Estate of Donna Summer Sues Ye, Ty Dolla $ign for Copyright Infringement
Specifying the interpolation of Summer’s “I Feel Love” on the ‘Vultures Vol. 1’ track “Good (Don’t Die).”
The estate of Donna Summer filed a lawsuit against Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign over their use of the late artist’s “I Feel Love” on the Vultures Volume 1 track “Good (Don’t Die).”
Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudano, is named as the main plaintiff in the lawsuit, which reportedly alleged that the estate denied the duo permission to interpolate “I Feel Love” due to Ye’s “controversial history.” Alien Music, on behalf of West, supposedly sent a request to the estate to clear the interpolation, but the estate rejected the request on February 3 via writing and twice on the phone. Alien Music then requested for clearance via the late artist’s record label, Universal Music Enterprises, and was denied again.
The estate is now demanding “compensatory damages, maximum statutory damages, attorneys’ fees and disgorgement of any profits,” including $150,000 USD for “each act of infringement.” Sudano’s lawyers added that the lawsuit is about protecting Summer’s own musical legacy and one of popular music’s most influential and ground-breaking songs.”
Shortly after the release of Vultures Volume 1, Sudano publicly revealed that Ye was denied clearance and claimed that “he changed the words, had someone re sing it or used AI.” The track was then pulled from Spotify, re-added and then removed again as of writing.
