Nicki Minaj wants Tracy Chapman’s lawsuit against her thrown out.
As Blavity reported, Chapman filed a suit against Minaj for copyright infringement last summer. However, Pitchfork reports Minaj didn’t respond until February 22. Chapman accused the rapper of using her song “Baby Can I Hold You” in the unreleased track “Sorry.”
Minaj famously asked permission to use the song on Twitter and had her team approach Chapman several times, but the latter didn’t budge.
“Sis said no,” Minaj later tweeted.
The day after the rapper released her Queen album, Funkmaster Flex posted "Sorry" online. The track was later taken down, but copies are available. Minaj’s legal team argues the song follows fair use guidelines and claims Chapman doesn’t own the copyright. The “Good Form” rapper wants the whole case dismissed.
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Chapman still has a case according to lawyer Bill Hochberg, who believes Minaj put herself in legal danger by using some of Chapman's lyrics in her song.
“It’s a strong case for Tracy Chapman, because it’s a wholesale lift of the lyric as the centerpiece of Minaj’s track,” Hochberg told Pitchfork. “It’s stronger than the ‘Blurred Lines’ case where you have two songs that really don’t sound alike other than an inspirational vibe, whereas here it’s word-for-word lifting.”
The case is still pending.
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