*Two veteran composers say Sony Music Publishing protected its more profitable business relationships while ignoring the unauthorized use of music they created decades earlier.
David Bravo, 73, and Jean Albert Renaud, 84, have filed a copyright lawsuit over “Skatin’,” a 1980 song recorded by Brazilian musician Eumir Deodato. They claim portions of that composition later appeared in two commercially successful releases without a license, Complex reports.
The complaint names Sony alongside Snoop Dogg, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Nelly and Jazze Pha. The estates of Angie Stone and The Notorious B.I.G. are also among the defendants, along with companies involved in releasing the music.
At issue are Stone’s 2004 song “I Wanna Thank Ya,” featuring Snoop, and Biggie’s posthumous 2005 single “Nasty Girl.” The latter featured Diddy and Nelly and appeared on “Duets: The Final Chapter.”
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Bravo and Renaud allege both recordings incorporated the “harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic” components of “Skatin’.” Their filing says the material became “the complete musical backing track over which new vocal melodies and rap verses were composed.”
The composers say they did not become aware of the alleged copying until 2024. By then, both songs had spent years in the marketplace. Bravo and Renaud also accuse Sony of breaching its contract and fiduciary obligations by failing to act on their behalf.
“Sony Publishing deliberately turned a blind eye to the unauthorized use of Plaintiffs’ four-bar foundational backing track,” the complaint states.
The filing calls Sony’s alleged conduct “not an administrative oversight, but a calculated decision to maximize the profits of its other lucrative clients at the direct expense of Plaintiffs.”
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