Why American songwriters are suing each other

“YOU MOTHERFUCKERS owe me!” raps Donald Glover, better known as Childish Gambino, in his chart-topper of 2018, “This is America”. Yet according to a complaint filed in a New York court on May 6th, it is Mr Glover who is indebted. Emelike Nwosuocha, a Florida rapper known as Kidd Wes, says “This is America” borrows from his own work of 2016, “Made in America”. Mr Glover has not commented.

Listen to this story

Your browser does not support the <audio> element.

The complaint, which experts consider thin, is the latest in an outbreak of musical copyright claims. Between 1844 and 2014 no more than eight such cases a

→ Continue reading at The Economist

Similar Articles

Advertisment

Most Popular