Legendary DJ Kid Capri recently revealed that his voice was sampled for the iconic intro of the hit sitcom Martin, but he was never compensated. During an interview with Bag Fuel, Capri explained that the producers took a clip from his time on Def Comedy Jam without permission.
“They took my voice from Def Comedy Jam, sampled it, put it on the Martin show,” he stated. “Never got no permission from me, never asked for my rights, nothing.”
While Martin has aired on multiple networks for over 30 years, Capri initially let the issue slide. However, after Martin Lawrence and Tisha Campbell reportedly denied that the voice belonged to him, he is reconsidering legal action.
“Now if it was a money thing for me, I would’ve been like, ‘Yo, where’s my bread?’ I ain’t never did that,” he said, implying that respect and recognition mean more to him than financial gain.
With the resurgence of classic ’90s television and ongoing discussions about artists receiving proper credit, Capri’s case highlights the continuing issue of unlicensed sampling in entertainment.