Kanye West Sued for Unauthorized Audio Sample in Song

Photo agency Bauer-Griffin has filed a lawsuit against Kanye West (Ye), rapper French Montana, and others, alleging that audio from a copyrighted video of West's 2013 confrontation with a photographer was used without permission in the 2024 song "Where They At" from Montana's album Mac & Cheese 5. The video, recorded in May 2013 outside a Los Angeles restaurant, shows West shouting at paparazzi. Bauer-Griffin claims the audio was sampled at the beginning of the track, constituting "blatant and willful" copyright infringement. The agency's lawyers argue that the defendants knew licensing was required, given the music industry's understanding of copyrights. The lawsuit seeks to vindicate exclusive rights, noting the infringing record's wide distribution on streaming platforms. West has a history of legal disputes with photographers, including a 2023 case over unauthorized use of a Magnum photo for an album cover and another over unpaid fees for a photo shoot.