Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s long-awaited ‘Vultures 2’ album dropped, but it’s already mired in controversy over unauthorized samples.
On the track “Field Trip,” featuring Playboi Carti, Kodak Black, and Don Toliver, the duo sampled Portishead’s “Machine Gun” without clearance. Geoff Barrow, Portishead’s co-founder, took to X (formerly Twitter) expressing frustration, referencing a similar issue with The Weeknd in 2013.
Portishead guitarist Adrian Utley confirmed Barrow’s complaint, responding: “Yep, fraid so.” Adding to the chaos, Swsh called out Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign for using her song “Break the Fall (Acoustic)” on the track “530” without permission. Swsh posted on Instagram, highlighting the unauthorized use with a mix of humor and annoyance.
It’s uncertain if these artists will pursue legal action, but the history isn’t on Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign’s side. The original ‘Vultures’ album faced similar disputes. They were sued by Donna Summer’s estate over the use of “I Feel Love” on “Good (Don’t Die)”, leading to the track’s removal from streaming platforms.
Additionally, Ozzy Osbourne criticized Kanye for using a sample of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” after being denied permission. Despite the backlash, Kanye replaced the sample with an interpolation of a previous track, avoiding further legal trouble.
The sampling saga doesn’t end there. ‘Vultures 2’ also includes samples from Leon Bridges and Led Zeppelin, the latter known for their stringent control over their music. These repeated incidents are sparking conversation among fans, some suggesting Kanye might have used AI to recreate his own voice on the album.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s ‘Vultures 2’ has stirred a hornet’s nest of sampling controversies, continuing a pattern seen with their previous work. Whether any legal actions will follow remains to be seen.
