The daughter of the late jazz saxophonist Joe Farrell (pictured) is suing Kanye West, three other rappers and several record labels for allegedly using samples from Farrell’s recordings without permission. Kathleen Firrantello claims that West and rappers Method Man, Redman and Common, as well as Island Def Jam Music Group, its label Roc-A-Fella Records, Universal Music Group and its label Interscope Records, Geffen Records, A&M Records and its parent company, Vivendi are all responsible for the unauthorized usage.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in New York, claims that the rappers used segments of Farrell’s 1974 composition “Upon This Rock” in three separate songs: West in “Gone,” Common in “Chi-City” and Method Man and Redman in their song “Run 4 Cover.” Firrantello seeks punitive damages of at least $1 million and the cessation of sales of the named recordings.
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