Kanye West Sued by Donna Summer's Estate Over 'I Feel Love' Sample

The estate of the late Donna Summer has filed a lawsuit against Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign, alleging copyright infringement for the unauthorized use of Summer's iconic 1977 hit "I Feel Love" in their track "Good (Don't Die)" from their recent album. Representatives for Kanye West, operating under Alien Music, reportedly reached out to Summer's estate to request clearance for the sample prior to the release of their collaborative project. However, the estate, overseen by Summer's husband Bruce Sudano, declined the request, citing concerns over potential harm to Summer's legacy and the commercial value of the original song.

Despite the rejection, the song featuring the sample was initially released and streamed millions of times before being re-uploaded without the contested track. The estate argues that the damage has been done, pointing to West's controversial actions and statements, including an online post where he threatened to kill Jews, for which he later apologized. The lawsuit seeks damages and an injunction to prevent further distribution of the song, with the case filed in federal court in Los Angeles. The legal action also involves Ye's record label Yeezy, and aims to protect the rights and legacy of Donna Summer's work.