Kanye West sued for $500,000 over 'Hurricane' copyright claims

Kanye West, now known as Ye, testified before a federal judge in downtown Los Angeles on the third day of a copyright infringement trial. The plaintiffs, Artist Revenue Advocates (ARA), a Texas‑based company representing four composers of the sample "MSD PT2," allege that Ye used the unlicensed sample in an early version of his Grammy‑winning song "Hurricane," performed at a listening event in Atlanta’s Mercedes‑Benz Stadium on July 22, 2021.

The lawsuit seeks roughly $564,000 in damages, calculated from a share of ticket sales, merchandise, streaming revenue and related product sales. Ye denied any wrongdoing, saying he follows the normal clearance process and that he "prides himself on giving people what they deserve." He responded to questions about changing lawyers and licensing representatives with "I don’t recall" and "I don’t remember," before his own counsel took over.

Earlier, a judge dismissed claims related to the underlying composition, ruling the musicians had previously signed contracts assigning their royalty rights. The composition claims remain barred unless amended in writing. The trial continues as both sides present evidence and testimony.