Ye (formerly Kanye West) has settled a lawsuit filed by Memphis rappers who claimed the star committed “blatant” copyright infringement by sampling their song on Vultures 1 even after license talks stalled out.

Related Ye Hit With Lawsuit Over Alleged ‘Vultures 1’ Sample From 1994 Track: ‘Deliberate Theft’ New Levels Strike Global Partnership With Virgin Music Group, Signs Hooligan Hefs & More Bad Bunny's Australia Debut Sets Attendance Benchmark in Sydney

The case, filed in late 2024, claimed that Ye’s “Fuk Sumn” prominently featured illegal samples from a 1994 song called “Drink a Yak (Part 2)” by the artists Criminal Manne (Vanda Watkins), DJ Squeeky (Hayward Ivy) and the late Kilo G (Robert L. Johnson Jr.).

Like several other cases against Ye, the lawsuit claimed that the star’s reps actually reached out to clear the samples legally — but that he then just continued to use it anyway when negotiations broke down without a deal.

In court filings on Wednesday, attorneys for both Ye and his accusers said they had “reached a settlement agreement in principle resolving all claims between them” and were in the process of finalizing the deal. Court filings did not include any specific terms of the settlement, including whether “Fuk Sumn” would be altered or removed or if Ye had made any monetary payment to the plaintiffs.

Neither side’s lawyers immediately returned requests for comment or more details on the settlement.

The case over “Fuk Sumn” was one of many such cases that have been filed against Ye during his prolific career. The controversial rapper has faced more than 10 cases over claims of unlicensed sampling or interpolating since 2019 alone, including a high-profile battle with estate of Donna Summer that settled in 2024.

The “Drink a Yak” artists sued in November 2024, claiming Ye’s use of the earlier song in “Fuk” was so “brazen” that the spots it was used in Ye’s track are “easily discernible.” Near the start of Ye’s song, Criminal Manne can allegedly be heard rapping a lyric from “Yak” that stars with “smokin on a junt”; seconds later, Kilo G is allegedly heard rapping another line: “Stop off at the liquor store, get your yak, then we headed for the indo.”

Ty Dolla $ign was initially named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit, but he reached a settlement to exit the case in July 2025.

Related Ty Dolla $ign Settles ‘Vultures 1’ Sample Lawsuit, But Case Against Ye Will Move Ahead

Lawyers for the three accusers claimed that reps for Ye reached out to clear the sample earlier that year, after “Fuk” had already been released. Those talks allegedly went on for months, but were terminated in June 2024 when they were notified that “YE had fired his entire legal and business team leaving him without any legal representation.”

“Despite a much anticipated resolution resulting from several months of intense negotiations, plaintiffs were informed they would need to wait to be contacted by defendant YE’s new legal representation,” the lawsuit said.

Another Ye attorney later allegedly reached out to re-start the sample negotiations, but then they were informed that he too was no longer working with Ye — and that no deal was ever actually reached. “Plaintiffs have never given permission to defendants for such use of their music,” attorneys for the three rappers wrote.