Nicki Minaj Ordered To Pay Tracy Chapman $450K For Copyright Infringement

Author Andrea Swindall - Pop Culture Writer

January 8th, 2021 12:38 PM

Nicki Minaj has been ordered to pay folk singer Tracy Chapman $450,000 plus pay her legal fees after being sued for copyright infringement.

Per Page Six, Nikki Minaj asked Tracy Chapman for permission to sample her song, “Baby Can I Hold You.” Chapman rejected the request, but Nicki used it anyway for a piece that was supposed to be on her album, Queen.

The song was never released with the album, but Nicki leaked it to Funkmaster Flex. It was then circulated online.

The lawsuit was initially filed in 2018, and the two were set to go to trial later this year. But Chapman has agreed to the offer presented to her.

Here’s how Nicki sampled “Baby Can I Hold You” below.

Big Music Moments From 2020

• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  Baby Fever - Many big names in music welcomed babies this year. Some include Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Iggy Azalea, Ciara, Gigi Hadid/Zayn Malik, Justin Timberlake, Christina Milian, Tiesto, and Donald Glover.

• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  Jennifer Lopez and Shakira Make Magic - JLo and Shakira took the stage in February to perform during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show.

• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  Taylor, Taylor, and more Taylor - There were many exciting music moments from Taylor Swift in 2020, including two surprise albums, a Netflix documentary, and calling out Scooter Braun on numerous occasions.
• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  TikTok - TikTok has been around a few years, but it really blew up in 2020. It was an excellent way for people to get creative with music and videos pass the time.

• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  Billie Eilish Grammy Sweep - In January, 18-year-old Billie Eilish dominated the 62nd Grammy Awards and won all four of the big prizes at the show. She took home trophies for Song of the Year, Best New Artists, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Album of the Year.

• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  Beyonce Dominance - Beyonce led the Grammy nominations and is up for nine awards, including Song of the Year for 'Savage.'
• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  We Finally Met Adonis - In March, Drake finally shared a picture of his two-year-old son, Adonis. And it was worth the wait.

• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  Megan The Stallion Meets Beyonce - In 2020, we were blessed with one of the best remixes of the year: Megan's song 'Savage' with special guest Beyonce.

• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  The Return of Demi Lovato - Demi Lovato had a memorable comeback when she performed at the Grammys for the first time since her 2018 overdose. She later performed at the Super Bowl and hosted the People's Choice Awards.
• Big Music Moments From 2020

  Share

  Virtual Concerts and Shows - Although we were stuck indoors, we got some great virtual concerts and shows to watch from the comforts of our home. And the highlight of 2020 was easily the Verzuz series created by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz.

Sign me up for the 105.1 the Bounce email newsletter!

Stay locked in with everything 105.1 the BOUNCE and become a BOUNCE VIP! VIP members can win prizes, concert tickets & get updates on everything Detroit!

First Name *

Last Name

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.

Author Andrea Swindall - Pop Culture Writer

Category:

• Music

Tags:

Nicki Minaj,Tracy Chapman