February 28, 2024

Donna Summer’s Estate Files Lawsuit Against Ye For Unauthorized Use Of ‘I Feel Love’

The lawsuit was filed in a Los Angeles federal court Feb. 27 by Summer's husband

A copyright infringement lawsuit has been filed against Ye and Ty Dolla $ign by Donna Summer’s estate, which accuses the music artists of using her song “I Feel Love” without permission.

The lawsuit was filed in a Los Angeles federal court on Feb. 27 by Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudano, the executor of her estate.

According to CBS News, Ye’s latest album, “Vultures 1,” released on Feb. 10, included an illegal use of Summer’s song that was incorporated into the song “Good (Don’t Die).”

The suit claims that Ye’s song “shamelessly” includes re-recorded parts of “I Feel Love’ that are “instantly recognizable.” Ye’s representatives asked for permission to use the song for the project but were rejected because the Summer estate “wanted no association with West’s controversial history.”

Yet, even after being denied, Ye placed the recording on the album.

Reuters reported that the Summer estate rejected the request on Feb. 3.

“In the face of this rejection,” the lawsuit states, “defendants arrogantly and unilaterally decided they would simply steal ‘I Feel Love’ and use it without permission.”

“The Summer Estate not only considered the immense commercial value of the ‘I Feel Love’ composition, but also the potential degradation to Summer’s legacy,” the complaint said.

“West is known as a controversial public figure whose conduct has led numerous brands and business partners to disassociate from him.”

The estate placed a post on X stating that Ye was denied use of the song and that another voice or possibly A.I. recorded the vocals for their song.

Donna Summer’s estate says Kanye West used her song ‘I Feel Love’ for his new album after being denied permission:

“He was denied, he changed the words, had someone re-sing it or used AI” pic.twitter.com/3rk9Y5hHap

— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 10, 2024

The estate was not the only entity to call out Ye for unauthorized use of a recording. Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne also posted his gripe on social media platform X, calling out Ye for using a sample of the 1970 track “Iron Man” despite being “refused permission because he is an antisemite.”

. @KANYEWEST ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF “IRON MAN” FROM THE US FESTIVAL WITHOUT VOCALS & WAS REFUSED PERMISSION BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTISEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HEARTACHE TO MANY. HE WENT AHEAD AND USED THE SAMPLE ANYWAY AT HIS ALBUM…

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) February 9, 2024