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On Tuesday (March 25), singer-songwriter Alice Merton filed a lawsuit against Ye fka Kanye West in a federal court in California for using a sample of one of her songs after she denied his request. In the documents of the lawsuit, Merton states that West sampled her 2022 song “Blindside” for use in his song “Gun To My Head” featuring Kid Cudi and Ty Dolla $ign. She states that the discovery left her “understandably shocked and humiliated” to be associated with West after he previewed the song at a Vultures listening event in Miami, Florida, in December 2023.
West would later release “Gun To My Head” as part of a deluxe digital release of Vultures 2 last August. The lawsuit alleges that West had requested approval from Merton’s publisher, BMG, to use “Blindside” through Alien Music Services. When denied, Kanye West’s representatives followed up by asking the reason for the denial. BMG responded that “the artist’s values are contrary to our values” and that Merton was “unwilling to compromise her personal beliefs and wanted not to be associated with Ye in any manner.”
The publisher further revealed that Merton has “close ties to the holocaust through Jewish family members who survived its horrors” and that West’s “antisemitic, racist remarks” were contrary to her beliefs. The lawsuit also shares that Merton sustained a barrage of online threats and abuse from fans who were upset over “Gun To My Head” not being on the initial edition of Vultures 2. BMG had sent a cease and desist letter requesting written compliance to stop further copyright violations to West, which were then ignored. The German singer-songwriter even expressed that she has stopped performing the songs at her concerts and decided against traveling to the U.S. “for fear of confrontation or potential violence against her.”
The lawsuit is the latest action against West for copyright infringement by other musical artists. The estate of Donna Summer sued West last February for sampling her song “I Feel Love” without permission, stating that it “wanted no association with West’s controversial history.” Legendary metal singer Ozzy Osbourne also threatened to sue the Bully rapper for trying to use a Black Sabbath sample after being denied, “because he is an antisemite and has caused untold heartache to many.”
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A recently filed lawsuit alleges new bombshell claims against Hip-Hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. According to TMZ, the Bad Boy founder is being sued by a male photographer who alleges that the embattled star forced him to perform oral sex by threatening his career.
In the lawsuit obtained by TMZ, the accuser is a photographer who claims Diddy invited him to join him in a trailer for an opportunity to advance his career. However, the unnamed accuser said that the Hip-Hop mogul began making sexual advances and unzipping his pants.
The allegations are disturbing, with the accuser alleging that Diddy told him “If you suck right I’ll make your career take off.”
The accuser, who identifies as a straight man, says that he complied.
He later said that Diddy allegedly told him to hold semen in his mouth “like a squirrel.”
The photographer said that the incident occurred in 2022 or 2023 and that it took place in Diddy’s trailer on the set of a commercial. He says that he did not have further contact with the mogul afterward.
He is suing for sexual battery and financial damages due to emotional and mental pain and trauma.
Diddy’s legal team sent a statement to TMZ writing, “No matter how many lawsuits are filed—especially by individuals who refuse to put their own names behind their claims—it won’t change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor.”
They added, “We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason. Fortunately, a fair and impartial judicial process exists to find the truth, and Mr. Combs is confident he will prevail in court.”
Diddy has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since he was arrested on Sept. 16, 2024. He is being held without bond.
A new podcast, Bad Rap, from ABC Audio was recently released detailing the mogul’s ongoing sexual abuse and sex trafficking charges.
https://twitter.com/abcaudio/status/1904530774453555277
FKA Twigs has reunited with North West to release a music video for their collaboration, “Childlike Things,” and they’ve also called on Kevin Smith and Jake Shane to guest star. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the clip, Smith and Shane act as music industry executives as […]
After a string of standout collaborations, Atlanta rapper Anycia is back with “Never Need” — a bold anthem that celebrates independence, confidence, and the power of women standing strong in their own light. Featuring fellow female MCs GloRilla and Karrahbooo, the track promises to resonate with listeners who know their worth and aren’t afraid to own it.Out March 28, “Never Need” marks the first single from Anycia’s upcoming Gangsta Grillz mixtape with DJ Drama, Grady Baby,set for release later this spring. Produced by the Spaceboy duo EJ Stellar and jetsonmade — known for their space-themed production style — the track highlights Anycia’s signature chant-along style. It also features an interpolation of the beat from Khia’s 2002 hit “Don’t Trust No N-—a,” featuring DSD.
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Anycia shares that the inspiration behind the track was “simple” yet profound. “I wanted to make something that really spoke to women standing on their own, not just in relationships but in every part of life,” she explains. This theme of unapologetic self-worth is echoed throughout “Never Need,” as the three artists combine their unique styles to create a song that is as fierce as it is empowering.
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“Man, I said, ‘Let’s find me the most disrespectful women I could find to get on this track with me!’” Anycia says admiringly of her collaborators. The chemistry between the three is palpable, and their combined force makes this an unmissable track. “They made it even more raw and unapologetic,” she adds, reflecting on how their individual energies elevated the song.
Anycia
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The behind-the-scenes video for “Never Need” further complements the track’s message, as Karrahbooo and Anycia exchange praise and uplift each other throughout. Anycia spends a decent part of the video explaining and displaying why she’s a “bad b—ch,” bringing the theme of independence to life in a visual form. “We wanted to show that independence isn’t just about not needing a man—it’s about owning who you are, moving how you want, and doing it with confidence,” She explains.For Anycia, “Never Need” is more than just music; it’s a statement of empowerment, especially for women. “I just want people — especially women — to feel empowered when they hear it,” she says. “Like, ‘Yeah, you got this on your own, you don’t need validation from nobody.’” It’s a celebration of knowing your worth and moving accordingly.”
She also emphasizes how sharing this moment with her fans means everything to her, declaring, “This one is for us.”
For Anycia, the track’s most powerful lyric is: “I ain’t never need a n-—a for a goddamn thing.” It’s a line that carries deep significance for the artist, who credits the women in her life for shaping her into the person she is today. “Literally since I was born, the most powerful people in my life were women. I literally never needed a n-—a for a goddamn thing,” Anycia shares.
Behind the scenes, the collaboration between the three women went beyond the music. Anycia recalls a memorable moment during the video shoot when GloRilla was “sick as f—k” but “still came and delivered like a trooper. That’s a hard-working girl!”
Watch the exclusive behind-the-scenes video for “Never Need” below.
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Months after joining Donald Trump at one of his rallies in the Bronx (we just thought we’d point that out), rapper Sheff G has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and conspiracy and will be held accountable for his actions (unlike Donald Trump).
According to the New York Daily News, the “No Remorse” rapper is set to serve five years in prison after pleading guilty to taking part in a shooting that left rival gang member Theodore “Sniper” Senior dead and five others injured in 2020. Sheff G was one of the 32 alleged members of the 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways gangs that was named in a 140-count indictment that was handed down in 2023, which in turn probably led to him supporting Donald Trump as the Orange Overlord is known to pardon rappers for political gain. Unfortunately, for Sheff G, Trump isn’t running for reelection, so chances of him handing out pardons to gain favorability from the Hip-Hop community is slim to none as he couldn’t care less about what the Black and Brown community thinks about him these autocratic days.
The New York Daily News reports:
“Notoriety could not shield this defendant from justice. He used his fame to fund and direct violence, terrorizing our streets, and though we sought a much longer sentence, he will now be held to account,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Wednesday.
Sheff G pleaded guilty to the top counts in his indictment, and prosecutors asked for 20 years. But Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun offered him five years in prison and five years supervised release over objections from the DA’s office.
They wound up in investigators’ crosshairs after the Oct. 21, 2020, drive-by shooting at Hawthorne St. and Nostrand Ave. in Prospect Lefferts Gardens that killed Senior, an alleged Folk Nation gang member, and wounded five others.
The shooting was sparked by a social media beef between Sheff G and a Folk Nation-affiliated rapper, Gonzalez said in 2023.
After the gunfire Sheff G texted one of the gunmen to ask if the shooting was “successful.” Two days after the drive-by Sheff G and his team celebrated with a fancy steak dinner where he presented the gunman with a custom gold chain with a “sniper’s crosshairs with two X marks over it to signify Senior was killed.”
At least Sheff G spoils his shooters? Just sayin’.
Now that Sheff G has pleaded guilty to the charges, he’ll be doing five years in prison and be back out on the streets before 2030. Not a bad deal given the circumstances.
What do y’all think about Sheff G’s sentence? Let us know in the comments section below.
Fernando Cabral de Mello has been named CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Brazil, Sony Music Latin Iberia announced on Thursday (March 27). His appointment comes as part of a new organizational structure for Sony’s operations in the country. The “newly unified entity” will encompass Sony Music Brazil, Som Livre and also oversee the joint venture […]
Yailin La Más Viral is no stranger to making headlines, whether it’s for her high-profile love affairs or her bold reinventions, such as surgically changing her eye color. But in early March, the Dominican rising star drew attention in a whole new way with a career-making achievement: She made history by selling out her first headlining concert at New York’s iconic United Palace for two consecutive nights, becoming the first Dominican woman to do so, and the third Latina after Karol G and Becky G, the venue’s CEO confirmed to Billboard Español.
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“I feel very proud and it was something very important,” Yailin tells Billboard Español, reflecting on her growing success and the overwhelming support she has been receiving from the Caribbean community and beyond in the U.S. “It’s a very big pride to do it as a Dominican, as a woman, representing the Dominican youth, and the gender of us; the support that the fans gave me and putting my culture on high.”
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At just 22 years old, Yailin is not just commanding stages but living up to her moniker — “the most viral” — with her latest breakout hits. Released in November 2024, “Bing Bong” has amassed an astonishing 175 million views on YouTube to date, with an additional 75 million streams on Spotify. On this track, inspired by a spontaneous encounter with Brazilian artist Veigh during Billboard. Latin Music Week in Miami, Yailin dips into Brazilian funk and infuses her signature Dominican dembow flair. The result? A fresh and infectious sound that’s all her own, provocative and unapologetically original. The song earned a spot on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, debuting at No. 28 — her first solo chart achievement. Meanwhile, tracks like “Silla” and “Chapa” — all three produced by Puyalo Pantera and Yailin — continue to rack up ten of millions of streams.
Adding to her growing buzz, she further made waves online when she was seen celebrating New Year’s Eve in Santo Domingo alongside Spanish superstar Rosalía. “I had my first encounter with Rosalia when I was in a relationship with Catta’s father,” she says in reference to Anuel AA and their daughter Cattleya. “[Rosalia] was a very warm person, she gave me her friendship, despite everything that was going on. We kept communicating and we created a friendship.” Around the NYE holiday, she also sang “Obsesión” alongside bachata megastar Romeo Santos when Aventura came to Dominican Republic Olympic Stadium in the Dominican Republic. “It was something very important, Romeo is someone very important for us,” she adds.
Yailin (whose real name is Georgina Lulú Guillermo Díaz) grew up in Santo Domingo, immersed in the rich sounds of her island, such as dembow. “The carnival music from here, with drums and things like that, was always something I heard here,” she recalls. “My dad passed away when I was little, and music always influenced me because of him. He always listened to Ana Gabriel, which is why I identify with Ana Gabriel so much. There was a dance they called el baile de Pakitín, where you danced with your hands and feet. And those were the things that influenced me the most.”
Like many rising Latin artists, Yailin looked to the icons of reggaetón and pop culture for inspiration, imagining herself on the same level as the legendary figures she grew up listening to. “You know, I’m not that old. I used to listen to Puerto Rican reggaetón artists like Daddy Yankee. Then we started listening to music in the Dominican Republic from American artists like Beyoncé, those people. You always think when you’re [very young] that one day you’re going to be something big just like them,” she says. Her ambition fueled her journey as she ventured into music, despite the challenges of breaking into a male-dominated genre.
Yailin La Más Viral
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Her rise has been anything but ordinary, with much of her early public recognition stemming from her high-profile romantic relationships. In 2022, she became involved with superstar Anuel AA, shortly after his highly publicized split from Karol G. Their whirlwind relationship led to a marriage and the birth of their daughter, Cattleya. During this time, Yailin also collaborated with the Puerto Rican rapper, appearing on “Si Tú Me Busca,” which scored her her first Billboard chart entry, reaching No. 12 high on Hot Latin Songs.
By 2023, Yailin and Anuel AA separated, and she began to face life as a young single mother. She began collaborating with Tekashi69 — a controversial rapper with a history of legal troubles — on tracks like the bilingual “Shaka Laka” and the romantic-leaning “Pa’ Ti,” which fueled rumors of a romantic connection, as she navigated public scrutiny. The latter track, however, secured her her first top 10 on Hot Latin Songs, debuting and peaking at No. 6 that year in July. This year, she inked a deal with Roc Nation.
“I always say that God takes you on a path where you can learn,” she says. “Those things that happened to me, I think they were kind of forging me into who I am. But I know that God put me through that, so that I can be who I am today.”
“Bing Bong” marks her first chart appearance as a solo artist. Its success is particularly special to her, as it serves as both a creative milestone and a personal one. The inspiration behind the track was none other than her daughter. “Catta was the one who did the ‘aayyyy…’ [heard in the song]. She is the inspiration for ‘Bing Bong,’” she shares with pride. Being a single mother and balancing her demanding career hasn’t been easy, but her child has become her driving force. “Catta is like the engine of my life, like the motor. Everything I do is so that she can have a future and a very different life than the one I had.”
From her new grey eyes to her striking pink hair and daring outfits, the singer’s bold style is yet another way she showcases her individuality. “My look, the different things I do to myself, I change them a lot because I really like experimenting to see where I find myself,” she explains. “One of my goals is for my fans to identify with the style I have, [clothes] to be able to use it day to day, and for it not to be too expensive, so they feel good and can be different.”
As she continues growing her career, Yailin is focused on leaving an impact — not just as an artist, but as a humanitarian, of helping single mothers and children in need, even expressing her desire to one day adopt. “I have plans to help single mothers. I want that to be on my record, that I can make a plan, a foundation, something to support young single mothers,” she says, also adding, “I’ve always had a dream of adopting a baby.”
“The first thing I always want is for people to remember me as a girl who came from low-income backgrounds, who came from the bottom, from the Dominican Republic, who made it, who was able to go out and represent her country, and that this helps to put my country on high,” she says. “And as a person, that they remember me as the best mother Catta could have. May I always be seen as someone who loves her family, who is very grateful to her fans, and who appreciates the support. I see myself in the future as one of the most remembered artists of the Dominican Republic, who inspired many young people and that they know that I will always be the same Yailin.”
Name: Georgina Guillermo Díaz
Age: 22
Recommended Song: “My song ‘Bing Bong’ is like the seal of Yailin La Más Viral, because it was the song where I found myself. But if I can tell you the most important song that I have recorded, apart from that one, is ‘Mía,’ because it is the song for my daughter, where I express what she means to me.”
Biggest Accomplishment: “Many great things can come and go in life, but being Catta’s mom is my greatest accomplishment. [Professionally], I still feel like my biggest accomplishment hasn’t yet arrived.”
What’s Next: “For Yailin, la chivirica, putona, toda la chivirica, a lot of music and many surprises are coming. We have many projects: to bring out a makeup and clothing line. That the fans can identify with me, see that I wear this [clothing] and that it is not so expensive. To finish an album and do an international tour.”
Dua Lipa won a ruling Thursday (March 27) dismissing a copyright lawsuit claiming she copied her smash hit song “Levitating” from two different decades-old songs.
The case, filed in 2022 by songwriters L. Russell Brown and Sandy Linzer, accused Lipa of ripping off their 1979 song “Wiggle and Giggle All Night” and their 1980 song “Don Diablo.” The lawsuit was one of two high-profile copyright cases filed over “Levitating,” a massive hit that spent 77 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.
In her decision, Judge Katherine Polk Failla ruled that Lipa’s song shared only generic elements with Brown and Linzer’s songs — the kind of basic musical building blocks that are not covered by federal copyright law and cannot be owned by any one songwriter.
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“The court finds that a musical style, defined by plaintiffs as ‘pop with a disco feel,’ and a musical function, defined by plaintiffs to include ‘entertainment and dancing,’ cannot possibly be protectable,” the judge wrote. “To hold otherwise would be to completely foreclose the further development of music in that genre or for that purpose.”
The judge said that some of the material Brown and Linzer claimed Lipa stole — like a “patter style” featuring rapid singing of one syllable per note — had been “used for centuries” and existed in operas by Mozart and operettas by Gilbert and Sullivan. The judge said another allegedly infringing element, a rapid tempo, was also “common” and had appeared identically in “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees.
“It is possible that a ‘layperson’ could listen to portions of plaintiffs’ and defendants’ songs and hear similarities,” the judge said. “But … the similarity between the works concerns only non-copyrightable elements of the plaintiffs’ work.”
In a statement to Billboard, an attorney for Brown and Linzer said they “respectfully disagree” with the decision and would file an appeal.
“This case has always been about standing up for the enduring value of original songwriting, and we continue to believe in the strength of Mr. Brown and Mr. Linzer’s creative legacy,” attorney Jason T. Brown said. “There’s a growing disconnect between how these cases are decided — by academically analyzing briefs, bar lines, and musical notation — versus how audiences actually experience music.”
An attorney for Lipa did not immediately return a request for comment.
Released on Dua Lipa’s 2020 album Future Nostalgia, “Levitating” spent a whopping 41 weeks in the top ten of the Hot 100 — the longest ever such run for a female artist — and was later named the No. 1 Hot 100 song of 2021.
In early 2022, the star was sued over the track twice, both over accusations that she had lifted key elements from earlier songs. The first lawsuit came from a Florida reggae band named Artikal Sound System, which claimed Lipa lifted the core hook for her song from their 2015 “Live Your Life.” That case was dropped in 2023 after Lipa’s attorneys won a key early-stage ruling.
The second case came from Brown and Linzer, who alleged that Lipa had stolen the melody that starts just a few seconds into her song, when Lipa begins singing, “If you wanna run away with me…” They called it a “duplicate” of their own songs.
But in Thursday’s ruling, Judge Failla said that claim was merely over “a descending chord and the one additional note” — a “combination of two unprotectable elements” that she said are “not sufficiently numerous or original to constitute an original work entitled to copyright protection.”
In reaching that conclusion, the judge heavily cited from recent litigation against Ed Sheeran over accusations that his “Thinking Out Loud” infringed Marvin Gaye‘s “Let’s Get It On.” That case also ended with a ruling that Sheeran had used only common, unprotectible elements.
Suge Knight openly criticized Ye (formerly Kanye West) for his comments about Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s kids earlier this month during an explosive X tirade. Knight joined the Art of Dialogue podcast earlier this week, where he targeted West and put the embattled Chicago rapper on blast for his flagrant remarks about Jay and Bey’s seven-year-old […]
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Rapper Sexyy Red is facing a lawsuit from Nicole Barnes, the grandmother of her children. The grandmother claims that the artist publicly shared Barnes’ home address and encouraged her social media followers to harm her.
According to legal documents filed on Monday, Barnes alleges that in December 2024, Sexyy Red posted her address online and instructed her large fan base to “kick in the door” and do harm to her and her family. Barnes claims that this act left her in extreme fear for her safety, forcing her to flee her home and rendering her unable to return. As a result, she has struggled to find affordable housing and has been experiencing ongoing emotional distress. The lawsuit states that Barnes has been in therapy to cope with the trauma and anxiety caused by the incident.
In response to these alleged actions, Barnes is suing Sexyy Red for assault and infliction of emotional distress. She is seeking over $5 million in damages for the harm she has suffered. It remains unclear whether Sexyy Red has responded to the lawsuit or if she intends to fight the claims in court.
If Barnes’ allegations are proven, Sexyy Red could face serious legal and financial repercussions. The situation continues to develop as both sides prepare for a potential legal battle. More news to come as the story develops.