Universal Music Group Settles Lawsuit Over Kanye West’s “Power”

Matthew Strauss
·1 min read

Kanye West, March 2024 (Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

Universal Music Group (UMG) has settled a lawsuit regarding the King Crimson sample in Kanye West’s “Power,” Law360 and Variety report. Declan Colgan Music Ltd (DCM), the mechanical rights owner for the prog rock band’s “21st Century Schizoid Man,” had sued the music corporation in 2022. The parties have now settled the matter out of court, with DCM receiving payment, according to Variety.

Kanye West’s “Power” famously samples King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man.” In its original complaint, DCM and its lawyers argued that UMG had been paying an insufficient rate to DCM for streams of the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy song.

Pitchfork has reached out to Declan Colgan Music Ltd’s attorneys and a Universal Music Group representative for comment and more information.

Originally Appeared on Pitchfork