Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign Face Lawsuit Over Copyright Issues

Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign are facing a legal challenge in connection with their album VULTURES 2. The duo has been sued for allegedly using an uncleared sample from the track “Break The Fall” by alt-R&B artist Swsh (Remy Quillin). The lawsuit, filed by Swsh and the indie label Future Bounce on February 12, 2024, claims that the sample was included in the song “530” without proper licensing.

The complaint highlights that Swsh’s 2018 track features distinctive outro vocals, which reportedly loop underneath Kanye’s verses for the first two minutes of “530.” The lawsuit states, “By exploiting Swsh’s creative output without credit or compensation, defendants usurped the commercial and artistic value of their sound recording and underlying musical composition while misrepresenting its authorship to the public.”

Swsh alleges that they attempted to resolve the issue by sending demand letters to Kanye West’s representatives shortly after the release of VULTURES 2 in August 2024, but the matter was never addressed. The lawsuit further claims that Kanye re-released “530” on his DONDA 2 album, fully aware of the ongoing sample clearance issue.

Swsh and Future Bounce are seeking unspecified financial damages for lost royalties. They have expanded their complaint to include federal copyright infringement claims against Kanye’s YZY label and Label Engine, the service responsible for digitally distributing VULTURES 2 and DONDA 2. The lawsuit contends that the actions of the defendants reflect a deliberate decision to misappropriate the plaintiffs’ intellectual property for profit.

Representatives for Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign, and Label Engine have not responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit. According to Billboard, this legal case adds to a growing list of over a dozen similar lawsuits involving Kanye West, some related to the VULTURES series.

As the legal battle unfolds, the future of VULTURES 3 appears uncertain, with both artists seemingly moving on to other projects. The ramifications of this lawsuit could have significant implications not only for West and Dolla $ign but also for the broader music industry, as it raises critical questions about copyright and the use of samples in contemporary music.