Ice Cube has been served.
Sampling is a dangerous game. For many aspiring producers, it’s more a lifeblood than anything. How many young beatmakers have simply hoped their work would fly under the radar, under the blissful rationale that nobody would bother suing a non-established entity? Yet for those legend status, or even those at the A-list tier, sampling can feel a little like Russian Roulette – at least, when one decides to forsake the act clearance. Now, Ice Cube might have to pay the cost, as he’s been recently hit with a lawsuit from a company called ViralHog.
The lawsuit derives from the song “On Them Pills” f last year’s Everythang’s Corrupt album. Should you be familiar with the track, you’ll likely recognize the ramblings an unknown woman, who appears to fancy herself Jesus Christ. Unfortunately for Cube, his decision to include her rant in his song was caught by ViralHog, who actually owns the rights to the original video as seen below.
Their rationale is that “the videos marketability has been substantially impaired” by Cube’s single, a claim that seems to hold as much water as those the woman. Regardless, ViralHog is going after Cube, the track’s producer Sparks The Trackman, Interscope Records, and Cube’s Lench Mob Productions. It’s unclear how this one will play out, but given Cube’s veteran status, we have to believe that things will be handled expeditiously. Be careful what you sample, kids.