Ty Dolla Sign has reached a settlement in the lawsuit accusing him of using an unauthorized sample on Ye’s Vultures 1, though the case against Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) will move forward.
According to Billboard, Memphis rappers Criminal Manne, DJ Squeeky, and representatives for the late Kilo G have reached a preliminary settlement with Ty Dolla Sign and Create Music Group. The lawsuit, filed last year, alleged that the Vultures 1 track “Fuk Sumn” sampled their 1994 song “Drink a Yak (Part 2)” without permission.
“The parties have resolved their differences and are presently negotiating a confidential settlement agreement,” the Memphis rappers’ legal team said. As part of the agreement, claims against Ty and Create Music Group will be resolved, but not those against Ye or Yeezy Record Label LLC.
The terms of the settlement remain confidential, and it’s unclear whether it includes financial compensation or retroactive songwriter credits. When the suit was originally filed, the Memphis rappers’ attorneys said they had made “numerous unsuccessful attempts” to resolve the issue beforehand.
This isn’t the only legal trouble Ye has faced over allegedly uncleared samples on the Vultures albums. Earlier this year, German singer Alice Merton sued Ye for allegedly using a sample of her song “Blindside” on the Vultures 2 deluxe track “Gun to My Head.” She rejected Ye’s original sample clearance request, citing his antisemitic remarks and noting her family’s Holocaust survivor background.
Ye and Ty were also criticized by Portishead’s Geoff Barrow for sampling the band’s 2008 track “Machine Gun” on “Field Trip.” Additionally, Ozzy Osbourne condemned Ye for using a live version of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” on an early version of “Carnival,” slamming Ye’s antisemitic comments and the pain they have caused.
