Kanye West Faces Legal Battle Over Sampling

Kanye West’s controversial beliefs have become a part of his new legal battle.

Kanye West is facing yet another legal battle stemming from both his music and recent rants expressing his controversial beliefs.

On Wednesday (March 26), TMZ revealed German singer Alice Merton filed a lawsuit against West claiming he used an unauthorized sample of her song “Blindside” in his track “Gun to My Head,” which she originally wrote and recorded in 2022. The song, which also features Ty Dolla $ign and Kid Cudi, was included on West’s 2023 album Vultures.

In February 2024, West formally requested permission to use the song through BMG Rights Management, but Merton rejected the request. When BMG followed up, asking for a reason, Merton responded that “the artist’s values are contrary to our values” and specifically pointed to Ye’s “antisemitic, racist remarks which were made publicly and continue to be made publicly.”

The lawsuit now adds to the growing pile of legal troubles West has faced in recent years, many of which have been tied to his increasingly inflammatory rhetoric. Most recently, he stirred even more outrage by describing his album Bully in a way that many see as another provocation.

Taking to his Twitter (X) account, West posted, “This next album got that antisemitic sound. My new sound called antisemitic.”

Last month, West unveiled plans to launch a cryptocurrency called Swasticoin, claiming high demand for the digital asset despite widespread backlash. Though the digital financial endeavor didn’t end up coming to fruition, West didn’t abandon his infatuation with the Nazi symbol and went as far as debuting a S####### custom chain on social media.

Despite previous attempts to walk back some of his most inflammatory comments, West continues to double down. His recent string of antisemitic remarks has drawn widespread condemnation, with many questioning whether he truly believes the things he says or is merely courting controversy.

His history suggests it may be both. A former employee once revealed to CNN that West allegedly wanted to title an album after Adolf Hitler in 2018, citing admiration for the Nazi leader’s power and influence.

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