Nicki Minaj Sued In LA Court Over Tracy Chapman Song Sample

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Tracy Chapman is suing Nicki Minaj in Los Angeles for allegedly sampling a song without permission, according to court papers obtained Tuesday.

According to the lawsuit, filed Monday in Los Angeles federal court, Chapman alleges that Minaj's online-only track "Sorry" illegally borrows lyrics and melody from her 1988 single "Baby Can I Hold You."

The Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, best known for her hits "Fast Car" and "Give Me One Reason," alleges in her court papers that she turned down numerous requests to sample the song for Minaj's fourth album, "Queen." The song, featuring a cameo from rapper Nas, never made the album but is available on YouTube.

Chapman's suit seeks unspecified damages and asks a federal judge to stop rapper-model Minaj from releasing "Sorry" commercially.

--City News Service

--Photo: Nicki Minaj attends the Marc Jacobs Spring 2019 Runway during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at Park Avenue Armory on September 12, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Marc Jacobs)