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Kanye West Among Rappers Named in Sample Lawsuit

The daughter of the late Joe Farrell, a hard-bop clarinetist, has filed an un-cleared sample lawsuit against Kanye West, Method Man, Redman, and the labels of all three artists. Kathleen Firrantello delivered the proper paperwork to the US District Court in New York, claiming that Farrell's 1974 song, "Upon This Rock," was used without permission in "Gone" (Kanye West), "Chi-City" (Common), and "Run 4 Cover" (Redman). The labels named in the suit include Island Def Jam Music Group, Roc-A-Fella, Interscope, Geffen, and A&M.

Firrantello is asking for punitive damages of no less than $1 million, not to mention the immediate removal of each song from stores and future performances.

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
05.23.08