Nicki Minaj Scores Big Win In Legal Case Against Tracy Chapman

In 2018,  Nicki was forced to delay her album Queen because her Nas featured track "Sorry" had sampled Chapman's 1988 song “Baby Can I Hold You". 

The track was eventually dropped from the album.  However, a version leaked to Funk Flex, and Champman sued, alleging Nicki was behind the leak and that her copyright was violated because of the leak.

Yesterday, district judge Virginia A. Phillips ruled that Minaj’s experimentation with Chapman’s song is “fair use” and is thus not copyright infringement.

“Artists usually experiment with works before seeking licenses from rights holders and rights holders typically ask to see a proposed work before approving a license,” the judge wrote. “A ruling uprooting these common practices would limit creativity and stifle innovation within the music industry.”

The judge did not rule on whether Nicki leaked track, and said that would have to be determined by a jury at a later date.