Kanye West Accuses Others of Exploitation During High-Stakes Court Testimony

Kanye West, now legally known as Ye, told a court on Wednesday (May 6) that he believes "a lot of people try to take advantage" of him as he testified in a high-stakes copyright trial linked to his 2021 album Donda.

The case focuses on claims that early versions of Ye's songs "Hurricane" and "Moon" used elements from the track "MSD PT2" without proper permission.

The producers behind the original song are seeking $500,000 in damages, arguing that their work was used in demo versions performed during a 2021 listening event at a stadium in Atlanta, NME reported.

Ye told the court he followed proper procedures to clear samples and insisted he treats collaborators fairly.

"I pride myself on giving people what they deserve," he said while on the stand, explaining that credit and royalties are part of his creative process. However, he also pushed back strongly against the accusations, suggesting that the lawsuit is motivated by money rather than fairness.

"I feel like a lot of people try to take advantage of me," Ye said. "As I sit in this courtroom today, I just think people are trying to make more than they otherwise would because it's me."

Kanye West Pushes Back on Profit Claims

According to Billboard, the trial centers on whether the early versions of the songs helped generate income from ticket sales, merchandise, and a reported $750,000 streaming deal tied to the Donda listening event.

The producers argue that those performances included their work and contributed to the event's financial success. Ye disagreed with that idea, telling jurors that fans attend his events regardless of specific songs.

"People came to hear whatever I was going to play that was new," he said. "Often people buy merch before they even hear the music."

The lawsuit was filed in 2024 by four musicians, including DJ Khalil and Sam Barsh, through a business entity. A judge previously narrowed the case, allowing it to focus only on the demo performances rather than the final released versions of the songs.

During his testimony, Ye remained mostly calm as he defended his role in the creative process and emphasized his long history as a collaborative artist.

Tags

Kanye West, Album