When musicians here in New York and all over the world create a song, they may feel a sense that they are creating an artistic representation of themselves. It’s common these days for other musicians and singers to ask to sample a portion of another musician’s song. When that happens through the proper legal and artistic channels, it can be a mutually-beneficial collaboration. However, there are times that some artists may use a portion of a song without obtaining the proper permission from the creator in violation of copyright law. This is what the members of the band Yellowcard say happened to one of their songs, and they say they’ll continue their lawsuit despite the death of the rapper at the center of their claims.
Yellowcard says that the rapper known as Juice WRLD copied their song “Holly Wood Died” and used several portions of it in his song “Lucid Dreams.” Yellowcard even went so far as to say that parts of the two songs are identical. They released their song in 2006.
Juice WRLD died very recently from a seizure. However, he is not the only artist that the band named in their lawsuit. The suit also names two other co-writers and producers, in addition to the label and sub-label that represented the rapper.
Though the members of Yellocard expressed sympathy at Juice WRLD’s death, their legal team reports that they still intend to pursue their civil claim, which asks for $15 million. They believe that the rapper and the other defendants profited off of the use of the song without getting proper permission. The band believes it is doing what is right to protect its copyright.
However this particular case turns out, it only shows how important it is for artists of all levels to ensure that their artistic creations have a level of protection. An attorney here in New York who specializes in copyright law can help artists of all mediums safeguard their work. It might be the most important business decision an artist ever makes.