Kanye West Loses at Trial Over Uncleared Sample on ‘Hurricane’

Key Points:

• A jury found Kanye West (Ye) liable for copyright infringement, ordering him and his companies to pay over $438,000 in damages for sampling an unreleased demo track in an early version of his song “Hurricane.”
• The demo, titled “MSD PT2,” was used without permission at a 2021 listening event attended by 40,000 fans, and the musicians who created it sued after years of unsuccessful attempts to receive compensation.
• The jury unanimously decided Ye personally owes $176,153, Yeezy LLC owes $176,153, and his other merchandising companies owe smaller amounts, marking a rare legal victory for lesser-known artists against a major celebrity.
• Ye’s legal team claimed the lawsuit was a “failed shakedown” and argued the plaintiffs had welcomed Ye’s use and crediting of their work, while the plaintiffs’ representatives plan to appeal a dismissal of larger copyright claims related to the final album version.
• This lawsuit adds to Ye’s history of legal and public controversies, including multiple copyright suits and backlash over antisemitic remarks, though he has publicly apologized citing mental health struggles.