Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd sued by Yeasayer

Now-defunct indie band Yeasayer have sued Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd over “Pray For Me,” a song the pair wrote for the 2018 Black Panther soundtrack. A report from Pitchfork confirms that the band, who broke up in 2019, are claiming that “Pray For Me” infringes on their 2007 track “Sunrise;” as such, they are seeking to claim profits from the song, as well as damages. Yeasayer’s lawsuit claims that the “male voices singing in their highest registers” on “Pray For Me” are “extracted” from “Sunrise,” and were modified and reprocessed without permission.

Yeasayer achieved moderate success in the late 2000s and early 2010s with their records All Hour Cymbals and Odd Blood. Their final record was released in 2019; months later, they announced their retirement, saying that it was “a decision … not made lightly or swiftly.” The Black Panther soundtrack was curated and produced by Lamar, and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Read the lawsuit via Pitchfork, and listen to both songs below.