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Ye Sued by Artist Who Refused to Authorize Sample Because of His Antisemitism

Alice Merton sued Kanye West copyright infringement, saying she refused to clear a sample of one of her songs because because of Ye's antisemitism.

According to the lawsuit, filed in California District Court earlier this week and obtained by Rolling Stone, West first teased “Gun to My Head” at an early Vultures listening event in December 2023. On Feb. 15, the suit alleges, Ye (via the clearance company Alien Music Services) reached out to rights management giant BMG to clear the “Blindside” sample. It also notes that while Merton knew the sample could “potentially bring in significant revenue,” she was “unwilling to compromise her personal beliefs and wanted not to be associated with Ye in any manner.”

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