German Singer Filed a Copyright Lawsuit Against Kanye West
In today’s news of “What did Kanye West do now,” the “Slow Jamz” rapper is accused of sampling German singer-songwriter Alice Merton’s track “Blindside” in his 2023 song “Gun to My Head” without permission. Merton filed a complaint, alleging that West engaged in “massive and continuing unauthorized commercial exploitation” of her song, according to USA Today.
Kanye West Reached Out for Approval—But Got Denied
As reported by Variety, West initially reached out to Merton’s publisher, BMG, for approval to sample her song. However, the request was denied, and West’s representatives asked for an explanation. 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.” This decision was influenced by Merton’s personal connection to the Holocaust, as she has Jewish family members who survived its horrors. Given West’s recent string of anti-Semitic remarks, it’s no surprise that Merton declined his request.
Despite the denial, West went ahead and used Merton’s song, which ultimately led to the lawsuit.
In the complaint, Merton also revealed that after the release of Vultures 2, which features “Gun to My Head,” West’s fans began threatening her when the song didn’t appear on the initial tracklist. BMG followed up with a cease-and-desist letter after Vultures 2 dropped, further escalating the issue of copyright infringement.
Merton expressed concerns for her safety, explaining that the situation had impacted her career. She was unable to return to the U.S. to tour and stopped performing “Blindside” at shows due to “fears of confrontation or potential violence.” To make matters worse, BMG never received a response to their cease-and-desist letter.
Lawsuits Against West for Sampling Illegally
Merton is far from the first artist to sue Ye for illegal sampling. According to Billboard, the controversial rapper has faced 14 lawsuits over similar issues. Before Merton, the most recent lawsuit was filed in July 2024 by the company that owns “MSD PT2,” an instrumental track West used in his songs “Hurricane” and “Moon” from his Donda album. While West did credit the track’s four creators, the lawsuit alleges that he acted brazenly by using their work after they refused to license it to him.
This case is still ongoing.
