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October 18, 2011 19:11

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Jay-Z and Kayne West sued over ‘Watch The Throne’ sample Jay-Z Tickets

Soul singer Syl Johnson is taking the rappers to court over their track 'The Joy'

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Jay-Z and Kanye West are being sued over an uncleared sample on their collaborative album ‘Watch The Throne’.

As previously reported in August, the rappers used a sample of soul singer Syl Johnson's 'Different Strokes' on their track 'The Joy', but according to Johnson's publishers, did so without his permission or any money changing hands.

Now Johnson is taking the hip-hop heavyweights to court, filing a lawsuit in Illinois over the sample.

According to a blog post from publishing group The Numero Group, Johnson, who has previously been sampled by the likes of Michael Jackson and Kid Rock, is well practised at pursuing legal action.

The post suggests that it was originally agreed that West could sample 'Different Strokes' for a bonus track on his last studio album, 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy', after a fee was agreed. However money never changed hands and Johnson remained unaware the song had been used until it appeared in the credits of 'Watch The Throne'.

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Date/Time Venue Town/City Seetickets Viagogo
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from £57

 

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