The estate of the late Donna Summer, known as the ‘Queen of Disco,’ has initiated legal proceedings against rappers Kanye West (Ye) and Ty Dolla $ign for allegedly using her iconic song ‘I Feel Love’ without permission on their album ‘Vultures 1.’
Bruce Sudano, Summer’s widower and executor of her estate, has brought forth the lawsuit, claiming that West and Ty Dolla $ign, whose real name is Tyrone Griffin, did not have the authorization to use ‘I Feel Love’ in their track ‘Good (Don’t Die).’
Unauthorized Song Usage
This song has since been removed from streaming platforms following an earlier complaint by the estate.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, alleges that despite the rejection of permission by the Summer estate, West and Ty Dolla $ign proceeded to use re-recorded parts of “I Feel Love” in their album, which was “instantly recognizable.” The complaint accuses the artists of “shamelessly” incorporating the song without consent.
According to the complaint, representatives of West had sought permission to use “I Feel Love” but were denied due to the Summer estate’s desire to avoid association with West’s controversial history. This rejection occurred on February 3rd.
The estate expressed concern not only for the commercial value of the composition but also for the potential damage to Summer’s legacy. ‘I Feel Love,’ co-written by Summer, Giorgio Moroder, and Pete Bellotte, is a seminal track from her 1977 album ‘I Remember Yesterday,’ recognized as one of the pioneering instances of electronic dance music.
‘Good (Don’t Die)’ was released on February 10th as part of West and Ty Dolla $ign’s collaborative album, ‘Vultures 1.’ The lawsuit names both artists and West’s record label Yeezy as defendants.
The estate is seeking maximum damages, amounting to $150,000 (£118,000) for each act of infringement. Additionally, they request a judge’s injunction to halt further circulation of the song, with monetary damages to be determined at trial.
Notably, the song “Good (Don’t Die)” does not currently appear on the version of the album available on Spotify and other streaming platforms.
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Controversies Surrounding Kanye West
Ye, who legally changed his name from Kanye West in 2021, has been embroiled in controversies, including a series of antisemitic social media posts in 2022. He issued an apology for his remarks in December 2023.
The estate first publicly raised concerns about the copyright violation through an Instagram post on the official Summer account on the day of the album’s release.
The legal action underscores the importance of respecting intellectual property rights and the significance of preserving an artist’s legacy. As the case progresses, it remains to be seen how the courts will adjudicate this dispute between the estate of Donna Summer and the artists involved.
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