Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and Ty Dolla Sign have reached a settlement with Donna Summer’s estate regarding the unauthorized use of her 1977 hit “I Feel Love” in their track “Good (Don’t Die)” from the album Vultures 1. The song will be removed from circulation and all streaming platforms.
In a significant development within the music industry, Ye (previously known as Kanye West) and Ty Dolla Sign have settled a copyright dispute with the estate of the late disco queen Donna Summer. The controversy centered on the alleged unauthorized sampling of Summer’s iconic 1977 hit “I Feel Love” in their track “Good (Don’t Die)” from their 2024 album Vultures 1.
The dispute began in February when Summer’s widow, Bruce Sudano, filed a lawsuit against Ye and Ty Dolla Sign. Sudano accused the artists of “shamelessly” using instantly recognizable portions of “I Feel Love” without permission, despite being explicitly denied the right to do so by Summer’s estate. According to the legal documents obtained by People, the track featuring the sample will be removed from circulation and all streaming platforms as part of the settlement. Each party has agreed to cover their respective legal costs.
Summer’s lawyers emphasized that the estate had no desire for any association with West’s controversial history and had specifically rejected his request to use the song. In their statement, the lawyers highlighted the defendants’ decision to use the song without authorization, describing it as arrogant and unilateral.
Larry Stein, the lead counsel for Summer’s estate, confirmed to Billboard that the settlement prohibits Ye from using any of Summer’s music in the future. “We did not license the song,” Stein stated. “As part of the settlement, they have agreed not to distribute or otherwise use the song. So we got what we wanted.”
This isn’t the first time Ye has faced accusations of unauthorized use of music. Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne also accused the Grammy-winning artist of using a portion of a 1983 live performance of “War Pigs” without permission on Vultures 1. The settlement with Summer’s estate serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting intellectual property rights within the music industry.