Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign have reached a settlement with the estate of the late Donna Summer in a copyright infringement lawsuit concerning an “unauthorized interpolation” in their song “Good (Don’t Die)” from the album Vultures 1.
According to court documents obtained by People, attorneys for both parties confirmed that a “full and final settlement of all of the claims in the action” has been reached.
As part of the agreement, each party will cover their respective legal costs.
Larry Stein, lead counsel for Summer’s estate, stated to Billboard that Kanye West will no longer be allowed to use the singer’s music.
“We did not license the song,” Stein said. “As part of the settlement, they have agreed not to distribute or otherwise use the song. So we got what we wanted.”
The lawsuit, filed in February, led to the removal of “Good (Don’t Die)”—which features an interpolation of Summer’s iconic “I Feel Love”—from streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.
The song remains unavailable. The estate alleged that Kanye and Ty Dolla Sign’s request to use the sample was denied, prompting them to re-record the melody “almost verbatim” using a singer who mimicked Summer’s voice, with slight changes to the lyrics.
Donna Summer, celebrated as the Queen of Disco, passed away in 2012 at the age of 63.
The controversy surrounding Vultures 1 extended beyond Summer’s estate. After a listening party in Chicago, Kanye was criticized by Ozzy Osbourne for sampling a portion of a 1983 live performance of “War Pigs” without permission. Osbourne stated on social media that he denied the request because Kanye “is an antisemite and has caused untold heartache to many.” The 75-year-old rocker added, “I want no association with this man!”
