Hip Hop/Rap
Kanye West loses copyright infringement case over early Hurricane performance
A federal jury has ruled that Ye infringed a group of musicians’ work during his 2021 Hurricane performance, leaving him and several Yeezy companies liable for more than $430,000 in damages.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has been ordered to pay more than $176,000 personally - with his Yeezy companies facing similar penalties - after a Los Angeles jury ruled he infringed the copyright of the song MSD PT2.
The lawsuit was brought by four musicians - Khalil Abdul Rahman, Sam Barsh, Dan Seeff and Josh Mease - who claimed Ye used elements of their one‑minute instrumental MSD PT2 during the first public performance of Hurricane at Atlanta’s Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in 2021.
They argued the recording had been shared with Ye’s team in the early stages and that they expected to be “compensated fairly” if any part of it was used.
Following the verdict, the musicians’ representative Britton Monts said: “It’s a victory for working artists, who typically lack the resources to go against someone like Ye, a megastar and celebrity. The underdogs got their day in court.”
A spokesperson for Yeezy dismissed the outcome, calling the case “a failed shakedown” and adding: “Six months ago, they wanted $30million out of Ye. The moral of the story? There is a cost attached to thinking you can take advantage of Ye.”
Although the sample never appeared on the final album version, the group maintained that the live debut alone amounted to infringement.
During the trial, their lawyer Irene Lee told jurors that expert analysis linked the stadium event to $5.5 million in revenue through ticket sales, merchandise, an Apple streaming deal and a Gap partnership tied to the jacket Ye wore on stage.
Ye’s attorney Eduardo Martorell rejected that claim, insisting the earnings were driven by Ye’s celebrity rather than a “one‑minute and one‑second instrumental.”
He told the jury: “We don’t think we should be here. This lawsuit should never have been filed. The artists led my client to believe he had permission to use their music every step of the way.”
Ye also testified, telling jurors: “A lot of people try to take advantage of me,” and insisting “we went through the normal process” to clear the samples.
The version of Hurricane that ultimately appeared on Donda featured The Weeknd, Lil Baby, the Sunday Service Choir and KayCyy, and later won Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2022 Grammy Awards.
