For most of his career, Kendrick Lamar has done a great job steering away from factors that have played a major role in many rapper’s downfall. But everyone hits a bump in the road every now and then, and Lamar happens to be the latest victim.
Lamar and his label, Top Dawg Entertainment, are being sued by Mattie Music Group, the company that owns the rights to Bill Withers’ 1975 track “Don’t You Want to Stay”. The company is suing the 28 year old Compton rapper for sampling the record on his 2009 track, “I Do This”, off of The Kendrick Lamar EP without permission.
The suit filed by Mattie Music Group reads, “The musical composition “I Do This” consists of nothing more than new, so-called Rap or Hip Hop lyrics, set to the existing music of “Don’t Want You To Stay.” The plaintiffs are pursuing unspecified damages, accusing Lamar, Warner Bros. Music, TDE, Hard and Warner/Chappell of copyright infringement.
Lamar has yet to address the matter.
Check out Lamar’s “I Do This” below!
