Donna Summer’s family has filed a lawsuit against Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign, alleging that they stole the iconic hook from Summer’s 1977 hit “I Feel Love” for their song “Good (Don’t Die).” The lawsuit claims that West and Ty Dolla $ign sampled Summer’s song without permission, despite being explicitly denied. Bruce Sudano, the executor of Summer’s estate, has stated that the copyright infringement entitles Summer’s heirs to “maximum” damages.
Representatives for West and Ty Dolla $ign have not responded to Rolling Stone’s request for comment. Sudano has also posted about the dispute on social media and has stated that he intends to protect Donna Summer’s copyright.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, emphasizes the importance of artists’ rights to decide how their works are used and presented to the public. Sudano has declined to comment further on whether the estate denied West’s request due to the rapper’s recent controversies, including his antisemitic statements.
In October 2022, West tweeted about “going death con 3 ON JEWISH PEOPLE” and later apologized in an Instagram post written in Hebrew. However, he continued to promote antisemitic ideology and associated himself with controversial figures, leading to public backlash.
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne also criticized West for using an unauthorized sample of “Iron Man” in his song “Carnival.” They accused West of being an antisemite and causing untold heartache to many, and expressed their desire to have no association with him.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Osbourne emphasized the importance of taking a stand against West’s actions.
