JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
'It's Not About The Money': Donna Summer's Widower Is Suing Kanye West Over ‘I Feel Love’ Audio Sample
The estate of disco legend Donna Summer is suing rappers Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign (real name Tyrone Griffin) for allegedly using her iconic song "I Feel Love" without permission.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
The estate of the legendary disco singer Donna Summer has initiated legal action against Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign. According to the lawsuit, the artists are accused of using Summer's iconic song I Feel Love without proper authorization on their track Good (Don’t Die) from the album Vultures.
The estate claims that West and Ty Dolla $ign "decided they would simply steal" the song and use it without permission. The lawsuit was filed by Bruce Sudano, who is Summer's widower and also serves as the executor of her estate. Donna Summer, known as the "Queen of Disco," passed away in 2012 at the age of 63. Bruce Sudano in a recent interview sheds light on what led to filing the lawsuit.
Donna Summer’s widower speaks on the lawsuit against Kanye West
In a recent interview with Billboard, Bruce Sudano explained how West's team approached him to request permission to use the iconic song for their track, Good (Don’t Die). After listening to the sample, Sudano ultimately rejected the proposal, feeling that it wasn't a good fit. Despite his decision, West went ahead with the sample, though he made alterations to the original vocal and lyrics. This led to a lawsuit filed by Donna Summer's estate for what they termed "blatant theft" of the song.
“Kanye’s people sent me an mp3 and I decided, ‘No, this is not a good fit,’” Sudano told the outlet. “I go back to them and say no, then, ‘How much do you want?’ It’s not about the money. It’s just not a good fit.”
His reasoning was not based on financial concerns but rather on artistic integrity and respecting Donna Summer's legacy. He reiterated that the decision to refuse the sample was not negotiable, stating, "It's not about the money. It's just not a good fit."
Once the altered version of the song was released, Sudano felt he had no choice but to take action. "It comes out and it's no longer Donna singing and he's changed the lyric and has somebody sing the same melody. Despite the lawsuit, Sudano expressed respect for Kanye West's artistry but insisted that the unauthorized use of Donna Summer's iconic track was unacceptable. "I respect Kanye as an artist, but this is just wrong," he said.
What does the lawsuit say?
The complaint stated West and Ty Dolla $ign, real name Tyrone Griffin, were not authorized to use her song in the track Good (Don’t Die), which has been removed from streaming services after an earlier complaint by the estate.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, also alleged when representatives of Ye asked for permission to use the song they were rejected because the Summer estate "wanted no association with West's controversial history." They say they rejected the request on 3 February, this year.
The estate claimed the album however “shamelessly” included re-recorded parts of the song that were “instantly recognizable.”
“In the face of this rejection, defendants arrogantly and unilaterally decided they would simply steal ‘I Feel Love’ and use it without permission.”
“The Summer Estate not only considered the immense commercial value of the ‘I Feel Love’ composition, but also the potential degradation to Summer’s legacy,” the complaint said.
“West is known as a controversial public figure whose conduct has led numerous brands and business partners to disassociate from him.”
I Feel Love, co-written by Summer, Giorgio Moroder, and Pete Bellotte, is a track from Summer’s 1977 album I Remember Yesterday. Good (Don’t Die) was released on 10 February on Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s collaborative album, Vultures 1.
ALSO READ: Kanye West And TY Dolla Sign Fail To Drop Vultures 2 On Discussed Release Date; Deets Inside
Latest Articles
