Nicki Minaj has agreed to pay Tracy Chapman $450,000 in a copyright infringement settlement over unauthorized sampling of Chapman's 1988 song "Baby Can I Hold You" in Minaj's unreleased track "Sorry."

Despite multiple requests, Chapman repeatedly denied permission to sample her work. Minaj proceeded to record "Sorry" featuring Nas but ultimately removed it from her 2018 album "Queen." However, the track leaked after being played once on Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show, leading to unauthorized online distribution.

A judge initially suggested the song could qualify as fair use since Minaj experimented with the sample and attempted to obtain proper licensing. However, rather than proceed to trial, both parties agreed to the settlement in late 2020.

Chapman addressed the resolution stating: "I was asked numerous times for permission to use my song; in each instance, politely and in a timely manner, I unequivocally said no. Apparently, Ms. Minaj chose not to hear and used my composition despite my clear and express intentions."

This settlement resolves one of multiple infringement claims surrounding Minaj's "Queen" album. She currently faces a separate $240 million lawsuit from rapper Brinx Billions over alleged unauthorized use of his track "Rich Sex" and unpaid royalties for "I Endorse These Strippers."

The case highlights ongoing tensions in hip-hop between sampling artistry and copyright protection, following other recent cases like Drake's successful fair use defense for sampling "Jimmy Smith Rap" without permission in "Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2."

Related Articles

Previous Articles