The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar are reportedly being sued by a Brooklyn-based rock band claiming the artists lifted their vocal performance.
According to TMZ, the band claims The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar illegally sampled their song "Sunrise" for the Black Panther song"Pray for Me." The lawsuit claims "Pray for Me" has a "distinctive choral performance" that the band recorded with their own voices. The band describes the sound as "comprised of male voices singing in their highest registers, with animated, pulsing vibrato."
The band alleges that the choral performance was used at least eight times throughout "Pray for Me." It also claims that the modifications to the sound were done with the "intent to conceal the infringement." Yet, Yeasayer feels like the sound was "immediately recognizable" to their fans.
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Yeasayer is asking The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar to fork over all the profits they made from the double-platinum single as damages. The band also wants an injunction blocking further sales and airplay of the song.
