Kanye West’s recent joint project with Ty Dolla $ign, Vultures 1, made waves upon its release earlier this month. However, the album has now become the subject of a legal battle for West. The estate of Donna Summer has filed a lawsuit against him over the unauthorized use of her single, “I Feel Love,” which he sampled on the Vultures 1 track, “GOOD (DON’T DIE),” without proper authorization.
Despite its brief presence on the album before being removed days after release, “GOOD (DON’T DIE)” quickly became a standout track. However, Summer’s estate asserts that West attempted to use a soundalike to interpolate her song after being denied permission to sample “I Feel Love.” The estate maintains that this interpolation does not shield West from copyright infringement.
The decision by Summer’s estate to deny West permission likely stems from the controversies surrounding him, including his remarks on George Floyd and pro-Hitler statements. Despite West’s offer, the estate deemed it unfitting to allow the use of Summer’s song.
Following the lawsuit, streaming platforms removed “GOOD (DON’T DIE)” from their catalogs in certain markets. However, the song has since returned to some platforms, accruing millions of streams. Moreover, it remains available for those who purchased the album on platforms like Apple Music.
The estate of Donna Summer seeks significant damages and an injunction to prevent further distribution of the song.
