Photograph Credit score: Karina Carvalho
Kanye West isn’t any stranger to sampling songs for his music—however his antisemitic conduct has resulted in additional pushback through the years. He’s a prolific unlicensed sampler, leading to at the least 14 instances being filed in opposition to him. Right here’s a peek at a few of the authorized motion surrounding Ye’s ‘pattern first, get permission later’ angle.
A number of of Kanye’s most well-known songs have been concerned in sampling disputes, together with “Gold Digger” and “Certain 2.” Different samples have been nonetheless used willfully by Kanye, regardless of being denied permission to make use of the pattern. Most of those lawsuits find yourself in non-public settlement so it’s unattainable to say the result—although others have resulted in tracks being eliminated.
Not talked about are a number of instances during which an unlicensed sample was objected to by an artist, however no authorized motion was introduced ahead for numerous causes.
The Lengthy Historical past of Kanye’s Sampling Fiascos
In Could 2008, Joe Farrell’s daughter, Kathleen Firrantello, accused Kanye of sampling “Upon This Rock” (1974) for West’s observe “Gone.” She sought damages of as much as $1,000,000 and demanded no extra copies of that music be made or distributed. The case additionally implicated three others rappers—Widespread in “Chi-Metropolis,” and Technique Man and Redman’s “Run 4 Cowl.” Kanye settled with Firrantello in 2010.
In 2010, British musician Aphex Twin claimed that Kanye tried to make use of a pattern of his piano melody in “Avril 14th” with out compensation. West’s group despatched him an early model of the music “Blame Sport” with a time-stretched pattern of “Avril 14th.” Aphex Twin supplied to re-record the piece at a unique tempo to enhance the standard. West’s group responded “It’s not yours, its ours, and we’re not even asking you anymore.”
In October 2011, blues and soul artist Syl Johnson accused West and Jay-Z of sampling “Totally different Strokes” (1967) for his or her music “The Pleasure.” Johnson says the pattern was used with out permission, credit score, or compensation. He additionally said that Kanye had beforehand sought permission for the music however was denied—making the copyright infringement willful. This case was settled for an undisclosed quantity in 2012.
In April 2013, two relations of David Pryor sued West, claiming his observe “Gold Digger” used an unauthorized pattern from “Bumpin’ Bus Cease” (1975). Pryor handed away in 2006 and it took six years for his property to wind its method by probate. This case was ultimately dismissed in 2014 on grounds that the pattern used was ‘de minimis’—too quick it doesn’t rely as copyright infringement.
In December 2013, Ricky Spicer of the group Ponderosa Twins Plus One sued Kanye for sampling the group’s music “Certain” for his personal observe, “Certain 2.” By Could 2015, Spicer reached a take care of West to settle this case outdoors of courtroom for an undisclosed quantity.
In Could 2016, Gábor Presser of the Hungarian rock band Omega sued the rapper for sampling “Gyöngyhajú Lány“ (1969) on his observe “New Slaves.” Presser sought $2,500,000, stating that Yeezy’s representatives supplied a $10,000 verify after the beginning of The Yeezus tour to resolve the difficulty. A trial for this case was resulting from start on Could 15, 2017—however finally Ye settled out of courtroom for an undisclosed quantity.
In February 2019, the mother and father of Natalie Inexperienced sued Kanye for illegally utilizing a clip of Inexperienced’s voice at first of the music “Ultralight Beam.” West sought permission from Inexperienced’s delivery mom, however as she was now not the authorized mother or father of the kid, she couldn’t clear the pattern. The case was settled in November 2020 for $350,000.
In March 2019, actor Ronald Oslin Bobb-Semple claimed that West and Child Cudi’s observe “Freeee (Ghost City, Pt. 2)” illegally sampled his 2002 one-man present with out offering credit score or compensation. West admitted to sampling the present, however claimed honest use. In January 2020, Bobb-Semple and West settled the swimsuit for an undisclosed quantity.
In August 2021, gospel singer Briana Babineaux stated she was unaware that her vocals from “Make Me Over” have been sampled within the Kanye music, “Lord I Want You.” The proprietor of the music B. Slade pushed again on Babineaux’s claims, stating West had cleared the pattern with him because the rightful proprietor of the music.
In Could 2022, Texas pastor David P. Moten sued Kanye for utilizing a minute of his recorded sermon, “Come to Life.” The case for this copyright infringement continues to be energetic and is slated to go to trial on June 2025.
In June 2022, Extremely Worldwide sued West for sampling “Transfer Your Physique” (1986) by Marshall Jefferson in his music “Flowers.” West settled this swimsuit in Could 2023 for an undisclosed quantity.
In November 2022, music firm Part One Community accused West of sampling Boogie Down Productions’ music “South Bronx” for his music with Andre 3000, “Lifetime of the Get together.” The corporate alleges that West submitted after which retracted a clearance request in 2021. In August 2024, each side settled for an undisclosed quantity.
In July 2024, a music firm known as Artist Income Advocates sued West for utilizing their instrumental music “MSD PT2” in each “Hurricane” and “Moon.” This case continues to be pending in California fedearl courtroom.
In February 2024, Ozzy Osbourne threatened legal action over a pattern of the Black Sabbath music “Iron Man” showing on Kanye’s observe “Carnival from the Vultures 1 album. Osbourne said he refused to clear the pattern resulting from Kanye’s antisemitism. West eliminated the pattern efrom the observe and changed it with a unique pattern for which he did have clearance from a previous use.
Kanye additionally confronted authorized motion from the Donna Summer season property for interpolating “I Really feel Love” (1977) on their music “Good (Don’t Die).” The Summer season property denied his request to sample saying they didn’t wish to be related to West after his quite a few antisemitic scandals. West and the Summer season property reached a settlement in June 2024. A part of the phrases of that settlement was the observe was faraway from the Vultures 1 album.
In November 2024, a number of hip-hop artists from Memphis sued West and Ty Dolla Signal for sampling “Drank a Yak (Half 2)” (1994) of their music “Fuk Sumn.” The artists declare to have participated in talks for pattern clearance, however negotiations have been stalled as a result of turnover of Kanye’s workers after his antisemitic rants. This case continues to be pending.
Lastly, German singer-songwriter Alice Merton is suing Kanye for his unauthorized pattern of her music “Blindside” in his observe “Gun to My Head.” That lawsuit was filed on Marh 25, 2025. Merton says Kanye requested permission to pattern the music in February 2024, however she denied the pattern as a result of she didn’t wish to be related to him. “The artist’s values are opposite to our values.” That case continues to be ongoing.
