The heirs of the deceased singer Donna Summer filed a lawsuit in federal court in California against Kanye Westwho changed his name to Ye, accusing him of copyright infringement for incorporating the hit “I Feel Love”released in 1977, in the song “Good (Don’t Die),” reported the TMZ portal.
The document argues that the rapper and Ty Dolla $ign had initially asked them for permission to use parts of Summer’s hit, but were explicitly denied on February 3.
Despite the “absolute prohibition” against using Summer’s recording or a “sound imitator,” they used “instantly recognizable” parts of her song on “Good (Don’t Die)” for their collaborative album Vultures 1, with a female voice singing altered lyrics to the melody of “I Feel Love.”
“Summer’s estate not only considered the immense commercial value of the composition ‘I Feel Love’, but also the potential degradation of Summer’s legacy.
West is known as a public figure controversial whose conduct has led numerous brands and business partners to disassociate themselves from him,” the lawsuit reads.
The defendants published Vultures 1 on February 10. He is currently the best selling album in the United States, according to Billboard.
After its release, Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudanopublicly reported the lack on their social networks, the song was removed from Spotify over the weekend and is currently no longer available.
Those affected seek to “recover compensatory damages, maximum statutory damages, attorneys’ fees, and disgorgement of profits.” They request $150 thousand dollars for each act of infringement.
Sudano’s lawyers assert that the case is about “protecting Summer’s own musical legacy and one of the most influential and innovative songs in popular music.”
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