A newly filed copyright lawsuit claims Diddy, Snoop Dogg, and several music estates benefited from two songs that allegedly used an uncleared 1980 sample.
Songwriters David Bravo and Jean Albert Renaud filed the federal action against Sony Music Publishing and numerous other defendants in the Southern District of New York on July 14, 2026.
Bravo, 73, and Renaud, 84, allege they jointly wrote and produced “Skatin’,” a song performed by Brazilian musician Eumir Deodato and released in 1980. Discogs credits for Deodato’s “Night Cruiser” also list Bravo and Renaud among the writers associated with “Skatin’.” The new complaint alleges that their work later became the foundation for Angie Stone’s 2004 single “I Wanna Thank Ya” and The Notorious B.I.G.’s 2005 release “Nasty Girl.”
Thelawsuit does not describe the alleged borrowing as a passing sound or a minor piece of musical texture. According to the complaint, Bravo and Renaud claim both records copied the “harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic” elements of “Skatin’” to “serve as the complete musical backing track over which new vocal melodies and rap verses were composed.” The plaintiffs included an analysis from musicologist and record producer Thomas Z. Shepard in support of their allegations.
Both songs carry major names from hip hop and R&B history. “I Wanna Thank Ya” featured Snoop Dogg and appeared on Stone’s 2004 album “Stone Love.” The publication reports that a remix reached the top of Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. Jazze Pha as the song’s producer and Snoop Dogg as its featured artist.
“Nasty Girl” arrived the following year as part of Biggie’s posthumous album “Duets: The Final Chapter.” The song featured Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge, and Avery Storm and reached No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100. Discogs also credits Jazze Pha as the producer, placing him at the creative center of both recordings challenged in the complaint.
The defendant list in the lawsuit extends beyond Diddy and Snoop Dogg. According to Billboard, the complaint names Nelly, Jazze Pha, the estates of Angie Stone and The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, Sony Music Entertainment, and publishing companies connected to the three major music corporations. The artists and estates are named because of their alleged involvement with the recordings, while the corporate defendants face claims connected to the release, distribution, ownership, or publishing of the songs.
Sony Music Publishing occupies a particularly complicated position in the case. Bravo and Renaud accuse the publisher of breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. They allege Sony “flagrantly disregarded” an obligation to pursue the matter for them after they reported the disputed recordings. The plaintiffs also claim they were told that taking action over “Nasty Girl” created a “conflict of interest” because Sony had publishing relationships with other writers connected to that song.
“Sony Publishing deliberately turned a blind eye to the unauthorized use of Plaintiffs’ four-bar foundational backing track,” the lawsuit reads, according to Complex. “This flagrant disparity highlights that Sony Publishing’s refusal to protect Plaintiffs’ copyright was not an administrative oversight, but a calculated decision to maximize the profits of its other lucrative clients at the direct expense of Plaintiffs.”
That publishing relationship could become one of the most important parts of the lawsuit. According to Billboard, Bravo and Renaud allege that a 1980 songwriter agreement transferred the publishing copyrights for “Skatin’” to Kenya Music Inc., an entity now controlled by Sony. Billboard noted that defendants could potentially challenge whether the plaintiffs possess the required ownership interest to bring their infringement claims. That issue has not been decided, and the songwriters are also pursuing separate contract and fiduciary duty allegations against Sony.
The distinction between creating a song and owning the rights at issue matters in copyright litigation. According to the United States Copyright Office, a musical composition and a particular sound recording are legally separate works. A composition covers elements such as melody, rhythm, harmony, and lyrics, while a sound recording protects a specific recorded performance. The plaintiffs’ allegations focus on foundational musical elements they say came from the “Skatin’” composition.
Timing will also receive attention because the challenged songs have been available for more than two decades. According to Complex, Bravo and Renaud claim they did not discover the alleged unauthorized use until May 2024. The filing was filed roughly two years after that claimed discovery.
The United States Supreme Court explained in its 2024 Warner Chappell Music v. Nealy decision that federal copyright claims generally must be filed within three years after they accrue. The Court discussed the discovery rule, under which a claim may accrue when a plaintiff discovers, or reasonably should have discovered, an alleged infringement. The Court assumed that rule applied in the case before it but did not decide whether the rule governs every copyright dispute, leaving potential arguments for both sides in future cases.
As of the initial reporting, Billboard said representatives for the individual and corporate defendants had not immediately responded to requests for comment. No court has ruled that “Skatin’” was used without authorization, and the complaint currently reflects the plaintiffs’ allegations rather than a final finding. Still, the lawsuit could force a detailed examination of how one groove moved from a 1980 recording into two celebrated records, who controlled the underlying rights, and whether the publisher trusted to manage those rights had competing obligations when the songwriters finally raised the alarm.
