Kanye West came out victorious this week in the copyright court case with rapper Vince P (aka Vincent Peters), who filed a lawsuit two years ago claiming West pinched lyrical ideas from him for Ye's 2007 hit "Stronger."
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in the U.S. has ruled in favour of West, referencing the hip-hop star's earlier boast that the chorus to "Stronger" was actually referencing 19th century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's famous idiom, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger," and not P's tune, also named "Stronger."
"Although the fact that both songs quote from a 19th century German philosopher might, at first blush, seem to be an unusual coincidence, West correctly notes that the aphorism has been repeatedly invoked in song lyrics over the past century," ruled Judge Diane Wood.
The court official then used Top 40 favourite Kelly Clarkson to support her statement, using the pop singer's 2011 number one hit "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" to hammer down her point.
"Notably, an even more recent popular song -- one that held the top spot in the Billboard Hot 100 chart at about the same time as oral argument in this case -- also shares this key feature with both West's and Vince P's songs."
A U.S. federal judge had previously dismissed Vince P's allegations before the case was brought to appeals court. Peters had said that his tune, which was penned in 2006, was submitted to West's business manager, John Monopoly, leading the rapper to believe that West had pilfered his hook.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in the U.S. has ruled in favour of West, referencing the hip-hop star's earlier boast that the chorus to "Stronger" was actually referencing 19th century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's famous idiom, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger," and not P's tune, also named "Stronger."
"Although the fact that both songs quote from a 19th century German philosopher might, at first blush, seem to be an unusual coincidence, West correctly notes that the aphorism has been repeatedly invoked in song lyrics over the past century," ruled Judge Diane Wood.
The court official then used Top 40 favourite Kelly Clarkson to support her statement, using the pop singer's 2011 number one hit "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" to hammer down her point.
"Notably, an even more recent popular song -- one that held the top spot in the Billboard Hot 100 chart at about the same time as oral argument in this case -- also shares this key feature with both West's and Vince P's songs."
A U.S. federal judge had previously dismissed Vince P's allegations before the case was brought to appeals court. Peters had said that his tune, which was penned in 2006, was submitted to West's business manager, John Monopoly, leading the rapper to believe that West had pilfered his hook.
