Kanye West and Donna Summer’s estate reach settlement over use of ‘I Feel Love’
Kanye West and Donna Summer‘s estate have finally reached a settlement over the alleged “illegal” use of ‘I Feel Love’ on the rapper’s ‘Vultures 1’ album.
A copyright infringement lawsuit was filed against both West and Ty Dolla $ign back in February by Summer’s husband Bruce Sudano, claiming that the two rappers did not have permission to sample the 1977 disco hit on their collaborative album.
It was alleged at the time that representatives for West – had asked for permission to use the sample on his track ‘Good (Don’t Die)’, but were turned down by the late singer’s estate as they “wanted no association with West’s controversial history”.
Sudano also claimed that West and Ty then approached Summer’s record label, Universal Music Enterprises, in a bid to be granted permission, but were denied once again. From there, he alleged, the two rappers “shamelessly” included re-recorded parts of the hit that were “instantly recognisable” on the ‘Vultures 1’ cut.
Shortly after the lawsuit emerged, ‘Good (Don’t Die)’ was removed from Spotify and other streaming services.
Last month, it was reported that a settlement had been reached and now in new court documents, it has been confirmed that the case has been dismissed with prejudice, according to Pitchfork.
The documents did not reveal the terms of the settlement and all parties are yet to comment on the outcome.
This wasn’t the only claim of infringement that arose following the release of ‘Vultures 1’. Back in December, it was claimed that West had used a Backstreet Boys sample on a ‘Vultures’ track called ‘Everybody’. The song was reportedly not cleared, however, and didn’t end up featuring on ‘Vultures 1’.
Then, Ozzy Osbourne hit out at Ye over an alleged unauthorised sample of Black Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’ on the cut ‘Carnival’. The Prince Of Darkness called West “an antisemite” who had “caused untold heartache to many”, adding: “I want no association with this man!”
The Sabbath sample was subsequently removed and replaced with a part from West’s song ‘Hell Of A Life’, which features a legally-cleared sample of ‘Iron Man’.
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Damian Jones
NME