Yeasayer hit Kendrick Lamar & The Weeknd with infringement lawsuit

The now disbanded indie rock group claim ‘Pray For Me’ features an uncleared sample of theirs.

Yeasayer have launched a lawsuit against Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd and producers Doc McKinney and Frank Dukes, for infringement. The band is claiming that material on their 2007 song ‘Sunrise’ was taken and used without permission on the Black Panther soundtrack single, ‘Pray For Me’.

Yeasayer – who announced their disbandment at the end of last year – have said that the Black Panther song by Kendrick and The Weeknd contains a sample from ‘Sunrise’ described as “A distinctive choral performance…comprised of male voices singing in their highest registers, with animated, pulsing vibrato, and developed via distinctive audio post-processing.”

The documents (obtained through TMZ), allege ‘Pray From Me’ uses the audio eight times across the duration of the song. As a result, Yeasayer are suing for profits and damages, while also requesting and injunction against ‘Pray For Me’, blocking airplay and future sales of the song.

For context, below is Yeasayer’s ‘Sunrise’, from their album All The Cymbals.

Listen: Yeasayer – ‘Sunrise’

And here is ‘Pray For Me’ by Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd. What do you think?

Is there a case?

Listen: The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar ‘Pray For Me’

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