Rapper Kidd Wes sues Childish Gambino for copyright infringement over song ‘This is America’

NEWS

By Pallavi Paul

American artist Emelike Nwosuocha famously known as Rapper Kidd Wes filed a copyright infringement suit in the New York Federal Court against American actor, Donald McKinley Grover famously known as Childish Gambino over substantial similarity between his song ‘Made in America’ and Gambino’s ‘This is America’. The defendants in the suit include the writers, producers, performers, record labels, publishers, distributors, managers, administrators and/or distributors of the infringing copyrighted song.

NEWS

By Pallavi Paul

Rapper Kidd claimed that the substantial similarities between both the songs include but are not limited to, nearly-identical unique rhythmic, lyrical and thematic compositional and performance content contained in the chorus or ‘hook’ sections that are centerpieces of both the songs. It is further stated that that Rapper Kidd displayed the song ‘Made in America’ and on platform Soundcloud in the year 2016 which was further released on free stream platform YouTube. Subsequent to this, he registered his full and exclusive copyright in the song with U.S Copyright Office, and the song was set to be released as the lead single in his then un-published upcoming album ‘Eleven: The Junior Senior Year’ in the year 2017.

NEWS

By Pallavi Paul

The song ‘This is America’ which was released in the year 2018 won the 2019 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and have generated massive revenue, praise and publicity since its initial public release. Gambino stated to have recorded his vocal performance of the raping in the song in his chorus’ lyrics while employing a distinct flow referred to as the ‘hip-hop’ music. Rapper Kidd claimed permanent injunction to restrain the defendants to cease infringement of his rights protected by the Copyright Act and monetary relief including actual damages and profits of the defendants as will be proved in the trial.