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The estate of the late Donna Summer has alleged that Kanye West sampled the former's song I Feel Love without permission for his new album, Vultures 1. Summer's estate claimed that Kanye had asked to sample the late singer's song but was denied, but allegedly went ahead and changed the words and either re-sung it or used AI.
The song in question was Good (Don’t Die). Several social media users were furious with the copyright infringement allegations against West and wanted Summer's estate to sue the rapper. However, some claimed that West did not sample the song and instead simply used interpolation. One X user remarked:
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign's much-anticipated album, Vultures 1, dropped on Friday, February 9.
Netizens request Donna Summer's estate to sue Kanye West
The official Instagram handle of Donna Summer's estate posted on Saturday, February 10, that one of Kanye's songs had used a sample from Summer's 1977 hit, I Feel Love. In a story tagging Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign, Universal Music, and Warner Chappell Music, Summer's estate wrote:
"Kanye West asked permission to use Donna Summer’s song I Feel Love, he was denied… he changed the words, had someone re-sing it or used AI but it’s ‘I Feel Love’… copyright infringement!!!"
The song in question is Good (Don’t Die) off Vultures 1, which kicks off with the verse, Ooh, I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m alive, which seems to be set to the melody of I Feel Love. The account also tagged Sharon Osbourne, who had put Kanye in full blast for allegedly sampling Black Sabbath's 1983 live rendition of Iron Man, despite her husband, Ozzy Osbourne, denying Kanye permission.
Ozzy revealed in a Friday, January 9 tweet that he denied Kanye permission because he thought Kanye was an "antisemite" and had caused "untold heartache to many." Sharon added to the sentiment with a since-deleted tweet stating:
"The Osbourne family have never wanted any association with Kanye West. He is an anti-Semitic fool who spews his rhetoric out into the world, Kanye you f**ked with the wrong dude this time. Sincerely, Sharon Osbourne."
Social media users, especially Donna Summer fans, were extremely angry at Kanye West for allegedly infringing copyright and sampling the late singer's track. Some said it was "disrespectful," and many joined in on requesting Summer's estate to sue the rapper.
However, a few people defended West by saying that Kanye had simply used interpolation, which refers to re-recording a melody instead of a direct sample. The United States Copyright Office states that permission from copyright owners is not required for interpolation, and only a license is required. However, it can still infringe upon the copyright owner’s exclusive rights.
Vultures 1 is only the first part of Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign's three-part project. According to Variety, Vultures 2 is set to drop on March 8 of this year, and the third part is scheduled to release on April 5.
