Snoop Dogg is probably the most notorious stoner in all of music. Dozens of musicians and celebrities have stories of finding themselves surprisingly faded while hanging out with the rapper. The latest was Ed Sheeran, who stopped by Conan O’Brien’s podcast to share his experiences. The singer caught up with Snoop backstage at a show in Melbourne after Russel Crowe reportedly introduced the pair. Clearly, Sheeran who is admittedly not much of a smoker himself, wasn’t prepared for what he was stepping into.
“I don’t really smoke at all. I was in the dressing room and they’re just [smoking] like blunt for blunt for blunt for blunt,” Ed Sheeran explains on the podcast. From that point, it starts to get pretty hilarious for him. “I was like, I guess at some point during the night, I have to, just to say I smoked with Snoop Dogg… So I have a bit and I was like, ‘I don’t feel too bad, this is good.’ Then I have a bit more, and then I have a bit more, and then I have a bit more… I just remember looking at him and being like, ‘I can’t see right now.’” Listen to the entire podcast below.
Ed Sheeran Couldn’t See After Smoking With Snoop Dogg
Ed Sheeran got some difficult news recently. A lawsuit over his song “Thinking Out Loud” infringing on copyright for its similarities to a Marvin Gaye track was thrown out a few weeks ago. But now it seems like the lawsuit has been restarted with new plaintiffs. They made an appeal that if accepted could mean years more legal trouble for Sheeran.
Sheeran has already released two new albums this year. He led off the year with –back in May. And just over the weekend he followed it up with an entire second new album Autumn Variations. What do you think of Ed Sheeran’s story about smoking with Snoop Dogg in Melbourne? Let us know in the comment section below.
Ed Sheeran has been dealing with one particular legal drama for years. Following the controversial ruling in court that Pharrell and Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” infringed the copyright of a Marvin Gaye song, someone made the same legal accusation at Sheeran. They challenged his song “Thinking Out Loud” in court claiming that it copied Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” Last week, it appeared the years-long legal battle could be nearing its end. One of Sheeran’s accusers dropped their lawsuit against him.
But now according to Billboard, a different set of plaintiffs have picked up the case and are attempting to take it through an appeals process that could extend the case for years to come. “The district court’s erroneous decisions should be reversed, and appellant’s case restored so that it can proceed to trial,” the new accusers wrote. They’re attempting to get the case picked up by an appeals court so that it can go to a full-on trial. Earlier this year a different lawsuit against Sheeran was thrown out because the plaintiff was attempting to claim that using “a basic musical building block” was copying.
Over the weekend Ed Sheeran released his new album Autumn Variations. He surprised fans with the very intimate project which won’t have any singles released from it. It’s his second album of 2023 following the release of – back in May. He’s already got plans for more material coming soon. He and J Balvin announced they’re planning to release a collaborative album next year.
The consistent release of music is pretty surprising given Ed vowed to quit music earlier this year. When he made that statement it was about his original lawsuit for reportedly copying Marvin Gaye. It’s unclear how his future musical plans were impacted by the suit being restarted with a new plaintiff. What do you think of Ed Sheeran facing yet another legal hurdle in his “Thinking Out Loud” lawsuit? Let us know in the comment section below.
Ed Sheeran has beat another lawsuit over his song “Thinking Out Loud.” The singer just toppled a second lawsuit alleging that he had plagiarized Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” Earlier this month, a federal jury handed down the same ruling, agreeing that Sheeran did not copy Gaye’s song. A district judge in Manhattan dismissed a second case yesterday. This time, the lawsuit was filed by Structured Asset Sales (SAS), a company owned by investment banker David Pullman. SAS owns a portion of the rights to “Let’s Get It On” after acquiring the share previously owned by writer Ed Townsend. The writer passed away in 2003. The first lawsuit was filed by members of Townsend’s family. They also hold a stake in the rights to the song.
According to The Guardian, Structured Asset Sales (SAS) had claimed in court that the combination of chord progression and harmonic rhythm in Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” was significantly similar to Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” They alleged that the similarities should be considered copyright infringement. However, the results were similar to the previous trial. It was decided that the chord progression used in both songs lacked the distinctiveness to establish copyright infringement. There is still one pending lawsuit from SAS against Sheeran concerning the recorded version of “Let’s Get It On.” Both parties are awaiting a potential jury trial for this matter. Prior to the initial trial, Sheeran had mentioned that he would retire from music if the court ruled against him. Luckily for his fans, that was not the case. Despite the legal challenges, Sheeran released his latest album, Subtract, on May 5.
Ed Sheeran Wrote 7 Songs In 4 Hours After His Wife’s Cancer Diagnosis
Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn during The BRIT Awards 2022 at The O2 Arena. (Photo by JMEnternational/Getty Images)
Ed Sheeran is well-known for his love-themed songs. As expected, he continues this trend with on his most recent album. Alongside the record, he announced a documentary titled The Sum Of It All. In this documentary, Sheeran opens up about his wife’s cancer diagnosis and shares his feelings about the situation. Last year, while discovering her second pregnancy with Sheeran, Cherry Seaborn, his wife, was diagnosed with cancer after a tumor was found. It was both a joyous occasion and a sad one.
The documentary explores how the couple dealt with the news and how Sheeran turned to his musical talent as a form of therapy. After receiving the diagnosis, Sheeran went to the basement and wrote seven songs in just four hours. Musicians have long seen songwriting as a personal form of therapy. It seems that Sheeran also finds solace in this method to express himself. At the very least, the pop singer has the ability to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation. What do you think of the lawsuits against Ed Sheeran? Sound off in the comments below!
Sampling is fundamental to hip hop’s origins, though the art form has been the root of controversy for many years. Taking a portion of a song and working it into a brand-new creation is nothing unique. Sampling has walked a fine line between inspiration and theft for some time now—and not just in the hip hop world, but also in the pop realm. Marvin Gaye’s music catalog is iconic and is the source of many different hip hop samples.
Earlier this week, Ed Sheeran won a copyright infringement lawsuit for his song “Thinking Out Loud.” The actions against Sheeran were brought by the estate of one of the co-writers of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” The contention was that “Thinking Out Loud” directly copied “Let’s Get It On,” as the two songs share noticeable similarities. Sheeran’s win in the trial surprised many, as Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams went through a similar situation in 2014. The two were sued by Gaye’s family due to similarities between “Blurred Lines” and “Got To Give It Up.” The Gaye family was awarded $4 million.
This is a list of the best Marvin Gaye hip hop samples, listed in chronological order. His discography, consisting of 17 studio albums, has been sampled roughly hundreds different times. Take a look at the list below.
This classic RZA-produced song comes from Method Man’s debut album, the very first Wu-Tang solo album. “All I Need” samples “You’re All I Need to Get By,” a duet between Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. “All I Need” utilizes the song’s lead melody in its instrumental and sticks to the love-oriented content of the original sample. The sample is even more prominent in the song’s more famous remix from 1995. The update features Mary J. Blige on the hook, directly incorporating the sample’s chorus into the song. “All I Need,” specifically the remix, was highly influential in paving the way for hip hop love songs and R&B duets.
Kanye West – “Spaceship” (2004)
This highlight from Kanye West’s classic debut album, “Spaceship” samples Gaye’s “Distant Lover” from 1973’s Let’s Get It On. Produced by West, “Spaceship” brilliantly incorporates three parts of “Distant Lover” to create the main instrumental melody. The sample is sped up in a “chipmunk soul” fashion, Kanye’s signature production style during The College Dropout era. “Distant Lover” is sped up, chopped, and looped to create a soulful melody for Kanye, GLC, and Consequence to rap over. The use of a Marvin Gaye sample in hip hop the way “Spaceship” at the time represented the rising popularity of soulful loops.
JAY-Z – “American Dreamin’” (2007)
Marvin Gaye’s “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again” from 1976’s I Want You is very sexual in its lyrics and instrumentation. The song’s content makes JAY-Z’s “American Dreamin’” such a creative flip. The song, produced by Sean C & LV, Diddy, and Mario Winans, completely repurposes “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again” without altering the vocals. “American Dreamin’” is about chasing a dream from a life of crime and poverty into a secure and luxurious lifestyle. The Marvin song is looped to soundtrack the cinematic images Jay paints on “American Dreamin,” making the sample more painful than passionate.
Like “Spaceship,” Travis Scott’s 2014 track “Backyard” also samples Marvin Gaye’s “Distant Lover.” What sets “Backyard” apart is that it samples a live performance of “Distant Lover” from 1974. “Backyard” utilizes the performance’s live instrumentation and Marvin Gaye’s commentary when he talks to the crowd during the song. The song makes for a complete reimagining of a small portion of the sample. It is a creative way to flip the song, resulting in one of Travis Scott’s most underrated tracks.
Jay Rock – “Money Trees Deuce” (2015)
Most Marvin Gaye hip hop samples draw from his famous studio albums. Jay Rock’s “Money Trees Deuce” samples “‘T’ Cleans Up / Police Station” from Gaye’s 1972 soundtrack to Trouble Man. The sampled horns are just one of many unique sounds on that soundtrack. The horns only appear in small portions, but “Money Trees Deuce” makes that sound its primary backing. The final result makes for one of Jay Rock’s best songs and a solid sequel to the original “Money Trees.”
The Game – “Savage Lifestyle” (2016)
The Game’s ninth studio album, 1992, is a concept album based around the events he witnessed growing up in LA in 1992. The album’s opening track, “Savage Lifestyle,” places the listener in the middle of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. The song samples Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” from What’s Going On. The Game paints a picture of civil unrest in the song. “Savage Lifestyle” directly matches the content of “Inner City Blues.” The Game uses the Marvin Gaye sample to build the intensity of his song before transitioning into a rugged beat switch, depicting the breaking tension between citizens and government.
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5” (2022)
Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 5” samples the title track from I Want You. In the song, Kendrick plays with the sample. He uses Marvin’s voice for the chorus and removes the drums toward the song’s end. The sample is barely altered, with Kendrick essentially rapping over the original track. Still, the sample is very fitting for Kendrick to rap from different perspectives, making for a thought-provoking track.
In a Manhattan federal court hearing on a copyright claim, Ed Sheeran was found not responsible for using significant portions of the Marvin Gaye ’70s hit song “Let’s Get It On” in his own song “Thinking Out Loud.”
The verdict was reached on Thursday (May 4), clearing Sheeran after a few hours of deliberation. The trial ran for two weeks. Sheeran spoke to the press after the court was adjourned.
Before deliberation, U.S. District Court Judge Louis Stanton said, “Independent creation is a complete defense, no matter how similar that song is.”
“I am obviously very happy with the outcome of the case, and it looks like I’m not going to have to retire from my day job after all,” Sheeran said. I am absolutely frustrated that baseless claims like this are allowed to go to court at all… If the jury had decided this matter the other way, we might as well say goodbye to the creative freedom of songwriters.”
He said, “I am just a guy with a guitar who loves writing music for people to enjoy.”
The case ended amicably. According to The Associated Press, Sheeran thanked the jury while also speaking and exchanging pleasantries with the plaintiffs.
“I’m obviously very happy with the outcome of the case, and it looks like I’m not having to retire from my day job after all,” Ed Sheeran said after a jury determined that he did not wrongfully copy compositional elements or melodies from “Let’s Get It On” https://t.co/KfWTtvsVoUpic.twitter.com/X5r5mWVdRF
Sheeran would also release a full statement after the court was over, which is available below.
Good afternoon,
I am obviously very happy with the outcome of the case, and it looks like I’m not going to have to retire from my day job after all – but, at the same time, I am unbelievably frustrated that baseless claims like this are allowed to go to court at all.
We have spent the last eight years talking about two songs with dramatically different lyrics, melodies and four chords which are also different and used by songwriters every day, all over the world.
These chords are common building blocks which were used to create music long before “Let’s Get It On” was written and will be used to make music long after we are all gone. They are a songwriter’s ‘alphabet’, our tool kit and should be there for us all to use. No-one owns them or the way they are played, in the same way, nobody owns the color blue.
Unfortunately, unfounded claims like this one are being fueled by individuals who are offered as experts in musical analysis. In this instance, the other side’s musicologist left out words and notes, presented simple (and different) pitches as melody, creating misleading comparisons and disinformation to find supposed similarities where none exist. They tried to manipulate my and Amy’s song to try to convince the jury that they had a genuine claim, and I am very grateful that the jury saw through those attempts. This seems so dangerous to me, both for potential claimants who may be convinced to bring a bogus claim, as well as those songwriters facing them. It is simply wrong. By stopping this practice, we can also properly support genuine music copyright claims so that legitimate claims are rightly heard and resolved.
While Ed Sheeran was in New York wrapping up his copyright case over allegedly copying Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” in the creation of his single “Thinking of You.” In Ireland, his grandmother was being laid to rest.
According to The Daily Mail, Sheeran’s 98-year-old grandmother died during the trial, and her funeral was on Wednesday.
During the services, Sheeran’s father spoke about missing his son during the occasion.
“I am very sad that our son Edward is unable to be here today. He’s so upset that he cannot be present — he has to be thousands of miles away in a court in America defending his integrity,” Sheeran’s father said. “I know he is comforted by the fact that he was able to spend some precious time alone with his grandma just a month ago.”
Ed Sheeran was reportedly able to watch the service online.
In a Manhattan federal court hearing, Ed Sheeran was found not responsible for using significant portions of the Marvin Gaye ’70s hit song “Let’s Get It On” in his own song “Thinking Out Loud.”
The verdict was reached on Thursday (May 4), clearing Sheeran after a few hours of deliberation. The trial ran for two weeks. Sheeran spoke to the press after the court was adjourned.
Before deliberation, U.S. District Court Judge Louis Stanton said, “Independent creation is a complete defense, no matter how similar that song is.”
“I am obviously very happy with the outcome of the case, and it looks like I’m not going to have to retire from my day job after all,” Sheeran said. I am absolutely frustrated that baseless claims like this are allowed to go to court at all… If the jury had decided this matter the other way, we might as well say goodbye to the creative freedom of songwriters.”
He said, “I am just a guy with a guitar who loves writing music for people to enjoy.”
The case ended amicably. According to The Associated Press, Sheeran thanked the jury while also speaking and exchanging pleasantries with the plaintiffs.
“I’m obviously very happy with the outcome of the case, and it looks like I’m not having to retire from my day job after all,” Ed Sheeran said after a jury determined that he did not wrongfully copy compositional elements or melodies from “Let’s Get It On” https://t.co/KfWTtvsVoUpic.twitter.com/X5r5mWVdRF
After the ruling was handed out, outside the courthouse, Sheeran told reporters (as Evening Standard notes):
“I’m obviously very happy with the outcome of this case and it looks like I’m not going to have to retire from my day job after all. But at the same time, I am absolutely frustrated that baseless claims like this are allowed to go to court at all. If the jury had decided this matter the other way, we might as well say goodbye to the creative freedom of songwriters. We need to be able to write our original music and engage in independent creativity without worrying at every step on the way that said creativity will be wrongly called into question.”
(The singer’s joke about retirement references a recent comment he made about potentially being found guilty: “If that happens, I’m done, I’m stopping. I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it.”)
AP also noted of Sheeran’s immediate reaction to the verdict, “As the jury answered the single question of whether Sheeran proved he didn’t infringe upon the copyright in the affirmative, the crooner briefly put his hands over his face in relief before standing and hugging his lawyer. As jurors left the courtroom, Sheeran quietly mouthed “thank you” in their direction. He then spoke for about 10 minutes with the plaintiffs, including the daughter of Ed Townsend, who co-created the 1973 soul classic with Gaye. They hugged and smiled with each other.”
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Ed Sheeran has been in the headlines recently over his lawsuit against Marvin Gaye’s estate. Additionally, his estate alleges the U.K. singer is being sued for copyright infringement. Moreover, Gaye’s estate claims Ed Sheeran’s 2014 smash hit “Thinking Out Loud,” has striking similarities to Marvin Gaye’s classic “Let’s Get It On.” Specifically, Sheeran was hit with the lawsuit by Gaye’s co-writer Ed Townsend. He slammed the songwriter with allegations of “ripping” key elements from Gaye’s 1973 hit. The co-writer claimed the harmony and even the melody were taken from the song. However, Ed Sheeran’s defense team says otherwise.
Sheeran’s legal team told the courts that the elements of the song structurally, are undeniable. However, they also mentioned the symmetry points solely to the foundation of music. “The two songs share versions of a similar and unprotectable chord progression that was freely available to all songwriters,” said Sheeran’s defense team. Not only that, due to this case, it’s taken quite a toll on the “Shape of You” singer. When asked how the trial has affected him Ed Sheeran gave quite a somber response.
Ed Sheeran’s Not Quitting Music
Musician Ed Sheeran arrives for his copyright infringement trial at Manhattan Federal Court on May 04, 2023 in New York City. Sheeran is being sued for copyright infringement for his 2014 hit “Thinking Out Loud.” He is accused of copying Marvin Gaye’s legendary R&B song “Let’s Get It On”. Jury deliberations have began in the trial. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The musician said, “I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it.” Not only that he noted if found guilty he would quit and stop making music. However, it appears that won’t be the case for the Grammy winning artist. Today the jury deliberated and made their verdict. The jury finds Ed Sheeran not liable for the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s “Lets Get It On.”
The singer received the verdict today after the jury made their decision. Thankfully we’ll still be getting new music from the Division musician. However, who knows how long that’ll be ’til we get anything new from Sheeran, due to the circumstances. Let us know what you think of the verdict in the comments below!
In recent days, Ed Sheeran has had a lot going on. One of the more annoying is surely the lawsuit he’s been facing from the heirs of Ed Townsend, a co-writer of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” In the suit, it is alleged that Sheeran stole elements of the song and used them in his own hit single, 2014’s “Thinking Out Loud.” Now, the trial has concluded and the jury has reached a ruling, The Associated Press reports: He didn’t do it.
Today (May 4), the New York jury shared their conclusion about if “Sheeran proved he didn’t infringe upon the copyright” and they took his side. When the verdict was delivered and the two-week trial came to a close, Sheeran “briefly put his hands over his face in relief before standing and hugging his lawyer.”
In a recent interview with Zane Lowe, Sheeran said, “The thing with these cases, it’s not usually songwriters that are suing songwriters. I feel like in the songwriting community, everyone sort of knows that there’s four chords primarily that are used and there’s eight notes. And we work with what we’ve got, with doing that.”
Sheeran was so frustrated by the lawsuit that he recently said of potentially being found guilty, “If that happens, I’m done, I’m stopping. I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it.”
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
