Who’s “gold diggin” in your pockets Ye?
Kanye West is now facing a multimillion-dollar-lawsuit for infringement on his 2005 hit single Gold Digger! The track off of Yeezy’s l
Late Registration album mainly samples Ray Charles ‘ I Got a Woman, but also allegedly borrows David Pryor’s “Get Down Get Down” chant from his 1974 track with Thunder & Lightning, Bumpin’ Bus Stop at least 50 times!
However, David Pryor was incredibly ill back in 2005, and passed away in 2006, never knowing where his voice had ended up!
Attorney Courtney M.Coates explains:
“The complaint makes clear that ‘Gold Digger’ was released in 2005 while David Pryor was in a convalescent hospital suffering from a host of severe mental and physical disabilities, including senile dementia, cerebrovascular disease, prostate cancer, epilepsy, and diabetes. He died in May 2006 from cerebrovascular disease without having any knowledge that his voice was being exploited by other artists for commercial profit. After David Pryor died, [daughter Trena and son Lorenzo] discovered Pryor’s song in late 2010, but they could not secure rights to the song until Pryor’s estate was probated and a final determination of heirs was made in 2011. In 2012, the family obtained all of the necessary information required to file this substantial lawsuit against Kanye and others. [We are] putting all record companies on notice that they will be sued if they continue to steal and exploit David Pryor’s vocal performance in ‘Bumpin’ Bus Stop’ without the family’s permission.”
They are demanding millions in damages from Kanye, Roc-A-Fella Records, UMG’s Island Def Jam, and have requested an injunction to prevent any of his unauthorized work to be utilized!
Fair Enough..Im sure Yeezy didn’t see this coming 8 years later!
Listen to both versions here:
