West Coast rap vet Rodney-O is reportedly suing NLE Choppa, alleging copyright infringement.
According to Music Business Worldwide, the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Tuesday (October 3) and targets the rapper’s 2020 album, Top Shotta. It claims he swiped bits from his “Everlasting Bass” track to make his song, “Who TF Up In My Trap.”
“The composition of [Who TF Up In My Trap] substantially comprises the composition of Everlasting Bass and is either a verbatim copy or encompassed and embodied in an audio sample of Everlasting Bass found in the infringing work.”
The complaint names NLE Choppa, by his birth name, Sony Music Publishing, LLC, Javar Rockamore, Project Pat, Juicy J, DJ Paul, Stonii, Bobby Keyz, ISTHATYOUARCHIE or ATLAJD and DOES 1-10 as defendants.
Rodney-O, who currently lives in Kingston, Jamaica, was told that a portion of his song was used for the young rapper’s#### song, before taking action.
The lawsuit states the plaintiff, Joe Cooley, and Jeffrey Page formed the rap group Rodney-O & Joe Cooley and collaborated on influential projects.
In 1988, Rodney-O and Joe Cooley wrote and recorded the rap song “Everlasting Bass,” which is registered with the United States Copyright Office.
In 2022, the Defendants created a song titled “Who TF Up in My Trap,” released by NLE Choppa on the album Top Shotta. This song became a hit, generating substantial revenue and profits worldwide. Notably, the core rhythm of the song includes unclear elements sampled from “Everlasting Bass.”
“Defendants at no point sought to obtain authorization from plaintiff to use the Everlasting Bass composition in connection with the infringing work,” the complaint says.
Rolling Stone recognized their 1987 track “Everlasting Bass” as one of the top 20 West Coast Rap Songs predating “Straight Outta Compton.”