Tracy Chapman just got a copyright infringement stimmy after Nicki Minaj agreed to pay $450,000 to settle the lawsuit over her unreleased song, “Sorry.”
The track, featuring Nas, contained an uncleared sample of Tracy’s song, “Baby Can I Hold You.”
The song didn’t make Nicki’s album, Queen, because Tracy denied her clearance request.
According to the lawsuit, Nicki Minaj allegedly leaked the track to Funkmaster Flex, who teased it on social media before playing on his nationally-syndicated radio show.
Tracy Chapman is an artist and she’s sensitive about her shizznit. She told the New York Times in a statement:
As a songwriter and an independent publisher I have been known to be protective of my work. I have never authorized the use of my songs for samples or requested a sample. This lawsuit was a last resort.
Nicki Minaj’s attorney said the decision to settle the case is much more cost efficient than going to trial.
We settled for one reason only. It would have cost us more to go to trial.
Sometimes it’s just better to pay folks to go away.
Source: Rolling Stone
