Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign are facing a new copyright infringement lawsuit after two music producers accused the duo of using a sample allegedly shared through a text message on their 2023 song “Vultures” without securing permission or providing compensation.
Producers Marlon Barrow, professionally known as Marlonwiththeglasses, and Jae Deal filed the lawsuit on November 6, 2026, in California federal court. The complaint names Ye, Ty Dolla $ign, Yeezy LLC, Yeezy Record Label and Create Music Group as defendants.
The producers claim that multiple versions of “Vultures” contain recognizable portions of their original 2018 composition, “Joint 2,” despite no licensing agreement being finalized.
How Did Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign Get the Alleged ‘Vultures’ Sample?
According to the complaint, the dispute began when Ty Dolla $ign reportedly heard “Joint 2” playing in the background during a phone conversation with Barrow.
Ty allegedly expressed interest in the instrumental and requested a copy after discussing the possibility of using it for an upcoming project.
Barrow subsequently sent Ty an MP3 file through a text message. However, the lawsuit claims the producer only shared the preliminary audio with the understanding that the higher-quality recording and individual instrumental tracks, known as stems, would be provided once a written agreement was reached.
The producers allege that Ty later shared the sample with Kanye West, and portions of the recording ultimately appeared on “Vultures” without the required authorization.
Although Barrow received a production credit, the lawsuit claims he was never compensated. Deal alleges he received neither payment nor proper credit for his contributions.
Producers Claim They Tried to Resolve the ‘Vultures’ Sample Dispute
The complaint alleges that Barrow and Deal attempted to address the unauthorized use shortly after “Vultures” was released in November 2023.
In December 2023, the producers reportedly sought to have the song removed from streaming platforms, including Spotify and YouTube.
They later discussed the dispute with producer 88-Keys, identified in the complaint as Yeezy's head of music, in January 2024.
According to the lawsuit, the producers maintained that they had never transferred ownership of their work or agreed to its use on the track.
In October 2024, attorneys representing Yeezy allegedly proposed a buyout settlement. However, Deal and Barrow rejected the offer, arguing that it failed to adequately address the sample's value, the alleged infringement and their concerns about missing credits.
Rather than accept the proposed payment, Deal reportedly demanded that the disputed versions of “Vultures” be removed until an acceptable agreement could be reached.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign Face Potential Damages in Copyright Case
The producers are now requesting a jury trial and seeking damages over the alleged unauthorized use of “Joint 2.”
Their lawsuit seeks financial compensation, including profits attributable to the alleged infringement or statutory damages. They are also requesting court orders that could restrict further use of the disputed material.
The complaint covers versions of “Vultures” released as singles, on the Vultures Pack EP and on Ye and Ty Dolla $ign's collaborative album Vultures 1, released in February 2024.
The case adds to the copyright disputes surrounding Ye's Vultures projects. In 2024, Donna Summer's estate also reached a settlement involving the alleged unauthorized use of her music on “Good (Don't Die).”