Lil Nas X and Cardi B have been slammed with a lawsuit claiming the song “Rodeo,” which they created together, is a rip-off.
Producer Brandon Lee says he wrote a song called “gwenXdonlee4-142” in 2017 which was then incorporated into a song called “Broad Day.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“Broad Day” was “performed, published, and distributed widely, including without limitation in and around the Atlanta hip-hop scene,” according to the lawsuit.
According to Pitchfork, Lil Nas X released his song in collaboration with Cardi B “Rodeo,” on his 7 EP earlier this year, after “Broad Day” reached its heights. Lee says that “Rodeo” is “substantially similar” to their original track, and that Lil Nas X and his collaborators “did not receive permission from Plaintiffs to interpolate, sample, use, or copy the Work,” and that the rappers “created an unauthorized copy and/or derivative work from Plaintiffs’ original material.”
Lee says in his lawsuit, they’re both built on a 4-measure phrase outlining the chord progression E, F, G, F, E. He also says the tempo, drumbeats, and chord progression are the same, and both songs utilize guitar and wind instruments.
TMZ reports Lee is also suing Sony Music Entertainment and Columbia Records. He’s also suing Cardi’s former manager, Klenord Raphael.
