copyright

Cardi B Says Offset Will Sue Troll Who Accused Him Of Cheating

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People have gone too far in their attempt to troll Cardi B and Offset’s relationship and it seems like a lawsuit will be filed soon. It’s no secret that the superstar couple have faced their fair share of hardships in their relationship. Allegations of infidelity have circulated over the years. Still, Offset and Cardi B have undoubtedly worked towards maintaining a healthy relationship. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that they’re immune to the rumors. Over the weekend, a Twitter account claimed they had evidence of Offset cheating on Cardi B.

The account, which seems to be a Nicki Minaj fan page, tweeted out an audio clip that was intended to sound like ‘Set trying to hook up with a woman that isn’t Cardi B. Then, there was an image of the rapper allegedly in the midst of hooking up with this woman. Cardi later debunked the theory entirely, claiming that the voice note sounded like a poor AI job and the man in the picture didn’t have the same build or hairstyle as Offset.

Read More: Offset Surprises Cardi B With Luxury Gift

At this point, Cardi B and Offset appear to be willing to make an example out of people who are trying to play with their relationship. “So you guys are going to receive a letter from his lawyer,” she stated. “Because all these little games that you guys want to play online, it’s going to be over with… You’re going to be getting sued, and we’re going to make an example out of you. Yeah, and, that was a terrible AI voice, by the way, so yeah, bye.”

The voice note was later deleted but it seems like Cardi B and Offset already had their lawyers on the job. The user later doubled down on their accusations against Offset while a copyright claim was filed against the clip. “Cardi just copyrighted my tweet,” the User wrote. Btch you mad at me when you need to be mad at the n**a that’s CHEATING ON YOU!!.” Check out Cardi’s voice note above. 

Read More: Offset Says He Was “Lit” When He Accused Cardi B Of Cheating

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Soulja Boy’s Album Removed From Streaming For Copyright Complaint

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Navigating copyright in the streaming era has been difficult for many artists and many content creators who cover music. There has also been a long-turbulent relationship between rappers and the producers who help create their songs. All of that came together for Soulja Boy recently when one of his albums was taken off streaming. “My album “Soulja Season” was taken off DSPs because of a copyright claim from a producer I purchased the beat from 100% this is the third time this happened,” he explained in a Tweet earlier today.

While he doesn’t specify which song was claimed or who the producer is, it’s clearly tainted his approach to working with them. “First “Biggest Opp” then “BigDraco3”This may be my last time working with producers. They messing it for all producers!” Soulja Boy explains. As of today. much of the album is still available to stream. Only the closing track “2 Seater,” which features G$ Lil Ronnie is unavailable. Fans won’t have much difficulty finding new Soulja Boy music to listen to though, the rapper has already released three new album this year. Alongside Soulja Season he’s also dropped Swag 5 and Soulja World 3.

Read More: Soulja Boy Nearly Falls Off Skateboard During On-Stage Trick

Like many this year, Soulja Boy took the time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of rap music. But through his own lens, he wanted more credit for the influence he’s had over the genre since his debut. “When I came in the game they said I killed hip hop. But really, I birthed the new wave of hip hop with internet/streaming. Ahead of my time,” he explained in a tweet.

All of this is unfolding as the rapper deals with some pretty intense legal battles. He reportedly owes over $1 million in unpaid taxes and a judge recently told him he needed to change where he lived. What do you think of Soulja Boy’s predicament with producers having his music taken down? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Soulja Boy Blasts Accusations That He’s In The Illuminati

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French Montana Sued For Copyright, Songwriter Claims He Didn’t Clear Sample

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French Montana now has to answer for an old track of his, as a singer-songwriter hit him with a copyright lawsuit. Moreover, Skylar Gudasz claimed that her 2020 track “Femme Fatal” prominently contributes to the rapper’s 2022 cut “Blue Chills.” In fact, Gudasz expressed in her legal action that he and his team could’ve avoided the whole situation if things went according to plan. Apparently French’s team offered her upfront fees and continuous revenue for the sample, which consisted of a 50% share of copyright for publishing. However, Gudasz alleged that the song dropped anyway, despite this deal never coming to a close.

“Despite repeated promises from [French Montana’s team]… no signed agreement, fees, royalties, licensing agreements or monies have ever been sent to plaintiff,” her lawyers stated in the filing. In addition, it explained the circumstances behind their almost-finalized collaboration. Furthermore, industry executive Deborah Mannis-Gardner, known for her sample clearances, approached Gudasz in May of 2022. Specifically, they negotiated the aforementioned agreement to include over $7,000 in upfront fees and a .08% cut from master royalties.

Read More: French Montana Goes Behind The Scenes Of Michael Rubin Party

French Montana Performing At The Tribeca Film Festival

French Montana Copyright Lawsuit Hip Hop News
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 16: French Montana performs during the “For Khadija” Premiere – 2023 Tribeca Festival at Beacon Theatre on June 16, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)

Also, it had a half share of the composition copyright, along with half of the publishing rights. When Gudasz reached out about the release of “Blue Chills” with no final deal, Mannis-Gardner allegedly wrote “Oh jeez” in her response email. “DMG continued to maintain there would be a final agreement, sent emails finalizing the licensing agreement and requested invoices from plaintiff, which plaintiff timely sent … and even sent plaintiff a congratulatory email,” the lawsuit continued. Not only that, but French Montana seemingly congratulated Gudasz via Instagram comments and spoke about her role on the track on Apple Music’s Rap Life Radio.

Meanwhile, amid his massive success, Gudasz wants this remedied as soon as possible. “The unauthorized and infringing use by defendants of the song ‘Femme Fatale’ has caused irreparable harm, damage and injury,” her lawyers maintained. “Plaintiff has been deprived of the rightful experience of benefitting and enjoying the fruits of her labor.” For more news and the latest updates on French Montana, come back to HNHH.

Read More: French Montana Says He Lived The “American Nightmare”

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Are Samples Copyright Free?

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Copyright law is a complex and nuanced field. In its simplest form, it protects original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works. When considering the realm of music, this extends to the melodies, lyrics, and recordings of a song. It’s important to note that copyright protection applies to complete songs and can also extend to smaller portions of a song, including samples.

The Concept Of Sampling

Sampling is a common practice in the music industry. It concerns pulling a portion, or “sample,” from a sound recording, which is then incorporated into a new composition. This practice is particularly prevalent in genres such as hip-hop and electronic music. The question, however, arises: are these samples copyright free?

The simple answer is no, samples are not inherently copyright free. Just like full songs, samples are protected under copyright law. Using a sample without the necessary permissions or licenses can lead to legal repercussions, including copyright infringement claims. This holds true even if the sample is only a few seconds long or has been significantly altered in the new work.

Clearing Samples & Fair Use Doctrine

To legally use a sample, you would normally need to clear it, i.e., obtain permission from the copyright holder, which can often involve paying a fee. However, there is an exception to this rule known as the fair use doctrine. This legal doctrine allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder under certain circumstances, such as for commentary, criticism, news reporting, and academic research.

However, applying the fair use doctrine to sampling can be tricky. Factors like the purpose of the use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount and substantiality of the portion used, and the effect of the use on the market for the original work are considered when determining whether a use constitutes fair use.

The Rise Of Royalty-Free Samples

A market for royalty-free samples has emerged in response to the complex and often costly process of clearing samples. These are samples that, once bought, can be used without the need to pay ongoing royalties. They are typically provided by sample libraries or outlets dedicated to producing and distributing these kinds of samples. However, it’s important to remember that “royalty-free” does not necessarily mean “free of cost.” Often, there is an initial cost to buy the sample, but no ongoing royalty payments are required.

Conclusion: Navigating The Complex World Of Sampling

In summary, samples are not inherently copyright free. To use a sample legally, one must either clear the sample by obtaining permission from the copyright holder or qualify for fair use. Alternatively, one can opt for royalty-free samples to avoid traditional potential costs. As with all legal matters, it’s always advisable to consult a legal professional to ensure compliance with copyright law when using samples in music production. This will ensure that creativity can continue growing without potential legal traps.

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UMG Addresses Viral Drake & The Weeknd A.I. Song

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Universal Music Group has responded to the viral A.I.-generated song by Drake and The Weeknd that has been blowing up on social media. The company labeled the use of their artists’ vocals for A.I. music “fraud” and called on streaming platforms to ban the technology. The A.I. song is titled “heart on my sleeve” and has reached over 230,000 plays on YouTube and more than 630,000 streams on Spotify.

In its statement released this week, UMG explained that it has made a living by embracing new technology, but this is a step too far. “UMG’s success has been, in part, due to embracing new technology and putting it to work for our artists–as we have been doing with our own innovation around AI for some time already,” the statement begins.

Drake & The Weeknd

NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – MARCH 16: Drake and The Weeknd perform onstage during a date of Drakes “Nothing Was the Same” 2014 World Tour at Nottingham Capital FM Arena on March 16, 2014 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Ollie Millington/WireImage)

The company continues: “With that said, however, the training of generative AI using our artists’ music (which represents both a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law) as well as the availability of infringing content created with generative AI on DSPs, begs the question as to which side of history all stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on: the side of artists, fans and human creative expression, or on the side of deep fakes, fraud and denying artists their due compensation. These instances demonstrate why platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the use of their services in ways that harm artists. We’re encouraged by the engagement of our platform partners on these issues–as they recognize they need to be part of the solution.”

In response to the backlash, several platforms, including Apple Music, Deezer, and TIDAL, have already pulled “heart on my sleeve.” Drake has also commented on the use of his likeness for A.I., writing on Instagram, “This is the final straw AI.” No regulations currently exist to dictate what AI can legally train. The US Copyright Office has, however, released a statement of guidance on the matter. As noted by CNN, they wrote: “In the case of works containing AI-generated material, the Office will consider whether the AI contributions are the result of ‘mechanical reproduction’ or instead of an author’s ‘own original mental conception, to which [the author] gave visible form.’”

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Cam’ron Facing Copyright Lawsuit Over Picture In Pink Fit

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Cam’ron is facing a copyright lawsuit from a photographer that, back in 2003, took an iconic picture of his iconic pink fit. Moreover, the photographer claims that Killa Cam used the picture in various pieces of Dipset merchandise without giving her permission. Furthermore, Djamilla Cochran filed a complaint in New Jersey federal court on Tuesday (April 11), per Billboard‘s report. If you don’t recognize the picture off the description of a pink fur coat, hat, and phone, you’ll likely know it when you see it. Cochran claimed that he also posted her photography on social media to promote his merchandise.

According to the lawsuit, Cam’ron used the photo without authorization on various pieces of his merch line Dipset Couture. These include T-shirts, jewelry, a pair of shower curtains, pillows, and swimsuits. “Getty Images notified defendants of their infringing activities by mail and email on multiple occasions,” the photographer’s lawyers’ complaint stated. “Despite those notifications, defendants continued to sell merchandise and continued to display the photograph on website and accounts.” Apparently, the 47-year-old had plenty of time to respond to the claim before the complaint officially came forward.

Cam’ron Sued For Using His Iconic Pink Fit Pic Without Permission

Despite this legal roadblock, Cam’ron has a couple of other business ventures that are netting him more headlines than his merchandise. For example, there’s his successful sports talk show It Is What It Is, which had made him a pretty vocal and disseminated figure in topics such as NBA discourse. In fact, he recently addressed people trying to buy him out of his successful enterprise, although he did express gratitude for their interest and support.

“A lot of n***as hollering at me trying to buy my show and make my show a part of what they’re doing,” he stated via Instagram. “And listen, I appreciate the love. I appreciate the interest and everything else. This is fully funded by me. I ain’t gonna get no help, I ain’t got no partners. I ain’t got no bank that came and did all this s**t.” Despite his extracurricular endeavors, it will be interesting to see if he takes that conciliatory attitude to the court. Regardless, check back in with HNHH for the latest news and updates on Cam’ron.

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