Donna Summer's family has agreed to a settlement with Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign, concluding a heated copyright infringement case over the iconic disco track 'I Feel Love'.
- May 17, 2024
AceShowbiz - In a significant turn of events, Donna Summer's estate has settled a contentious copyright infringement lawsuit with Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign. The dispute centered around the alleged unauthorized use of Summer's classic hit "I Feel Love" in their song "Good (Don't Die)", which was removed from streaming platforms shortly after its release.
Details of the settlement, reached on May 3, have not been fully disclosed; however, the parties are in the process of gathering signatures to finalize the agreement.
According to a status report filed in federal court in Los Angeles, Summer's estate, represented by lawyer Stanton L. Stein, expects the settlement to be finalized soon. If unresolved by June 14, 2024, the estate plans to pursue the case further.
"Plaintiff anticipates that the final settlement agreement can be executed shortly, and soon thereafter, the parties will be in a position to file a stipulation for dismissal of the action in its entirety," Stein's filing read. This settlement marks a notable victory for the estate, especially for Summer's widower, Bruce Sudano, who ardently vowed to defend his late wife's intellectual property.
Sudano's February lawsuit accused West and Griffin of "arrogantly and unilaterally" deciding to steal Summer's 1970s hit after being explicitly denied permission to use it. The complaint sternly highlighted, "In the face of this rejection, defendants arrogantly and unilaterally decided they would simply steal 'I Feel Love' and use it without permission."
The estate claimed the accused replicated the crucial elements of the song almost verbatim for their own track, knowing they had failed to secure legal rights to the sample. Sudano emphasized this case was not just about unpaid fees but also about safeguarding artist rights and preventing the unlawful usage of creative works.
Compounding West's legal troubles is his contentious public image, marred by numerous controversies, including antisemitic statements and toxic workplace allegations. In October 2022, West's tweet about going "death con 3 ON JEWISH PEOPLE" drew widespread condemnation.
Despite his later apology, his actions, such as promoting an album with artwork reminiscent of Burzum's, have only added to his controversial persona. As Sudano and the estate expressed through various channels, their decision to deny West the usage rights was influenced by his actions and statements.
Because of his controversial remarks, Kanye was also blocked from using a sample of Ozzy Osbourne's song. "Kanye West asked permission to sample a section of a 1983 live performance of 'Iron Man' from the Us Festival without vocals & was refused permission because he is an antisemite and has caused untold heartache to many," the rocker wrote on social media.
