A singer-songwriter sued French Montana for allegedly failing to pay her for a sample. According to Billboard, Skylar Gudasz claimed the rapper released his song “Blue Chills” with an unlicensed sample of her track “Femme Fatale.”
The lawsuit said French Montana agreed to compensate Gudasz for the sample but never did. Clearance specialist Deborah Mannis-Gardner contacted the singer-songwriter to clear the sample in May 2022.
Gudasz and her lawyer worked out a deal where she would be paid more than $7000 in upfront fees, .08 percent of master royalties and 50 percent of the copyright for “Blue Chills.” French Montana allegedly dropped the song before the deal was finalized.
“Despite repeated promises from defendants …. no signed agreement, fees, royalties, licensing agreements or monies have ever been sent to plaintiff,” the lawsuit contended.
Gudasz contacted Mannis-Gardner at one point to rectify the situation. The music industry executive said she would touch base with French Montana’s attorney, but the matter was never settled.
“The unauthorized and infringing use by defendants of the song ‘Femme Fatale’ has caused irreparable harm, damage and injury,” attorneys argued in the lawsuit. “Plaintiff has been deprived of the rightful experience of benefitting and enjoying the fruits of her labor.”
French Montana’s “Blue Chills” appeared on his 2022 album Montega. Harry Fraud produced the entire project.
Listen to the song below.