Sampling in the Hip Hop industry is a hazard and an homage. Rightfully used samples do wonders, while some can lead one to court. Kanye West has been falling into the copyright pit for some time now, and every other week, a new one comes up. Recently, West and Ty Dolla $ign's 'Vultures 2' has led to another court case.

The track ‘530’ from the album is alleged to have used a sample from the song ‘Break the Fall’ by the alternative R&B American artist Olivia Anne Quillin, professionally known as SWSH. Her lawsuit states that a section from the outro of her song containing her vocals was sampled for 'Vultures 2' track ‘530’. 

It specifically had the lyric– “Baby, yea, oh baby will pick up when you call" that was looped and used in the entire opening portion of ‘530’.

The complaint filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California, as reported by Complex, further alleges that the song ‘530’ was released on 'Vultures 2' in August 2024 without prior permission, and they were notified of the infringement, yet additional versions were released, including a standalone music video in January 2025.

This led to the allegations of ‘willful’ conduct, stating the action was done intentionally and with full knowledge of the sample creating copyright infringements.

The plaintiffs have demanded to halt the further distribution of the track, receive accounting details of the revenue, and be compensated for the losses incurred due to the usage of the song.

This is not the first time West has his name dragged into the copyright suits, nor is it his last. According to lists compiled by music industry outlets, West has faced a dozen-plus lawsuits over unlicensed samples. His 'Vultures' albums have been repeatedly entangled in the sampling disputes since their release in 2024.

Kanye West and his Vultures' legal disputes

Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign’s album 'Vultures 1' crossed with the disco icon Donna Summer, who sued West and $ign for interpolation of Summer’s 1977 hit ‘I Feel Love’ into their track ‘Good (Don’t Die)’ .

The case was later settled and dismissed on the terms that it would not be used by West & $ign in the future, nor would the songs stream on any platforms.

In a separate dispute, Memphis rappers and producers alleged that 'Vultures 1 used elements of their 1994 track ‘Drink a Yak (Part 2)’. The portions of the original soundtrack were incorporated into the song without proper clearance and permissions.

By mid 2025, Ty Dolla $ign and his label partner Create Music group came to a settlement, while West is still the active defendant. 

Though samples play a pivotal role in hip-hop culture, the usage of unauthorized samples challenges the law enforcement framework, even for a celebrity like West. As Kanye West continues to make music, so does his sampling disputes.

Have you heard the song ‘530’? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Sreelaxmi Nair

Edited by

Hriddhi Maitra