Kanye West Finally Settles “Vultures 1” Sample Dispute

BY Caroline Fisher
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Kanye West Settles Dispute
Jul 26, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Recording artist Kanye West performs during the closing ceremony for the 2015 Pan Am Games at Pan Am Ceremonies Venue. Jeff Swinger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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In 2024, Kanye West was sued by three artists who accused him of illegally sampling their song on "Vultures 1."

Kanye West has dealt with no shortage of legal issues over the years. Fortunately for him, however, he's now able to put one of the behind him. According to Billboard, he recently settled a lawsuit filed against him by Criminal Manne (Vanda Watkins), DJ Squeeky (Hayward Ivy), and Kilo G (Robert L. Johnson Jr.).

In it, they alleged that Ye illegally sampled their song “Drink a Yak (Part 2)” on his 2024 Vultures 1 track with Ty Dolla $ign, “Fuk Sumn." A rep for the Chicago hitmaker allegedly reached out to the artists in an attempt to clear the samples legally. Allegedly, however, no agreement was ever reached.

"After numerous unsuccessful attempts at resolving this matter directly with the responsible parties, plaintiffs have been left with no other method of recourse than to bring this cause of action,” the plaintiffs' attorneys wrote.

Kanye West's BULLY Release Date

Syndication: Knoxville
Kanye West enters the annual Strength to Stand Youth Conference at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. Kanye West and his 100-member Sunday Service Choir performed along with West's pastor, Adam Tyson. Calvin Mattheis / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Yesterday (March 18), both parties confirmed that they've “reached a settlement agreement in principle resolving all claims between them." At the time of writing, details of the settlement have not been made public.

News of Ye's settlement comes just a few days before he's expected to drop his long-awaited twelfth studio album, BULLY. He's been teasing the project for some time now. Earlier this month, billboards popped up in L.A. featuring what appeared to be a hint about the project's release date.

The supposed hint in question was simply the date March 27, 2026. It was previously reported by Rolling Stone that the album would drop on March 20, though knowing Ye, it's very possible that things have changed. The upcoming LP is said to feature themes of “remorse, memory, ego, faith, and consequence." 

About The Author
Caroline Fisher is a News Writer at HotNewHipHop from Chicago, Illinois. She started at HNHH this year, and has since spent her time writing about all that is newsworthy in the world of hip-hop. With a drive for hunting down the hottest stories, she enjoys documenting new developments in culture and entertainment. She also has an appreciation for hip-hop and seeks to cover the most important trends and shifts. She has a Bachelor of Arts which she received at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Having graduated in 2022, she majored in English with a concentration in Media, Rhetoric and Cultural Studies. Specializing all things music, pop culture and entertainment, some of her favorite musical artists include Snoop Dogg, OutKast, and Nicki Minaj. When she’s not writing about music she’s also a fan of attending shows, watching the latest movies, staying up-to-date with current events, photography, and poetry.

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