Kanye West Sued For Stealing “Stronger”

NEWS

» by Danielle Canada June 28, 2010, 11:17am

Kanye West is facing legal action now that a songwriter claims that he stole his idea to make his 2007 hit single “Stronger.”

Songwriter Vincent “Vince P” Peters filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit Friday saying that Ye ripped off his original song under the same name and profited from it.

Peters claims that he gave a copy of the track to Kanye's business manager John Monopoly in 2006 before it was featured on Ye's Graduation album.

According to the lawsuit, Ye's version is almost an exact replica of the song writer's and it “copies significant and important parts of Peters' lyrics identically or almost identically."

More specifically, the lawsuit claims that both versions of the song reference model Kate Moss and state “that which does not kill me makes me stronger” and “can't wait much longer.”

Rocafella Records and Universal Music Group are also named in the lawsuit.

The suit asks that West and the record labels stop the distribution, performance and selling of the copyrighted song and asks for an unspecified amount of damages.

Comment Comments 11 Tags Tags: , , , , , ,
  • seyi

    My dude is right^

  • stupid crackhead

    Dude's a little late, no? ahhahaa

  • Jon

    What? Kanye accused of being less than honest? What will this do to his poor fragile ego?

  • shazlo

    this just too late where were u when he released the song before making name on it ..u are a big fool i think u are the most dumbest person i have ever known all my life.how would u ever think they will believe you?to me i feel it took you 3 whole years to get this all done up to steal from kanye u thief

  • Allegrah

    Don't be surprised that Ye stole/borrowed from the track. The artist that's suing waited until the song which drove album sales and features made enough money. The max the artist who copyrighted the song can gey is about 10 off of every sale. This isn't really all that uncommon.

  • Annelli

    I am not shocked that some of the most talented artists in the enter. industry have been accused of "stealing" music and or songs from a person is that not known at all (Beyonce comes to mind). People have to stop being so celeb struck and wanting to make money so bad that they get ripped off in the end. This guy will probably get a few thousand dollars settled outside of court while Kanye will continue to make ten times that much from royalities in the near future. PROTECT YOUR STUFF PPL!

  • Regula Obl

    It is sad how most of the people leaving comments are so ignorant in here. Do you think that a guy with no status is going to get a fast case lawsuit against a mainstream artist in a week or even a year. That is like an ant vs a giant, things like this take a lot of time. And believe it or not sometimes the little guy does get walked on and his music stolen. But Im glad in a case like this the artist did copyright his material beforehand. Maybe its a coincidence but seeing that he gave it to Kaye's manager you never know.

  • yeah I said it

    I listen to the original everyday.... KANYE STOLE IT. he will lose this case

  • Anom

    No one needs to "believe" him if the song is copyrighted the gov't will have records (including lyrics) and they will know exactly what, if anything was stolen.

    Also this is not dumb at all to come out after several years its actually VERY SMART. He can sue for much more now in damages after waiting for the smash hit to have its success and rake in the GUAP!

    This is the exact reason why I circulate my own music so freely. If someone steals from you and gets rich (or richer) off it and you are protected, you can expect a handsome settlement.

  • Hi_Man

    I'm agree wit you Anom but if Kanye's lawyers will decide to extend the case? Poor people can't follow cause it's expensive to pay lawyers..... then they quit.

  • isaac th’

    Now if he had said the boy stole parts that were like Prince was on Apollonia that would be just, but this crap? There was a guy called Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche who wrote that line over one hundred years ago so, guess what, even if Nietzsche had copyrighted it, that is now public domain.
    Kanye West is an arrogant fool but what is foolish is somebody claiming they wrote this song. Ain't even a good song, be told.

Bangin Candy

Bangin Candy - Taylor Gang's Lola Monroe [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy - Taylor Gang's Lola Monroe [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy: Rico Love's Division 1 Recording Artist, Rabbit

Bangin Candy: Rico Love's Division 1 Recording Artist, Rabbit

Bangin Candy: Usain Bolt's Ex-Girl, Taneish Simpson [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy: Usain Bolt's Ex-Girl, Taneish Simpson [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy: Floyd Mayweather Jr's Fiancé Shantel Jackson [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy: Floyd Mayweather Jr's Fiancé Shantel Jackson [PHOTOS]
See More Bangin Candy

Reviews

Allen Iverson's Reebok Question Sneaker Is Back, Drops May 25 [PHOTOS]

Allen Iverson may be persona non grata in the NBA, but his sneakers are still ... More

Read More reviews