Back in February, Kanye West was sued by the late Donna Summer’s estate for allegedly sampling her single “I Feel Love” on Vultures 1 without permission. The suit came after the estate called Ye out earlier that month. They alleged that while he did ask for permission to sample the song, it was denied. They accused him of doing it anyway, prompting the legal battle.
“Summer’s estate … wanted no association with West’s controversial history and specifically rejected West’s proposed use,” her attorneys explained. “In the face of this rejection, defendants arrogantly and unilaterally decided they would simply steal ‘I Feel Love’ and use it without permission.” Last month, it was revealed that they were in the process of finalizing a settlement. Now, it appears that the case has been resolved.
Kanye West & Donna Summer Resolve Copyright Lawsuit
Kanye West attends Sean Combs 50th Birthday Bash presented by Ciroc Vodka on December 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Sean Combs)
According to court documents obtained by Billboard, both parties have “entered into a settlement agreement that is a full and final settlement of all of the claims in the action.” Neither of them has revealed further details of the settlement at the time of writing. It remains unclear whether or not this means Ye’s track “Good (Don’t Die)” will be available to purchase or stream again anytime soon.
Hopefully, Ye learned his lesson and will be sure to secure the permission necessary to sample other artists in the future. After all, according to Ty Dolla Sign, Vultures 2 is “almost done and could be released any day now.” What do you think of Kanye West and Donna Summer’s estate finalizing their settlement? What about him allegedly sampling the late artist’s song without permission? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
About The Author
Caroline Fisher is a News Writer at HotNewHipHop from Chicago, Illinois. She started at HNHH this year, and has since spent her time writing about all that is newsworthy in the world of hip-hop. With a drive for hunting down the hottest stories, she enjoys documenting new developments in culture and entertainment. She also has an appreciation for hip-hop and seeks to cover the most important trends and shifts.
She has a Bachelor of Arts which she received at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Having graduated in 2022, she majored in English with a concentration in Media, Rhetoric and Cultural Studies.
Specializing all things music, pop culture and entertainment, some of her favorite musical artists include Snoop Dogg, OutKast, and Nicki Minaj. When she’s not writing about music she’s also a fan of attending shows, watching the latest movies, staying up-to-date with current events, photography, and poetry.
