Big Law
A Texas Pastor Sues Kanye West Over Alleged Copyright Infringement
A Texas pastor is suing Kanye West for copyright infringement over allegations that the superstar used unauthorized samples of a recorded sermon in one of the songs on “Donda.”
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Dallas federal court, Bishop David P. Moten claimed that roughly 20% of Kanye’s “Come to Life” is composed of a sample from one of his sermons, both at the very beginning and again throughout the song.
“Defendants willfully and without the permission or consent of Plaintiff extensively sampled portions of the Sermon,” Moten wrote. “Over the span of several years, defendants have demonstrated an alarming pattern and practice of willfully and egregiously sampling sound recordings of others without consent or permission.”
