It appears that Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams won’t be the only artists coughing up payments for borrowing from another artist’s work in the coming days.
According to the Daily Mail, Jay Z recently settled an 18-month copyright infringement battle with Swiss jazz composer Bruno Spoerri, who claimed that Hov’s song “Versus,” from his 2013 album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, borrowed heavily from his instrumental track “On My Way.” Though star producer Timbaland is credited with having produced the track, Jay Z has agreed to pay Spoerri an even 50 percent of all royalties from the song.
Spoerri says all the litigation probably could have been avoided had the Brooklyn, New York, emcee simply asked permission first.
“In a way I’m flattered that a relatively young rapper takes a sample from an old man, a sample that is about 35 years old,” Spoerri told Swiss publication SwissInfo. “On the other hand, I’m furious because it would have been so simple to clear the sample. All it would have needed was a call or an email to the company and I think it would have been relatively cheap.”
Check out and compare both songs below.
[jwplatform KnYscZ5X]
[jwplatform ey2BWrCa]
