A federal jury has ruled that Kanye West must pay more than $400000 after determining that an uncleared sample was used during the creation of “Hurricane,” one of the standout records tied to his Donda era.
The decision stems from an earlier version of the song that debuted during the album’s listening sessions, where jurors found that material from a demo had been incorporated without proper authorization. That finding resulted in financial liability not just for West personally, but across multiple entities connected to his business operations.
According to the breakdown, West himself is responsible for $176,153, with Yeezy LLC carrying an identical amount. Additional penalties were assigned to Yeezy Supply, which must pay $41,625, and Mascotte Holdings, which was ordered to cover $44,627. Combined, the judgment pushes the total well into six figures.
The lawsuit was initiated by Artists Revenue Advocates on behalf of four musicians behind a one minute instrumental titled “MSD PT2,” which the plaintiffs argued served as the structural foundation for the early version of “Hurricane.” While the final release, featuring The Weeknd and Lil Baby, no longer contained the sample, the case centered on its initial use without clearance.
Following the verdict, Artists Revenue Advocates manager Britton Monts framed the outcome as a meaningful moment for independent creators navigating disputes with major artists.
“The underdogs got their day in court,” Monts said, pointing to the challenges working musicians face when confronting high profile figures without comparable resources.
Monts also indicated that further legal action is on the horizon, with plans to appeal a separate copyright issue tied to what is being described as an interpolation used in the final version of the track, a move that could potentially increase the financial stakes.
Testimony during the trial revealed that the musicians were initially encouraged when they heard the snippet previewed publicly, believing it could lead to proper credit and compensation. That expectation ultimately turned into litigation once those terms were not finalized.
West’s attorney, Eduardo Martorell, maintained that the artists were acknowledged as songwriters even after the sample was removed, noting that their representatives secured a combined 30 percent share of composition royalties during the legal process.
A spokesperson for West pushed back on the broader implications of the ruling, dismissing the case as an overreach.
“This is a failed shakedown. Six months ago, they wanted $30 million out of Ye,” the representative said, adding that the cost of pursuing the case far outweighed the final judgment. “The moral of the story? There is a cost attached to thinking you can take advantage of Ye.”
Despite the pushback, the ruling stands as another reminder of how sample clearance disputes continue to shape the business side of Hip Hop, where even unfinished versions of songs can carry significant legal consequences.
