XXXTentacion and Lil Peep have somehow found their way into another lawsuit. The two late rappers are being sued by Richard Jaden Hoff, formerly known as the artist K.R.i.O., who is claiming that they stole his guitar riff for their 2018 collaboration “Falling Down.”
According to Hoff, the song samples a guitar riff from his track “Under My Breath,” which was released earlier in the same year. He says that the loop was sped up, filtered, and equalized, and that it sounds nearly identical to his own version. He’s saying that “Falling Down” is a “blatant ripoff” of his track.
In the lawsuit, Hoff refers to XXXTentacion and Lil Peep as though they are still alive. He’s not suing their estates — he’s suing them. Hoff also says that Peep and XXX are both legal residents of California in his paperwork. It’s all odd because “Falling Down” was a posthumous hit for both artists. Lil Peep was already deceased at the time of its release, and XXX was killed a mere five days after Hoff released his song on SoundCloud.
Some fans have listened to Hoff’s song, and they’re pointing out the similarities. But others — and there are significantly more people in this boat — are calling out Hoff for this move, commenting on the song and saying it’s only “slightly similar”. Many are insulting Hoff for filing a lawsuit against Peep and XXX, two beloved artists who have passed on.
What do you make of this? Listen to both songs below and let us know if you hear the similarities.