According to local media, a Texas pastor is suing Kanye West for copying one of his lectures in a rap song.
Bishop David Paul Moten claimed that the hip-hop icon utilized the religious address in the song “Come to Life” without his authorization.
“My soul cries out, ‘Hallelujah,’ and I thank God for saving me,” Moten says in the song. “I, I thank God,” according to the claim, which was filed in Dallas County.
Universal Music Group, Def Jam Recordings, G.O.O.D. Music, and West are named as defendants in the complaint.
Moten is the bishop of Joy of Lord Worship Center in Victoria, Texas, an Apostolic Pentecostal church.
The 57-year-old claims he didn’t give his permission for parts of his sermon to be utilized in the song, which was included on Kanye West’s 2021 Donda album.
Donda was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album at the Grammys. In 2021, the song charted at number 20 on the Billboard Christian songs list.
According to the lawsuit, West and his record labels have a history of knowingly and egregiously sampling sound recordings of people without their consent or approval.
The pastor is requesting that the lawsuit be taken to trial and seeks unspecified damages.
