Kanye West sued over a sample used on ‘Donda 2’

Rapper, producer and businessman Kanye West, who legally changed his name to Ye last year, was sued Wednesday for allegedly sampling a song by musician Marshall Jefferson without permission.

Ultra International Music Publishing LLC said ‘Flowers’ from West’s album ‘Donda 2’ includes a sample of Jefferson’s 1986 dance song ‘Move your body’ which is repeated at least 22 times.

A representative for West did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did West’s label, Universal Music Group, which is not a party to the lawsuit.

An attorney for Ultra International, which owns the rights to Jefferson’s song, said the company had no comment and believes the lawsuit speaks for itself.

Jefferson is a house music pioneer from West’s hometown of Chicago. According to the lawsuit, West and his representatives acknowledged during conversations with Jefferson that ‘Flowers’ sampled ‘Move your body’but did not take a license.

“West advocates for artists’ rights with one hand, but is unashamed to take another artist’s rights away with the other,” the suit says.

west thrown ‘Donda 2’ in February exclusively through its Stem Player, a portable device that allows users to isolate and recombine parts of songs.

Kano Computing Ltd, a British company that developed Stem Player with West and is also named in the lawsuit, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit said ‘Flowers’ reportedly West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashianwhose petition to end their marriage was approved in March.

Texas pastor David Paul Moten sued West in May for allegedly testing one of his sermons without permission.

West has previously settled lawsuits over samples of a Hungarian singer on the 2013 song. ‘new slaves’; a child’s prayer in song 2016 ‘ultralight beam’; and a play about activist Marcus Garvey in ‘Freeee (Ghost Town Part 2)’a 2018 collaboration with rapper Kid Cudi.