Playboi Carti Sued For Alleged Copyright Infringement Over 2017 Song

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Rolling Loud Miami 2022
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JULY 22: Rapper Playboi Carti performs onstage during day one of Rolling Loud Miami 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium on July 22, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
It was on Carti's self-titled mixtape.

Playboi Carti is in a bizarre space. He's simultaneously hated and loved by his fanbase. Some consider him a musical genius, others consider him someone who has fallen victim to his own hype. Carti draws ears to his music either way. Unfortunately, he did so for the wrong reasons on January 24. A singer by the name of Blakk Soul sued Playboi Carti over the 2017 song "Kelly K." Soul appeared on the song, and claims that the rapper did not properly compensate him as a result.

The singer is seeking to be paid for a song that has continued to rack up streams. "Kelly K" has amassed over 8 million views on YouTube and 55 million streams on Spotify. The mixtape that it appeared in felt by many to be Playboi Carti's commercial and artistic breakthrough. Blakk Soul claims that he made a deal with Carti and Cash Carti Music LLC shortly after collaborating on "Kelly K." The singer claims he would get 5% ownership stake in the song, but has yet to see a penny in eight years.

Playboi Carti Allegedly Failed To Credit Blakk Soul

Wireless Festival 2023 - Day 1
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Playboi Carti performs during day one of Wireless Festival 2023 at Finsbury Park on July 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)

Blakk Soul, real name John Mercer, Jr., issued a statement through his legal team. The team argued that the singer should be compensated for the streams the song has racked up, given its success. "Despite the commercial success of the song and the album," the statement asserted. "Mr. Mercer had yet to be compensated for his contributions to the song. And has yet to receive a single dollar." Soul's legal team also claimed the singer has yet to be given an accounting of what he's owed. Soul not only named Carti in his lawsuit, but Interscope and Universal Music Group.

Playboi Carti has had to contend with legal issues as recently as August. The rapper and UMG won a lawsuit after they flagged a lesser-known artist for using a Carti instrumental. G-Baby claimed that the song "Oi," should was wrongfully taken down. Judge Analisa Torres ultimately ruled that UMG and Carti didn't violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act protections, however. "A copyright holder is not liable for misrepresentation under the DMCA," the judge explained. "If they subjectively believe the identified material infringes their copyright."

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About The Author
Elias Andrews is a music and entertainment writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH in 2024 as the lead night shift contributor, which means he covers new music releases on a weekly basis. In the year since joining, Elias has covered some of the biggest and most turbulent stories in the world of music. He covered the Drake and Kendrick Lamar battle, and the release of the disses “Family Matters” and “Meet the Grahams,” in particular, in real time. He has also detailed the ongoing list of allegations and criminal charges made against Diddy. Elias’ favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808s Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He loves L.A. hip-hop but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he ever bought was Big Willie Style by Will Smith, which he maintains is still a pretty good listen.