Young Money superstar Nicki Minaj is being sued by Chicago artist Clive Tanaka over her 2012 smash hit “Starships.” According to reports, Tanaka claims that Minaj used elements of his song “Neu Chicago” for the chart-topping single. The suit was filed earlier this week in a Chicago U.S. District Court.
In addition to Minaj, the suit names her collaborators Carl Falk, Wayne Hector, Nadir “RedOne” Khayat and Rami Yacoub.
Tanaka’s lawyer, Christopher Niro, has stated that the underlying factor on which the plaintiff is building his case is the fact that RedOne and other writers named in the suit were living in Sweden when “Neu Chicago” was featured in numerous Swedish ad campaigns.
“They had a very good opportunity to hear it,” Niro told the Chicago Tribune. “We believe they are similar to the point that it is nearly impossible for it to be a coincidence.”
YMCMB has been the subject of numerous lawsuits in recent years, ranging from copyright infringement to royalty disputes. But Nicki Minaj has rarely been at the center of any of them. Many of them have been related to Lil Wayne and Drake or the label itself.
No representative for Nicki Minaj has issued a statement regarding Tanaka’s suit.
