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Renowned rapper and producer Kanye West, who is also known as Ye, is now facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over his 2024 track Gun to My Head, as per XXL Magazine.
The lawsuit, filed at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, claims West, who was not granted permission, sampled Blindside, a song by Alice Merton, a UK-German singer and songwriter, illegally.
Accusations of Unauthorized Sampling
The legal complaint, lodged by Alice Merton, her record company Merton & Grauwinkel GMBH, and her music publisher Paper Plane Publishing GMBH, alleges that Gun to My Head takes in a melodic phrase and a vocal recording from Blindside that is without a license.
According to the pleading, West’s team inquired about the clearance of the sample, and they were turned down with Merton denying the permission.
It was reported that Merton did not agree with the request in light of West’s public remarks that have been controversial, including antisemitic and racist ones.
The songwriter, who is Jewish and has family members with a connection to the Holocaust, said that it would be a conflict to let West use her music since it goes against her personal values. Despite that, the lawsuit alleges, West went on with the unauthorized use of the sample.
Legal Actions and Possible Consequences
The lawsuit demands that damages for copyright infringement and an injunction to stop the further distribution of Gun to My Head should be awarded. If they succeed, West, as well as his record label, Yeezy Record Label LLC, could be fined and eventually removed from the digital platform and streaming services.
The legal team of Merton argues that the unlicensed sample is the direct reason for the benefit of West’s work and therefore for his brand, in spite of the fact that she explicitly refused to grant permission. The lawsuit reflects the larger problem of artists' rights and the necessity of consent in music sampling, which is a controversial subject in the music industry.
West's History with Copyright Issues
Following 1997 allegations, Kanye West faces charges of unauthorized copying for the second time in his life. For years, a number of artists and producers have laid their complaints against him that either he reproduced or gave [re-recorded] their property without getting permission.
Indeed, the fact that this case is unique is that it deals with societal and political issues that emanated from Merton's refusal.
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West's actions for the claim have not yet been reflected in the public eye, thus, we are not sure if he has any intention to submit the case to the court or not, as well as the possibility of reconciliation between the parties.
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