Kanye West Found Guilty of Copyright Infringement in ‘Hurricane’ Sampling Case

A jury in Los Angeles has ruled that Kanye West is responsible for copyright infringement tied to his song "Hurricane," part of his 2021 album Donda, ordering him and his companies to pay a total of $438,558 in damages.

According to Billboard, the decision came after a weeklong federal trial that focused on whether West improperly used an unreleased demo track called "MSD PT2" in an early version of "Hurricane."

Jurors found that the sample was used without proper clearance during a high-profile listening event held in Atlanta, where the song was played for tens of thousands of fans.

The ruling states that West personally owes part of the damages, while his companies are also responsible for additional payments, bringing the total financial penalty to just under half a million dollars.

The case centered on a one-minute instrumental created by four musicians who said they shared the beat through a producer who eventually reached West's team. The artists testified that they were surprised to later hear their work used in an early version of "Hurricane," which was performed during West's massive Donda listening concert and streamed online.

Kanye West Faces Damages for Copyright Infringement

Their legal team argued that the sample was a key part of the song's appeal at the event and said West earned millions from ticket sales, merchandise, and streaming deals tied to the performance. They also claimed the musicians never agreed to the use of the material and were not properly compensated.

"This case makes no sense," West's defense attorney, Eduardo Martorell, argued in court, claiming the artists had previously shown interest in working with the rapper and that credits were later given even after changes were made to the song, Rolling Stone reported.

West himself testified during the trial, saying he believed he followed the usual process for clearing samples and insisted he often tries to fairly credit collaborators. However, jurors ultimately sided with the plaintiffs, agreeing that the sample was used without proper authorization during the early version of the track.

The final version of "Hurricane" released on Donda was altered to remove the direct sample, but the jury focused on the earlier performance that had already been publicly shared and monetized.

Legal representatives for the musicians said the ruling was a win for independent artists seeking fair treatment in the music industry.

A spokesperson for West criticized the outcome, calling the lawsuit unfair and arguing that the damages were far below what had originally been demanded.

Tags

Kanye West, Copyright infringement