If you’re an artists, never underestimate the importance of your sample clearance department. Kanye West is being sued by a former boy band singer over the use of his voice on “Bound 2” from the Yeezus album.
Reports Page Six:
Ricky Spicer — who sang lead vocals as a 12-year-old Michael Jackson wannabe for the one-hit-wonder group “The Ponderosa Twins Plus One’’ — says he was shocked while recently listening to the radio.
According to court papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday, Spicer says he heard his singing from the group’s 1971 R&B ditty “Bound” on West’s “Bound 2’’ track.
Spicer is suing West as well as the rapper’s label, Roc-A-Fella Records, and three other affiliated labels for allegedly unlawful use of his vocals.
The suit demands that West and his label stop using the song and asks the defendants to pay him an unspecified amount of money.
Considering West is on a major label, it’s highly unlikely they were hoping Spicer wouldn’t notice the use of the vocal sample. We’re betting the song was cleared, but Spicer didn’t know about it.
However, if he indeed had the right to yay or nay the use of his vocals, he just hit the jackpot.
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Photo: YouTube
