A group of Memphis rappers has agreed to drop TY Dolla Sign from a copyright lawsuit originally filed over an allegedly uncleared sample used in Vultures 1 — the debut studio album by hip-hop duo ¥$, made up of Ty Dolla Sign and Kanye West, also known as Ye.
The plaintiffs, who brought the case last year, confirmed they are still pursuing legal action against Ye.
The lawsuit claims that the track Fk Sumn* is “riddled” with unauthorized samples taken from a 1994 song titled Drink a Yak (Part 2) by Memphis artists Criminal Manne, DJ Squeeky, and the late Kilo G.
On Wednesday, the artists’ lawyers filed a motion indicating they had reached a preliminary settlement with Ty Dolla Sign and Create Music Group, another defendant in the case.
The agreement, however, does not include Ye.
The lawsuit characterizes Ye’s alleged use of the 1994 track as “blatant” and “brazen”.
This case adds to a growing list of copyright disputes Ye has faced in recent years. Since 2019, the rapper has been hit with at least 10 lawsuits over unlicensed samples, including a notable one involving the estate of Donna Summer, which was settled last year.
