Ye, whose legal name is Kanye West, appeared in federal court Monday as a narrowed copyright infringement dispute proceeded to trial over his use of the track “MSD Pt2” during a 2021listening event.
The case centers on Ye’s performance of “80 Degrees,” an early version of “Hurricane,” at a sold-out show in Atlanta. During that event, Ye performed over a one-minute instrumental created in 2018 by four musicians in a Los Angeles studio. The recording was produced by DJ Khalil and later became the subject of the dispute.
Plaintiffs allege Ye used the recording without authorization or compensation. Attorney Irene Lee told jurors the artists were never paid.
Ye (Kanye West) Faces Copyright Lawsuit In L.A. Over Instrumental Track At Listening Event
“They flat out refused to compensate the artists,” Lee said in opening statements. “They ghosted the artists for years.”
The musicians later assigned their rights in the sound recording to Artist Revenue Advocates, which filed suit in 2024.
Before trial, U.S. District Judge Michelle Williams Court limited the claims. The court ruled the company could not pursue infringement claims tied to the composition of “MSD Pt2” because those rights were not transferred in writing. The case now focuses solely on alleged infringement of the sound recording during the 2021 performance.
Artist Revenue Advocates seeks at least $564,000 in damages, citing revenue from ticket sales, merchandise, streaming rights, and related apparel tied to the event.
Defense counsel Eduardo Martorell argued the use aligned with industry practice. He said the musicians distributed the track for placement opportunities, creating an implied license for experimentation.
“This puts them on the map,” Martorell said, adding that compensation typically follows commercial release.
Martorell also noted the musicians received credit and royalties tied to the final version of “Hurricane” before litigation began. The trial will turn on whether Ye’s use of MSD Pt2 exceeded any implied authorization.
Leave a Reply