Kanye West Claims He Didn't Need Permission To Use "Kids See Ghosts" Sample: Report

BYAron A.5.9K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images
(L-R) Kid Cudi and Kanye West attend the 2012 BET Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on July 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Ronald Oslin Bobb-Semple sued Kanye West and Kid Cudi for sampling “The Spirit of Marcus Garvey" without clearing it.

Kanye isn't denying that he sampled Ronald Oslin Bobb-Semple's work but he is denying that he did anything wrong. According to The Blast, Kanye West claims he didn't need permission to sample Bobb-Semple's work on Kids See Ghosts because it falls under fair use. Ye told the court that his actions were "innocent" and now, he wants the case tossed. 

Earlier this year, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Ty Dolla $ign, along with Def Jam and Universal Music, were sued by Ronald Oslin Bobb-Semple over the use of "The Spirit Of Marcus Garvey." Bobb-Semple accused the parties of not clearing the sample for the intro of "Freee (Ghost Town Pt. 2)" off of Kids See Ghosts. Bobb-Semple claimed Kanye and Cudi sample his work and "exploited the actual voice, words and performance of Bobb-Semple, without authorization."

Bobb-Semple argued that they never even asked for permission nor did he receive any sort of payment from the use of his work. The suit reads, “Bobb-Semple’s voice and authorship is heard in the introductory words of Freeee.” 

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

"The Spirit Of Marcus Garvey (Garvey speaks to an all-Black audience)" is a presentation made by Bobb-Semple in tribute to the late Marcus Garvey. Bobb-Semple has reportedly been touring this presentation around the globe for decades. Semple said that while Kanye West, Cudi, and Ty Dolla $ign have made a significant profit off of the song, he hasn't seen a dime. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
...