The lawsuit filed by Donna Summer’s estate against Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign alleges that the musicians used her song “I Feel Love” without permission on their album “Vultures.”
Bruce Sudano, Summer’s widower and estate executor, is leading the legal action, stating that the unauthorized use of the song for their track “Good (Don’t Die)” prompted its removal from streaming services after a previous complaint from the estate.
The lawsuit highlights that Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign requested to sample “I Feel Love” in January before the release of “Vultures” in February.
Despite the request, the estate declined, citing the song’s immense commercial value and the potential harm to Donna Summer’s legacy due to West’s controversial public image.
The estate aimed to shield the valuable intellectual property from any negative associations linked to West, referencing his past conduct that led to brands and partners distancing themselves from him.
It alleges that despite being denied permission directly by the estate and via Universal Music Group, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign proceeded to use an unauthorized interpolation of “I Feel Love” for their song.
They allegedly utilized the iconic melody of the original song as the hook for their own track, re-recording key portions with a soundalike singer imitating Donna Summer’s vocals, and making slight alterations to the lyrics without permission. This constitutes the basis of the infringement claim against them.
The plaintiffs claim the suit is:
“about more than defendants’ mere failure to pay the appropriate licensing fee for using another’s musical property. It is also about the rights of artists to decide how their works are used and presented to the public, and the need to prevent anyone from simply stealing creative works when they cannot secure the right to use them legally.”
The situation surrounding the release of “Vultures” appears to be complicated, with various issues arising prior to its release.
Ozzy Osbourne’s refusal to grant permission for Kanye West to sample Black Sabbath due to allegations of antisemitism.
Also, Nicki Minaj’s decision to block the release of the song “New Body” is notable among them. Additionally, the album faced multiple delays before its eventual release.
Despite the controversies surrounding its release, “Vultures” has evidently found commercial success, as evidenced by the popularity of the track “Carnival” currently ranking as the second-most popular song globally on Spotify. This indicates a significant level of popularity and positive reception among listeners.
