Amaru Ent., UMG Hit With $10 Million Lawsuit Over Classic Hip-Hop Break 'Last Ni

[KURUPTION-81]

Afeni Shakur's Amaru Entertainment and Universal Music Group have been hit with a lawsuit by R&B/Jazz singer Esther Williams, who claims Tupac Shakur and Ghostface Killah both separately used her music without permission.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Washington D.C. Federal Court, seeks $10 million dollars in damages, claiming Shakur used her often-sampled single "Last Night Changed It All" without permission on the song "Late Night," from Shakur's 2002 double album Better Dayz, which is the rapper's fourth posthumous album.

In a separate incident also specified in the lawsuit, Williams claims Ghosface Killah also illegally sampled her 1976 tune on a skit titled "Last Night Skit," which is contained on Ghost Face's critically acclaimed 2004 release, The Pretty Toney Album.

Williams, a former Miss Black D.C., has worked with a number of artists, including Davey Yarborough, Sir Roland Hanna, Bobby Felder and has opened for the likes of The Temptations, Peaches and Herb.

In 1998, Williams and her husband Davey Yarborough created the Washington Jazz Arts Institute, a Washington D.C. based nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and mentoring young and aspiring musicians.

Williams had no comment when contacted by AllHipHop.com, due to pending litigation.

http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=6963

[J$crILLa]

she tryin to get some loot

[Lord Funk]

On a side note, won't Quik be dragged into this, being that he produced the track and almost certainly chose the sample? After the 'Addictive' fiasco, fucking up again on clearance isn't a good look for him.

Lucky his new music only involves using a Casio keyboard, I guess.

[No Compute]

Last night changed it all I really had a ball

that's a lot of money

[R-Tistic]

Lucky his new music only involves using a Casio keyboard, I guess.

LMAO, wow. Cold game

[Shawn Nutt]

damn, seems like Pac's had just as many lawsuits in death than when he was alive.

lol

[3331]

what a money hungry cunt

[Suga Foot]

On a side note, won't Quik be dragged into this, being that he produced the track and almost certainly chose the sample? After the 'Addictive' fiasco, fucking up again on clearance isn't a good look for him.

It probably depends on the publishing.  If quik didn't make any money off it, how can they sue him?  It's usually not up to the producer to get clearance, that's the labels responsibility.

[floatin_above_everything]

Someones always tryna come up. You can tell alot about a person's character from this. She can't make the money herself, so she's gotta "steal" from people who do.

[TuSlic]

^ like they stole the sample with out getting clearence?

[floatin_above_everything]

^ like they stole the sample with out getting clearence?

Well, I've always thought that people should be allowed to sample whatever the hell they want. I know there's a lot of logic missing from that, but hip-hop could be considerably better if sampling laws were a little bit lighter. I know I'm not 100% right on this, people have a right to have there music used how they want, just stating my opinion.

[dredayeverydayy]

10 mil damn!

[Blu Lacez]

damn, seems like Pac's had just as many lawsuits in death than when he was alive.

looks Like It Playa-Darn Shame!!