Ye (formerly Kanye West) is facing a new lawsuit Vultures 1 by a group of Memphis rappers who claim the star and Ty Dolla $ign committed “brazen” copyright infringement by sampling a song after failing to secure permission.
The case — the latest in a long list of such lawsuits against Ye — alleges that the track “Fuk Sumn” is “stuffed” with illegal samples from a 1994 song called “Drink a Yak (Part 2)” by artists Criminal Manne (Vanda Watkins), DJ Squeeky (Hayward Ivy) and the late Kilo G (Robert L. Johnson Jr.)
Like many other previous cases against Ye, the lawsuit alleges that the star's reps arrived to clean up the samples — but that he then simply continued to use it without permission when the talks broke down.
“After numerous unsuccessful attempts to resolve this matter directly with the appropriate parties, plaintiffs have no other method of recourse but to pursue this cause of action,” attorneys for the plaintiffs wrote in a lawsuit filed Wednesday.
The use of the earlier song in “Fuk” is so “blatant” and “brazen” that the points where samples were used in Ye's track are “easily distinguishable,” the lawsuit claims. Near the start of Ye's song, Criminal Manne can reportedly be heard rapping a verse from “Yak” featuring “smokin on a junt.” seconds later, Kilo G can reportedly be heard rapping another line: “Stop at the liquor store, get your yak, then we headed for the indo.”
The new lawsuit is one of more than a dozen such cases filed against Ye over claims of unauthorized sampling or interference during his production career. The controversial rapper has faced nine such infringement cases since 2019 alone, including a high-profile battle with Donna Summer's estate that was settled earlier this year.
Lawyers for the three accusers say Ye's representatives arrived to clean up the sample in February, after “Fuk” had already been released. Those talks reportedly continued for months, but ended in June when the plaintiffs said they were notified that “the HR had fired his entire legal and business team leaving him without any legal representation.”
“Despite a long-awaited resolution resulting from several months of intense negotiations, Plaintiffs were informed that they would have to wait to be contacted by Defendant YE's new legal representation,” the lawsuit states.
Another attorney for Ye was then contacted to resume trial negotiations, the suit says, but was then told that he too was no longer working with Ye. Prosecutors say no deal has been reached since then.
“The plaintiffs have never given the defendants permission for such use of their music,” lawyers for the three rappers wrote. “Meanwhile all defendants continued to profit from the illegal use of the sample [song] with over 150,000,000 Spotify streams to date.”
Reps for Ye and Ty Dolla did not immediately return a request for comment.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/pro/kanye-west-lawsuit-over-vultures-1-sample-ye-copyright-claims/
