Kanye West Label Sued Over King Crimson Sample | Revolver

Kanye West Label Sued Over King Crimson Sample

West's 2010 song "Power" uses the chorus of "21st Century Schizoid Man"
Kanye King Crimson split image

One of the most unique samples in Kanye West's songbook is his use of "21st Century Schizoid Man" on his 2010 track "Power." In the widely popular rap song, West splices the chorus of King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King album opener into his own hook, using the 1969 track's futuristic proclamation as a description of his own controversial persona in the 21st century limelight. Unfortunately, a copyright holder of King Crimson's tune is suing West's label, Universal Music Group, for allegedly withholding sample royalties for "Power." 

As Variety reports, a mechanical rights holder of "21st Century Schizoid Man," Declan Colgan Music Ltd, is claiming that UMG isn't abiding by the agreed-upon streaming royalty rate that was negotiated back in 2010, after West had first uploaded "Power" to YouTube without officially clearing the sample for legal use. The legal agreement they drew up allegedly maintained that DCM's royalties would be distributed the same way West's are, and that they'd be paid an equal rate for both physical and streaming sales. 

According to DCM's lawyers, the rate UMG are paying for streams is insufficient, and less than what they would be making from CD sales, which, of course, are less prevalent today than they were when the contract was drawn up in 2010. 

DCM claim that UMG "has failed, and continues to fail, to comply with its royalty accounting obligations in respect of one mode of exploitation, namely the making available of the Power [r]ecording to consumers through so-called 'streaming' services."

In a Facebook post on his personal page, King Crimson founding guitarist Robert Fripp wrote, "There is a longer story to be told, and likely to astound innocents and decent, ordinary people who believe that one is paid equitably for their work, and on the appointed payday."