Kanye West has been ordered to pay more than $52,000 in attorneys' fees after a federal judge ruled his team slowed down discovery in a case over two tracks off his 2021 album, Donda.
The lawsuit was initiated by Artist Revenue Advocates, LLC, which alleges West illegally utilized copyrighted work done by DJ Khalil and three other artists on tracks "Moon" and "Hurricane." The collective believes the songs earned at least $15 million in revenue without proper clearance.
Court documents indicate West gave credit to the artists as songwriters and producers but never obtained formal clearance to use their work.
According to the court ruling, West's lawyers opposed all 65 requests for discovery and submitted no documents, forcing the plaintiffs to go to court seeking relief.
The court instructed DJ Khalil and the other artists to be provided with the materials requested by West's companies and to reimburse the legal expenses incurred to obtain compliance. Based on billing invoices, the magistrate established the amount at $52,015.
West's attorneys complained about the fee figure. In their pleading, they protested the award as excessive.
They stated that the group of lawyers representing the artists "utilized too many high-priced senior lawyers" and requested the court to lower the amount to $15,000.
The judge overruled those complaints. The ruling said that the magnitude of West's lawyers' opposition made the hours charged by the lawyers for the plaintiffs warranted.
The fee order is included in a broader case that is ongoing in federal court. Lawsuit filed in 2023 may decide if West and his companies are responsible for copyright infringement related to the two songs.
The news is the most recent of a line of legal wars for West, who has been sued over contracts, business arrangements, and previous music releases.
In other news, Kanye West, now known as Ye, revealed that he clashed with Jay-Z over a lyric in their 2021 Donda track "Jail." The disputed line — "Stop all of that red cap, we goin' home" — referenced Ye's support for Donald Trump and his MAGA hat, which he said symbolized breaking free from outside influence.
In a since-deleted X post on April 20, Ye wrote that Jay-Z's lyric "tore me to my soul," adding they fought over whether to keep it. Ye suggested Jay-Z may have been pressured into including the line.
Their disagreement highlights ongoing tensions despite their brief reunion after years of ups and downs since Watch the Throne.
Ye has previously apologized for personal attacks on Jay-Z's family but continues to express feelings of betrayal. Jay-Z has not responded to the latest claims.
© 2025 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
