Accomplished in Personal Injury Claims: Bicycle Accidents Auto Accidents Motorcycle Accidents Truck Accidents Premises Liability Dog Bites Wrongful Death Catastrophic Injuries
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
4444 W. Riverside Dr., Suite 308 Burbank, California 91505
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
After 19 Years, Still Fighting for the Underdog
1
The Accidental Origins of Everyday Products
2
Singapore’s Bold Move for a Cleaner Future
Chocolate-Covered Banana Brownies
3
Turn Sibling Rivalries Into Sibling Alliances
Kanye West Faces Legal Trouble Over ‘Blindside’ Sample
4
KANYE WEST’S CONTROVERSIAL SAMPLING German Artist Sues Over Unauthorized Track Use
Kanye West is no stranger to controversy. Many probably remember the iconic moment at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, when the rapper interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video to claim that Beyoncé deserved the award. West’s behavior has only become more erratic and controversial in recent years. This past February, West was dropped by his talent agency after making countless anti-Semitic remarks on social media. His Yeezy website was also shut down after he sold a swastika T-shirt that violated Shopify’s terms. Now, the rapper behind “Stronger” and “All of the Lights” faces a new lawsuit. This past March, German artist Alice Merton and two German corporations filed a lawsuit against West for “unauthorized commercial exploitation” of the musical composition “Blindside.” In 2022, Merton released her track, “Blindside,” which West sampled
to request approval to use the track, but Merton quickly denied the request. When asked for a reason, Merton’s legal team stated, “Alice Merton was unwilling to compromise her personal beliefs and wanted not to be associated with [West] in any manner. Of significant concern to plaintiff Merton were defendant [West’s] antisemitic, racist remarks, which were made publicly and continue to be made publicly.” Merton is a German resident and a descendant of Holocaust survivors. If you thought West’s putatively illegal sampling was bad enough, some of his fans took it to another level. After the song was left off the “Vultures” album, West’s fans started sending death threats to Merton. West has done nothing to stop his faithful legions from harassing Merton. The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial to determine relief and damages.
without authorization for his track “Gun to My Head.” The public first became aware of the sampling in December 2023 when he debuted the song at an event in Miami. As it became more well-known that West sampled “Blindside,” he and his record label finally approached Merton
4 | TELEPHONE: 626.793.8607 FACSIMILE: 818.860.7951
Premises Liability Dog Bites Wrongful Death Catastrophic Injuries
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator