As a long-time gamer and music enthusiast, I’ve seen my fair share of legal battles in the entertainment industry. But the recent copyright infringement lawsuit against Kanye West, now known as Ye, regarding the tracks “Moon” and “Hurricane” on his DONDA album, really takes the cake.
Kanye West, formerly known as Ye, is once again making headlines due to legal issues. He is being sued by DJ Khalil and three other musicians over two tracks on his latest album, “DONDA.” They have accused him of copyright infringement.
Four musicians, represented by the Artist Revenue Advocates (ARA), filed a lawsuit yesterday over two songs: “Moon” and “Hurricane,” the latter having received a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2022. Notably, these artists have collaborated with renowned names in the industry such as Eminem, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and The Weeknd.
Based on Bloomberg Law’s report, the dispute started in 2018 when this group of artists came up with ideas, compiled them into a composer pack, and offered it for sale. Ye, reportedly, expressed interest and requested to use their work for “Hurricane.” However, his request was declined, but he allegedly went ahead and used the music anyway, giving credit to the same artists as if they had agreed. The artists are now suing Ye for using their work without approval and for misrepresentation. They stated in the lawsuit that this action was “shameless” and emphasized that “this lawsuit is about upholding the rights of artists, musicians, and songwriters to control how their creations are distributed and exploited.”
I, as a part of ARA, am requesting a fair trial by jury and presenting evidence that Kanye West, also known as Ye, has earned significant revenue from his songs “Hurricane” and “Moon.” According to our calculations, these tracks generated at least $15 million USD in streaming income up until March 1, 2024. Moreover, by performing these songs at listening events, we estimate that there were approximately $14 million USD worth of merchandise sales. Additionally, we allege that Ye has profited indirectly from his partnerships with companies like Gap and Balenciaga, which were linked to the album, through exploitation of the tracks. This lawsuit names Ye himself, Universal Music Group, G.O.O.D. Music, Yeezy LLC, and Universal Music Group as defendants.
Donda Summers’ estate and Ozzy Osbourne have previously taken issue with Ye (previously known as Kanye West) for using their music without permission. In the production of his first “Vultures” album this year, he was sued by the Summers estate over the use of “I Feel Love,” leading to a settlement. Ozzy Osbourne has also warned Ye about sampling “Iron Man” of Black Sabbath without authorization.
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2024-07-19 10:56