EXCLUSIVE: Bad News For Lil Uzi - Rapper Sued For $110M For Stealing Big Hit "I Just Wanna Rock"

Lil Uzi Vert is being accused of ripping off one of his biggest hits, "I Just Wanna Rock," in a new $110 million copyright lawsuit filed in federal court by a Rochester, New York artist who claims Uzi's 2022 anthem borrows nearly all of its DNA from his earlier track "Pain and Pleasure."

Sharrief K. Bouchet, known professionally as Rawyal or Rief Rawyal, alleges that "I Just Wanna Rock" - released October 17, 2022 - "copied the original hook, melody, and theme" of his record, particularly the signature chant "When I rock ah ah."




A forensic musicologist's report attached to the filing found a 93-97% derivation between the two songs. The analysis, conducted by Musicologize founder Brian McBrearty, cited shared tempo, structure, and rhythmic patterns - especially the identical "ah" vocal chants and the nearly indistinguishable lyrical phrasing around the word "rock."

McBrearty's report noted that both tracks "reside in the core band of 'allegro,'between 130-150 beats per minute, and employ the same drum pattern and rhythmic syncopation, known as' tresillo,'a hallmark of reggaeton and dance beats."




He added that both songs feature "first-person, present-tense declarations that end with the identical word 'rock,'forming a parallel lyrical structure."




In "Pain and Pleasure," Rawyal sings, "Pain and pleasure when I rock, ah, ah," while Uzi's version chants, "I just wanna rock, ah, ah, ah, ah." McBrearty concluded these moments form "the hook, or the heart, of the respective works."




Rief Rawyal says he released "Pain and Pleasure" on August 15, 2022, and later saw his version suppressed on Meta platforms after Uzi's record dropped that October.




He claims that his uploads were repeatedly muted or removed from Instagram and Facebook as "Just Wanna Rock" gained popularity across TikTok, Fortnite, and in the trailer for the Blue Beetle movie.




The lawsuit claims Uzi and Atlantic Records had direct access to Rief Rawyal's material. The rapper says he'd been in contact with Lanre Gaba, now president of Hip-Hop, R&B and Global Music at Atlantic Records, since 2012.

He provided the label executive with original songs, including music files and demos, during that period.




He argues that this established a "clear institutional pathway" for his unreleased material to circulate internally, potentially leading to Uzi or his producers obtaining and recreating elements of his beat and hook structure.




The suit names Lil Uzi Vert, Atlantic Records, Generation Now, Roc Nation, and Warner Music Group as defendants. Rief Rawyal argues that the companies used his creation to secure lucrative licensing deals with TikTok, Meta, and artificial intelligence firms.




He's demanding more than $110 million in damages, citing lost streaming revenue, sync and licensing deals, and reputational harm. The filing also seeks retroactive publishing credit, an ownership share and an injunction to stop further use of the song.




Rief Rawyal, a former Jive Records artist and U.S. Marine veteran, says Pain and Pleasure was meant to mark his comeback after years away from music.




He insists that Atlantic had access to his work and that its subsequent reappearance in a global hit robbed him of the recognition and commercial opportunities he was poised to regain.




The lawsuit is the latest legal action the rapper is facing. He is currently being sued by a Jane Doe assistant who claims the rapper harassed her at work and created a toxic environment.




He is also being sued for beating a man on a Manhattan street, smashing the guy's phone to pieces and then throwing hundred-dollar bills at him to humiliate him.

via: https://allhiphop.com/news/exclusive-bad-news-for-lil-uzi-rapper-sued-for-110m-for-stealing-big-hit-i-just-wanna-rock/