Two producers sued Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign in federal court, claiming a song from the “Vultures” project grew out of an MP3 that Ty received by text message. AllHipHop obtained the complaint and published its report Monday.
Kanye West And Ty Dolla $ign Face A Copyright Complaint
Producers Jae Deal and Marlon “Marlonwiththeglasses” Barrow filed a 24-page copyright complaint in federal court in California. The defendants include Ye, Ty Dolla $ign, Yeezy Record Label LLC, Yeezy LLC and Create Music Group. AllHipHop published its exclusive at 3:02 PM on November 9. The page metadata lists the time as 20:02 UTC.
The producers want a jury trial. They ask for actual damages and profits, or statutory damages as an alternative. They also seek orders that would block further use of the music and cover copies and source materials. These are the plaintiffs’ demands. The defendants have not answered the complaint in the reporting we reviewed.
The Text Message At The Center Of The Case
The complaint traces the dispute to a recording and composition called “Joint 2.” The producers say they made it in November 2018 and own it in equal shares. The suit also covers five separately mixed audio files, known as stems. According to the complaint, Ty Dolla $ign heard the music during a phone call with Barrow, a longtime friend and collaborator. Ty asked to visit his studio. He later asked for a copy for a possible album.
Barrow sent an MP3 by text but held back the stems and higher-quality files until the sides signed a use agreement. The producers allege that Ty then shared the MP3 with Ye. The filing says versions of “Vultures” reached commercial platforms in November 2023, before anyone negotiated a license. The complaint says Barrow received a producer credit but, in its words, “no compensation whatsoever.”
Takedown Requests, A Buyout Offer And A Copyright Registration
The producers say they did not sit still after the release. Deal says he sent takedown requests in December 2023. He says he also spoke in January 2024 with producer 88-Keys, whom the complaint identifies as the head of music at Yeezy. Deal says he made clear that he had neither assigned his rights nor received payment. The complaint alleges the music returned later. It says the material appeared on the Vultures Pack EP, including a “Havoc Version,” and on “Vultures 1.” Deal rejected an October 2024 buyout offer, per the filing. The complaint does not state the amount.
The sharpest allegation concerns paperwork. The suit says a July 9, 2025 copyright registration left Deal off as an author. It also says the registration falsely claimed Barrow had transferred his rights by contract. The producers say no signed transfer agreement exists. A claim like that, if the court finds support for it, could change how the case plays out. For now it remains an allegation.
The timeline helps readers see the gaps. The producers say they made “Joint 2” in November 2018. They say versions of “Vultures” reached platforms in November 2023, five years later. They sent takedown requests the next month and spoke with 88-Keys in January 2024. They turned down a buyout offer in October 2024. The disputed copyright registration came on July 9, 2025, and the lawsuit followed in the fall of 2026. The complaint, as AllHipHop describes it, argues the defendants had years to pay or credit the producers properly and did not.
Another Legal Fight Over Vultures And What Comes Next
This case adds to a pile of legal trouble tied to the Vultures era. AllHipHop notes Ye’s 2024 settlement with Donna Summer’s estate over “Good (Don’t Die),” after which the song left “Vultures 1.” The outlet also points to a separate August suit from a producer who says he did not receive payment for AI vocal work on “Vultures 2” and “Bully.” Those are separate cases from this one. We mention them as background, with dates as AllHipHop reported them.
Create Music Group’s inclusion as a defendant matters for the business side. The label and distribution company now sits in a case over how the music reached platforms. Watch for an answer from the Yeezy entities, a motion to dismiss, or a settlement approach. Also watch whether Ty Dolla $ign responds on his own. The complaint places him at the start of the chain, because it says he received the MP3 first.
Court records will tell the next part of the story. The docket should show service dates and response deadlines. Any text messages or other communications the producers attach or later file could carry the case. Until then, the lawsuit stays a one-sided account written by the plaintiffs.
