The Notorious B.I.G. said it best — mo’ money, mo’ problems.
Having the current number one record in the country has been nothing but positive so far for Hip-Hop/country superstar Lil Nas X, but it looks like the overnight notoriety is getting him in trouble for a song he did last year. According to TMZ, music publisher The Music Force is suing the 20-year-old hitmaker and his parent company Sony Music for an unauthorized sample of Bobby Caldwell’s 1982 song “Carry On” for a song of the same name off his 2018 mixtape NASARATI.
First, take a listen to the original song:
Given the legal matters at hand, we won’t post Lil Nas X’s version, but feel free to stream it over on DatPiff where it’s posted along with the rest of his debut mixtape. In regards to the lawsuit, The Music Force claims the sample was “motivated by greed and malicious intent,” also stating that his version destroyed the value of Bobby Caldwell’s song. Sounds a bit dramatic, but $25 million USD isn’t anything to take lightly; the hefty charge breaks down to $10 million USD in damages plus an additional $15 million USD in punitive damages.
If “Old Town Road” remains on the charts for another week, it will be the longest-running No.1 record on the Billboard Hot 100 of all time. Let’s hope he can celebrate without having a $25 million USD dark cloud hanging over his head.
Listen to both versions of “Carry On” and let us know if (a.) Lil Nas X and Sony deserve to get sued and (b.) Does Lil Nas X’s version devalue the original made by Bobby Caldwell. Sound off over on our Facebook and Twitter!
