3 Count: Zzzzzzz Library

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1: Kanye West Settles Copyright Lawsuit Over ‘Donda 2’ Sample

First off today, Blake Brittain at Reuters reports that musician Kanye West has settled a lawsuit over a sample that he used in his track entitled Flowers, which was released in 2022 as part of his Donda 2 album.

The lawsuit was filed by musician Marshall Jefferson, who claims that West used the sample from his 1986 song Move Your Body. West had previously admitted to the sampling in court, but denied that the sample infringed Jefferson’s copyright.

However, the judge has now dismissed the lawsuit, saying that the two sides have agreed in principle to settle the case. The case is not West’s only sampling lawsuit, as he also faces a case over an alleged unauthorized sample in his 2021 song Life of the Party.

2: US Seizes Z-Library Login Domain, but Secret URLs for Each User Remain Active

Next up today, Jon Brodkin at Ars Technica reports that US authorities have seized another domain related to the e-book piracy website Z-Library, even though the site remains active on other URLs.

According to a post by Z-Library, one of the major domains, singlelogin.me, was seized by the US government along with other domains connected to the site. However, a domain connected with the island of Réunion is continuing to work.

Z-Library claims to offer some 13 million books. However, the site’s alleged operators, Russian nationals Anton Napolsky and Valeriia Ermakova, were arrested in November for alleged criminal copyright infringement, wire fraud and money laundering. That criminal case is ongoing. Others, however, have continued operating the site.

3: Ed Sheeran Hugs Plaintiff After Winning Copyright Trial

Finally today, Jack Irvin at People reports that, following his victory at a jury trial, that there was no ill will between Sheeran and the plaintiffs, namely the estate of Ed Townsend.

The estate sued Sheeran alleging that Sheeran’s 2014 song Thinking Out Loud was an infringement of the Marvin Gaye song Let’s Get It On, which Townsend co-wrote. The case went before a jury trial last week, which Sheeran won.

However, it appears that there is no ill will on either side of this case. Sheeran and Ed Townsend’s daughter, Kathryn Griffin Townsend, shared a hug after the verdict and Townsend said, “We believe you” to Sheeran, indicating that, despite the heated lawsuit, they Sheeran when he says that he did not infringe the song.

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