Home / Arts and Entertainment / Ye Denies Sample Use in Donda Trial
Ye Denies Sample Use in Donda Trial
6 May
Summary
- Ye testified he followed standard procedures to clear Donda album samples.
- Producers claim uncleared samples were used in Donda demo versions.
- The lawsuit now focuses on demo listening party revenue, not final album sales.
Rapper Ye took the stand in federal court on Wednesday, May 5, 2026, to address a lawsuit concerning early versions of his songs "Hurricane" and "Moon" from the 2021 album Donda. Four music producers are alleging that Ye used uncleared samples of their instrumental track "MSD PT2" in demos played at a Donda pre-release listening party in July 2021. Ye asserted that his team followed the normal process to license the sample and that the producers were deliberately obstructive.
The lawsuit, initially filed in 2024, sought royalties from the commercially successful final versions of the songs. However, a judge dismissed most of the claims in February 2026, ruling that the plaintiffs only owned master recording rights, not composition rights. Consequently, the trial is now limited to claims related to the early Donda demos and the revenue generated from the Atlanta listening party, which included ticket sales, merchandise, and a $750,000 livestreaming deal with Apple Music.
During his testimony, Ye stated that he is a highly collaborative artist who prides himself on giving proper credit. He expressed a feeling that creators sometimes try to exploit him for more money than is due. He also attempted to diminish the potential damages, arguing that fans would have attended the listening party and purchased merchandise regardless of the specific music featured.
