News: Lil' Kim Accused Of Stealing Lyrics From Reggae Singer
Just when it looked as though Lil' Kim's legal troubles were behind her, being that she was just released from prison, another suit comes out the woodworks.
Tanya Stephens, a Jamaican reggae singer/songwriter, filed suit in a Manhattan federal court last week, claims that Kim had stolen lyrics from her for her 2005 album, The Naked Truth.
The suit comes from a meeting between the two artists in 1999, when Kim flew Stephens to New York to record for one of her albums. Stephens says that the lyrics of Kim's track "Durty" match almost verbatim with her song "Mi and Mi God" recorded in Jamaica and released in 1997.
Stephens cites that -- due to the track being so similar -- she should retain the rights to it and receive all past and future royalties.
"The lawsuit against Atlantic Records and Lil' Kim is the result of Royalty Networks Inc's failed attempts to extract unreasonable sums and percentages of Lil' Kim's new song for an interpolated use of a song, which happens all the time in hip-hop," said Lil' Kim's attorney L. Londell McMillan, who denies the accusations.
"There are no damages to Tanya Stephens, they never objected until after their efforts failed, and Kim was and remains willing to be fair. This matter should have been resolved but it appears to be another money and media play at Lil' Kim's expense. This issue was no secret. Kim was advised licenses were obtained by those who handle clearances at the time. We shall defend this action," continued McMillan.
Stephens is a popular reggae singer/songwriter, whose current single "These Streets" moved to the #3 spot in Jamaica last week. The single is from her new album, Rebelution, which hits stores Tuesday (August 29) on VP Records.
The lawsuit comes after Kim's July 3rd prison release, which she had served 10 months of for lying to a grand jury about a shooting that erupted outside radio station Hot 97 in lower Manhattan when her posse clashed with rapper Foxy Brown's.
She also completed her house arrest on August 3. www.ballerstatus.netLIL' KIM'S LAWYER TO FIGHT ‘DURTY': Reggae singer sues rapper for alleged sampling of track without permission; Kim's attorney responds.
Looks like Lil' Kim will be back in a courtroom soon due to a lawsuit filed against her by reggae artist Tanya Stephens, who claims the rapper illegally borrowed her music and lyrics for a track on her latest album, "The Naked Truth." Kim's entertainment attorney L. Londell McMillan was quick to release a statement addressing the lawsuit, which claims that Stephens' track "Mi and Mi God" was swiped by the Brooklyn MC for her song "Durty." Alleging the lyrics are nearly identical to her 1997 track, Stephens seeks all past and future royalties in connection with the song, and asks for ownership of the material as well, reports the New York Post.
"The lawsuit against Atlantic Records and Lil Kim is the result of Royalty Networks Inc's failed attempts to extract unreasonable sums and percentages of Lil Kim's new song for an interpolated use of a song which happens all the time in Hip Hop," McMillan responded in a statement. "There are no damages to Tanya Stephens, they never objected until after their efforts failed, and Kim was and remains willing to be fair.
"This matter should have been resolved but it appears to be another money and media play at Lil Kim's expense. This issue was no secret. Kim was advised licenses were obtained by those who handle clearances at the time. We shall defend this action."
In the suit filed last week in Manhattan federal court, Stephens also says that Kim (born Kimberly Jones) flew her out to New York in 1999 and requested that she sing on one of her albums. According to the complaint, Kim even used the occasion to sing Stephens a rendition of "Mi and Mi God" to prove how much of a fan she is.
Stephens then sang with Kim, but the vocals never made the album.
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