Rapper Kanye West testified in a Los Angeles federal court on Wednesday as part of an ongoing copyright dispute over an early version of his Grammy-winning single Hurricane from the 2021 album Donda. The 48-year-old artist faced producers who allege he used their material without permission.
Producers' Allegations
Producers DJ Khalil (Khalil Abdul-Rahman), Sam Barsh, Dan Seeff, and Josh Mease filed a lawsuit under the business entity Artist Revenue Advocates LLC. They claim West used a portion of their track MSD PT2 in a version of Hurricane played at a listening event in July 2021 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
West's Testimony
West, dressed in a gray suit, told the jury he has historically been 'very generous' with artists he collaborates with. 'As I sit in this courtroom today, I just think people are trying to make more than they otherwise would because it's me,' he said, according to Billboard. He emphasized that as a creator who often works with others, he takes pride in 'giving people what they deserve.'
'Music is everything - it surrounds me at all times, and I'm constantly creating new ideas for it,' West added.
Dispute Over Royalties
The rapper, who featured The Weeknd and Lil Baby on the single, stated that he and his team 'went through the normal process to get copyright clearances taken care of' with the producers. However, he accused the producers of stalling the process and demanding percentages that were not in line with music industry standards.
Legal Background
Wednesday's hearing marked the first time West has defended a copyright case through trial, despite facing 'more than a dozen' similar lawsuits, as reported by Billboard. The producers initially filed the lawsuit in July 2024.
West secured a legal victory in February when a judge dismissed part of the case, ruling that the producers' rights pertained to master recordings rather than compositions. The judge noted that samples can be litigated, but not musical interpolations.
