Kanye West Sued For “Blatant Theft” By Donna Summer time’s Property

Kanye West bumped into extra hassle for sampling an artist’s work with out correct clearance. In keeping with court docket paperwork obtained by AllHipHop, Donna Summer time’s property filed a copyright infringement lawsuit towards Ye and Ty Dolla $ign on Tuesday (February 27).

Ye and Ty Dolla $ign sampled Summer time’s “I Really feel Love” for his or her track “Good (Don’t Die),” which appeared on the Vultures 1 album. Ye requested permission to pattern Summer time’s traditional observe, however the property rejected his request. He used it anyway.

“Defendants Kanye Omari West a/okay/a Ye [and] Tyrone William Griffin, Jr. p/okay/a Ty Dolla $ign requested permission from Summer time’s property to pattern, i.e., use components of the track ‘I Really feel Love’ and permission was explicitly denied,” the property’s attorneys wrote. “Regardless of this denial, Defendants shamelessly used immediately recognizable parts of Summer time’s track, ‘I Really feel Love,’ on their lately launched collaborative album Vultures 1, and in recorded dwell concert events.

Like Ozzy Osbourne, Summer time’s property refused to clear the pattern as a consequence of Ye’s antisemitism and different offensive remarks. The property raised issues over the “potential degradation to Summer time’s legacy” if it permitted the pattern.

“Summer time’s property, nevertheless, wished no affiliation with West’s controversial historical past and particularly rejected West’s proposed use of Summer time’s ‘I Really feel Love,’” the property’s attorneys defined. “Within the face of this rejection, Defendants arrogantly and unilaterally determined they might merely steal ‘I Really feel Love’ and use it with out permission.”

They continued, “Of their track ‘Good (Don’t Die),’ Defendants re-recorded nearly verbatim the important thing, memorable parts of Summer time’s iconic track, used it because the hook for their very own track, and launched it to the general public figuring out that they had tried and didn’t safe authorized permission from its rightful homeowners and had no authorized proper to take action. Defendants’ actions represent willful copyright infringement and entitles Summer time’s property to get better compensatory damages, most statutory damages, attorneys’ charges and disgorgement of any income earned by West and his Co-Defendants.”

Summer time’s property sought at the very least $150,000 for every act of infringement. “Good (Don’t Die)” was faraway from streaming platforms following Vultures 1’s launch.