Kanye West is once again navigating legal challenges. This time, attention is focused on his 2022 project, Donda 2, which has drawn scrutiny from copyright holders over the use of a particular track.
Billboard reports that West is facing a federal copyright infringement lawsuit for allegedly sampling soul singer Sam Dees’ 1975 song “Just Out Of My Reach” without permission. Filed September 4 by The GRC Trust on behalf of Ginn Music Group, an Atlanta-based publisher that controls Dees’ catalog, the suit centers on West’s collaboration with Vory, titled “LORD LIFT ME UP.”
A comparison of the two songs reveals a marked similarity, especially in the opening seconds of Dees’ original, which West reportedly loops throughout the 2-minute, 10-second track. The suit names not only West and Vory—whose full name is Tavoris Javon Hollins—but also Yeezy LLC, highlighting the business entities tied to the release.
Implications for Collaborators
The lawsuit further implicates Kano Computing and its founder, Alex Klein, responsible for developing the Stem Player, the exclusive platform for streaming Donda 2. The filing asserts, “At no point did defendants obtain authorization from GRC to use the composition in connection with the infringing work. Defendants continue to exploit and receive profits from the infringing work, thereby violating GRC’s rights in this composition.”
The GRC Trust is seeking both a court injunction and monetary restitution, demanding “all profits of defendants… plus all losses of GRC, plus any other monetary advantage gained by the defendants through their infringement.” The case underscores the increasing legal scrutiny artists face when sampling classic material, especially within projects distributed on unconventional platforms.
The dispute coincides with anticipation surrounding West’s upcoming documentary, In Whose Name?, set to debut in select theaters. Developed over more than a year, the film examines pivotal moments in West’s life from 2018 to 2024, including his divorce from Kim Kardashian and his controversial remarks regarding antisemitism, offering an intimate look at the intersection of his personal struggles and artistic ambitions.