Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd are in the clear! Their hit record "Pray For Me," which was featured on Marvel's Black Panther soundtrack, became anthemic in its connection to Wakanda. Rock band Yeasayer sued K.Dot and The Weeknd, claiming they stole a “distinctive choral performance” from their 2007 track. The band claimed “Pray For Me” lifted “male voices singing in their highest registers with animated, pulsing vibrato.” Producers Doc McKinney and Frank Dukes were also listed in the lawsuit for “keeping the same number of voices in the same configuration, brightening the material and temporarily condensing the copied portion while generally retaining the original’s pulsing vibrato.”
According to Billboard, Yeasayer has dropped their lawsuit against the rapper and singer. The Weeknd, Frank Dukes, and Universal Music Group denied the allegations from the jump. K. Dot, Doc McKinney, Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Records, and Interscope Records ignored the accusations for the most part, and weren’t named in the dismissal.
Meanwhile, fans are anxious to hear Kendrick's new material. It has been rumored that K. Dot is working on a rock-influenced album, possibly drawing inspiration from the punk music world. K. Dot was infamously "canceled" (but not really) online after fans felt his absence of music to support the Black Lives Matter movement was suspect.