DAY
Renowned English singer Rick Astley has sued American rapper Yung Gravy, claiming he plagiarized his famous 1980s song,Never Gonna Give You Up.
In its lawsuit, Astley claims that the song Betty (Get Money), launched in summer 2022, is based on the voice he took at the heart of his famous song, by violating the principle of the right to personality.
According to him, Betty (Get Money), which peaked at No. 30 on the 100 Best Songs of 2022, “closely mimics the distinctive vocals Astley used to achieve their 1987 hit.”
“In an effort to capitalize on the immense popularity and benevolence of Mr. Astley, the defendants […] conspired to add a deliberate and almost indistinct imitation of Mr. Astley's voice, through the song,” lawyers for the singer told the media.
“The public could not tell the difference. His impersonation is so successful that people really thought it was Mr. Astley singing.”
The complaint was presented on January 26 in a court located in Los Angeles.
< p>For his part, Yung Gravy explained that he discussed the song beforehand with Rick Astley, before it was released. This version of the facts is denied by the principal concerned.