Seems The Rolling Stones (or the musical publishing company that owns the rights to their songs) are none too impressed that Lil Wayne sampled their classic 'Play with Fire' on his smash hit album 'Tha Carter III' without permission. Now they are suing his Weezy ass!
The story goes that Streetrunner, the producer of Lil Wayne's track 'Playing With Fire', re-did the beat since the sample was not cleared. But it was the lyrics, not the beat that caused the hitch, as the lyrics on the Weezy track still referenced The Rolling Stone song. Doh.
The story goes that Streetrunner, the producer of Lil Wayne's track 'Playing With Fire', re-did the beat since the sample was not cleared. But it was the lyrics, not the beat that caused the hitch, as the lyrics on the Weezy track still referenced The Rolling Stone song. Doh.
The company Abkco Music Inc claims that the Lil Wayne track was clearly derived from the Stones song with the original music and lyrics altered in a 'recognisable way'. The company also says in the suit that Wayne's version uses "explicit, sexist and offensive language" and might lead the public to believe the company and the Stones approved of and authorised the new version. God forbid. Especially since they themselves are such fine exemplars of the clean living lifestyle ahem...
You'd think Weezy, who has had the biggest sales of the year thus far with his new album, would tread a little more carefully before messing with The Stones; especially after the ageing rockers tore The Verve a new asshole for using a sample on their one and only hit 'Bittersweet Symphony'.
Despite popular belief that the sample was simply nicked, The Verve had actually negotiated a licensing agreement with The Stones to use the composition rights to the sample before the album was released. But when The Verve's album 'Urban Hymns' peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Charts, a bitter (and not so sweet) legal battle ensued, with The Stones arguing that The Verve had violated the previous licensing agreement by using too much of the sample in their song. The Verve argued that The Rolling Stones got greedy when the song became successful. The Verve continue to pay The Stones one hundred percent royalties.
Closer to home, the New Zealand outfit Fast Crew were delt a severe blow a few years ago after it was found that the Auckland hip-hop crew had used an unauthorised Eagles sample from 'Victim of Love' in their track 'It's the Incredible'. The unauthorised sample all but obliterated their efforts to break into the Australian market, with retailers asked to return all copies of their debut album 'Set the Record Strait' and copies of the offending single.
It may be a trap for young players but this sampling malarkey is serious business. Moral of the story? Artists had better hope that their label have their tricks strait (and samples cleared) otherwise 'borrowing' a few notes of someone else's song becomes as costly as cavorting with an underage hooker...
Still, we wonder if 'Tha Carter III' flopped would The Stones be going after Weezy?
By Penny Newton
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