The latest suit filed since West and Ty Dolla $ign released Vultures 1 in February alleges “blatant” copyright infringement of a 1994 Memphis rap song after months of failed negotiations
Kanye West hasn’t managed to keep his lawyers around for long enough to clear a number of samples included on Vultures 1, the collaborative album he released with Ty Dolla $ign in February. But the more time he spends cycling through different legal representatives, the more he needs them. The rapper has just been hit with another copyright infringement lawsuit related to the album, this time for the song “Fuk Sumn.”
According to Billboard, representatives for the Memphis rappers behind “Drink a Yak (Part 2),” released in 1994, claim that the Vultures 1 track features multiple “easily discernible” samples from the song. Vanda Watkins who performs Criminal Manne and Hayward Ivy, who performs as DJ Squeeky, as well as the estate of Kilo G, who performed as Robert L. Johnson Jr., filed the suit against West.
The suit claims that West sought clearance on the samples through his legal representation in February, at which point the album had already been released. The negotiations stalled after a few months. “Ye had fired his entire legal and business team leaving him without any legal representation,” the lawsuit claims. “Despite a much anticipated resolution resulting from several months of intense negotiations, Plaintiffs were informed they would need to wait to be contacted by Defendant Ye’s new legal representation.”
When they were eventually contacted to continue their negotiations, it was by another lawyer whose tenure with West was similarly short-lived. “After numerous unsuccessful attempts at resolving this matter directly with the responsible parties, plaintiffs have been left with no other method of recourse than to bring this cause of action,” attorneys for the Memphis rap trio state.
“Fuk Sumn,” which remains on streaming services, has amassed more than 150 million streams on Spotify since its release. The lawsuit adds, “Plaintiffs have never given permission to Defendants for such use of their music. Meanwhile all Defendants have continued to profit from the illegal usage of the sampled [song].” The suit describes the sample usage as being “blatant” and “brazed,” claiming that “Fuk Sumn” lifts at least two direct vocal cuts from “Drink a Yak (Part 2)” that were recorded by Criminal Manne and Kilo G.
West and Ty Dolla $ign were similarly accused of “blatant theft” in February when Donna Summer’s estate sued for copyright infringement related to “Good (Don’t Die)” from Vultures 1. The song was removed from streaming services after the musician’s family accused the rapper of lifting from her disco hit “I Feel Love” from 1977. The suit was settled in June. “Good (Don’t Die)” has not been reinstated on streaming, given the denial of permission.
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