Drake and Chris Brown Hit with $5 Million Lawsuit Over "No Guidance" Copyright Claims
Drake and Chris Brown face a $5 million copyright lawsuit over their hit song "No Guidance," with allegations of unauthorized sampling and creative infringement.
Drake wearing yellow durag portrait
Maleah Dore, the plaintiff, claims "No Guidance" copied multiple elements from her 2016 song "I Got It," including chord progressions, tempo, melody, and lyrics. The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey, also names producer Anderson "Vinylz" Hernandez, who allegedly discovered Dore's song on YouTube before working with Drake and Brown.
The legal action extends beyond the artists, targeting YouTube and Google for removing a copyright comparison video that demonstrated similarities between both songs. This removal has sparked discussion about how tech platforms handle copyright disputes involving high-profile cases.
This isn't an isolated incident for Drake and Brown, who previously faced similar allegations from artists Brandon Cooper and Timothy Valentine over "I Love Your Dress." The artists denied those claims, citing the vast volume of music released today as a factor in coincidental similarities.
The case highlights significant challenges in modern music copyright:
- Digital platforms making vast music catalogs readily accessible
- Difficulty in distinguishing between inspiration and infringement
- Complex nature of sampling and remixing in hip-hop and R&B
- Need for clearer boundaries in creative attribution
The lawsuit's outcome could significantly impact how artists approach collaborations, sampling, and credit attribution in the future, potentially leading to stricter copyright enforcement standards across the music industry.
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