Donna Summer’s estate sues Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign for “illegal” use of ‘I Feel Love’

nme.com:

Donna Summer has sued Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign for the alleged illegal use of ‘I Feel Love’ on their collaborative album ‘Vultures 1’.According to the Associated Press, the copyright infringement lawsuit was filed in federal court in Los Angeles, California yesterday (February 27) by Summer’s husband Bruce Sudano in his role as executor of the estate.The suit alleges that representatives of West had asked permission to use the 1977 song on the track ‘Good (Don’t Die)’.

However, it claims they were rejected because the Summer estate “wanted no association with West’s controversial history”.Sudano claims that West and Ty then approached Summer’s record label, Universal Music Enterprises, in a bid to be granted permission, but the label also denied their request.Ye and Ty have been accused of “shamelessly” including re-recorded parts of the hit that were “instantly recognisable” on the ‘Vultures 1’ cut.The suit states: “In the face of this rejection, defendants arrogantly and unilaterally decided they would simply steal ‘I Feel Love’ and use it without permission.”The lawsuit names both West and Ty as defendants, as well as Yeezy Record Label, LLC, the company Yzy Snd, and 10 Does.

It seeks an injunction to prevent any further circulation of the song, with damages to be determined at a trial. The defendants are yet to respond to the suit.In a post on social media earlier this month, Summer’s estate wrote: “Kanye West asked permission to use Donna Summer’s song ‘I Feel Love’, he was denied.”The message went on to allege that the artist had “changed the words, had someone re-sing it or used AI” to get the sample on ‘Vultures 1’.