused Ground Up boss Glen Boateng of preventing him from using his own images, an allegation that has sparked intense debate online. However, Suli Breaks insisted the foundation of the argument is flawed.

“I think where this conversation has started off, the premise is completely wrong. It’s not bad contracts or someone cheating someone, it’s a question of greed, ego and pride,” he said.

He described Kwesi Arthur as “like a little brother” and said the disagreement should not be framed as a traditional artiste and manager dispute. According to him, Boateng has been wrongly portrayed.

“One of the things about Glen that everyone keeps saying is completely wrong is that he’s just a record label or a manager. Every artiste that he’s worked with, I’ve seen him produce because I’ve been in the studio with them,” he added. 

Suli Breaks also pushed back against the idea that Kwesi Arthur’s rise was a solo effort, indicating that his career was built through collective input. 

“Kwesi was a product that was created and although he was the mouthpiece, he was not the entire think tank behind that project. Everyone has contributed,” he stated. 

He cited early recordings and creative decisions, including edits to songs such as Grind Day, to illustrate the collaborative nature of the Ground Up journey. 

“I’ve heard tracks where Glen said take this out, take that out,” he said.

According to Suli Breaks, the relationship between Kwesi Arthur and Ground Up was more of a partnership than a formal business arrangement. 

“This was a partnership between brothers and friends in a small part in Tema,” he said. “They came together and said we’re going to build this vision.”

He acknowledged that artistes often encounter new influences as their careers grow but warned against how grievances are aired publicly. 

“For my bro to come online and say someone is threatening his life and defaming someone’s character, it’s playing victim because that’s what the masses will consume,” he mentioned.

Suli Breaks said he has reviewed the contracts and understands the situation fully. 

“I’ve seen the contracts, I got the story from top to bottom, so it’s definitely not what’s being said on the internet,” he stated.

He concluded by urging restraint and responsibility, warning of the potential personal cost of public accusations. 

“I don’t think it’s right that you can do that to a man,” he said. “You don’t know what you can cause to a man’s mental health. We’ve got to handle this right.”

Ground Up’s position on the matter 

In the meantime, lawyer for Ground Up and Glen Boateng, Lawyer Jonathan K Amable has shot down claims that the company has prevented Kwesi Arthur from using his images.

He rather intimates that the artiste was only restricted from using specific footage owned by the label.

He has also rejected claims by the artiste that he earned nothing from his works during his time with the label.

Backing his position on the same Joy FM X Spaces, the lawyer read portions of email correspondence between the parties which, he said, showed that Kwesi Arthur had received royalties from his music.

“In that email Glen details payments that had been made to Kwesi which he never disputed. It says ‘to date, you have benefited from £91,370 in royalty disbursements,” he said.

Mr Amable further claimed that Kwesi Arthur received $118,712 from Platoon, a music distribution company, for his Son of Jacob album without paying Ground Up Chale its share.

About Suli Breaks 

Born in London to Ghanaian parents, Suli Breaks has strong ties to Ghana’s creative space and has worked closely with artists and creatives across music, film and media. 

Beyond poetry, he has written for stage and screen, collaborated with global brands, and appeared on platforms such as the BBC, TEDx and international festivals.

He is featured on Sarkodie’s 2017 album Highest, contributing spoken word segments. The album includes tracks such as Silence featuring Suli Breaks.