Kanye West is facing another courtroom defeat after a jury ruled against him in a copyright case connected to his Donda listening party.
The lawsuit centered on an early version of “Hurricane” that Ye performed during a 2021 event at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Four musicians claimed the track included an uncleared sample of an instrumental composition they created in 2018.
Although the sample was later removed from the official release of “Hurricane,” the plaintiffs argued they were still entitled to compensation because the listening event generated income through ticket sales, merchandise and related promotions.
“There was no deal, no agreement, no license, and no clearance,” lawyer Irene Lee said during court proceedings.
A jury sided with the musicians, awarding them a six-figure payout.
Ye, who appeared in court during the trial, defended himself by saying, “I pride myself on giving people what they deserve.”
“As I sit in this courtroom today, I just think people are trying to make more than they otherwise would because it’s me,” he added.
The four plaintiffs had also sought out additional money for the final commercial release of “Hurricane,” though that portion of the case was dismissed earlier this year.
A spokesperson for Ye responded to the ruling, calling the lawsuit a “failed shakedown.”
The case is Ye’s second legal loss this year, following another judgment ordering him to pay $140,000 to a handyman who claimed he was not compensated for work completed at the rapper’s Malibu mansion.