Grammy-winning singer and rapper Lizzo has found herself in legal hot water once again and this time over an alleged uncleared sample used in an unreleased track.
According to court papers filed on Tuesday in California, a Georgia-based company called The GRC Trust has sued Lizzo for reportedly using parts of their copyrighted song without permission.
The controversy began after Lizzo posted a short clip on social media back in August. In the video, she performed a portion of a song that fans identified as ‘I’m Goin’ In Till October’. The snippet appeared to include elements from “Win or Lose (We Tried),” a track that GRC Trust claims to represent for publishing.
During the same video, Lizzo jokingly referenced actress Sydney Sweeney and her American Eagle campaign saying, “I got good jeans like I’m Sydney.”
However behind the scenes, the post seems to have sparked a much more serious issue. Court filings show that Jimmy Ginn, who owns the publishing rights for ‘Win or Lose (We Tried)’ in the BMI music database, and Sam Dees, the credited composer, are both linked to the complaint.
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The lawsuit accuses Lizzo and her record label, Atlantic Records, of profiting from the unauthorised use of the sample. GRC Trust’s legal team claims that the song’s creators “obtained profits they would not have realised but for their infringement” and said attempts to resolve the matter privately failed, forcing them to take legal action.
The company is now demanding that Lizzo and Atlantic hand over any profits earned from the song along with additional damages and legal fees.
This isn’t the first time GRC Trust has targeted major artists. Just last month, the company filed another lawsuit; this time against Kanye West, his brand Yeezy, and collaborators Kano and Vory, accusing them of using an unauthorised sample from ‘Always Keep Your Love (Just Out of My Reach)’ in West’s track ‘Lord Lift Me Up’.
Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, has not yet publicly commented on the lawsuit. Popular for her chart-topping hits like ‘About Damn Time’ and ‘Truth Hurts’, the singer has built a reputation for empowerment and self-love.