ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Kanye West is being sued by the parents of the little girl praying in his 'Ultralight Beam' song

kanye west
  • The parents of the little girl whose voice was used in Kanye West's song "Ultralight Beam" say in a new lawsuit they never received a proper request for permission or any payment from the audio usage from the rapper.
  • The parents of Natalie Green, the child whose prayer went viral in a January 2016 Instagram video, say West's camp sought permission from her birth mother, who wasn't the child's legal guardian.
  • The lawsuit also claims that the birth mother didn't receive any licensing agreement or money from the track that she was promised.

The parents of the little girl whose voice was used in one of Kanye West's songs say in a new lawsuit that the rapper didn't seek proper permission for the audio and they never received any payment.

In the beginning of "Ultralight Beam," a song from Kanye West's 2016 album The Life of Pablo, a little girl can be heard saying "We don't want no devils in this house, we want the Lord."

The audio clip originated in an Instagram video, which the lawsuit describes as then-toddler Natalie Green "praying over" one of the defendants in the case.

N.G., as the child is referred to in the suit, and Samoria Green's responses can be heard in the final version of the song.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Instagram video went viral in early 2016, and according to the lawsuit, one of West's representatives sought permission to use the audio in February 2016, seemingly days before West played the song at a Madison Square Garden listening party and announced Life of Pablo was available for streaming while performing "Ultralight Beam" on Saturday Night Live's February 13 episode

However, the suit, which was first reported by TMZ , says the child's legal parents adopted Natalie in 2012, six years before the song's 2016 debut. In seeking permission for the clip, Kanyes representatives sought permission from the child's birth mother Alice Johnson, who was not the childs legal guardian.

The suit also says that though Johnson was not legally able to grant permission, she never received a written license agreement or any money for the sample from West's team.

The Greens are seeking part of the song's profits and other damages.

This is the latest legal trouble for West, who last month landed in hot water with a supplier that claims he didn't pay for over $600,000 of fabric he ordered for his fashion label Yeezy.

ADVERTISEMENT

Read more:

Enhance Your Pulse News Experience!

Get rewards worth up to $20 when selected to participate in our exclusive focus group. Your input will help us to make informed decisions that align with your needs and preferences.

I've got feedback!

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT