Kid Capri Claims No Permission Was Given for Use of His Voice in 'Martin' Theme Song

Legendary DJ and producer Kid Capri has alleged that his voice was used in the theme song for the hit 1990s sitcom "Martin" without his permission.

Capri made the claim during an interview on the "Bag Fuel" podcast, stating that the show sampled his voice from his time on "Def Comedy Jam" without seeking his approval or compensating him.

"They took my voice from Def Comedy Jam, sampled it, put it on the Martin show," Capri stated. "Never got no permission from me, never asked for my rights, nothing. This show been on eight different networks for 30 years."

According to Billboard, the "Martin" theme song, composed by Steve Keitt, featured a distinctive call of "Martin!" which Capri claims was lifted directly from his work on "Def Comedy Jam."

According to Capri, this was not an issue he initially pursued legally. However, after Martin star and creator Martin Lawrence denied that Capri's voice was used, the DJ has begun to reconsider his stance.

During an interview on Fox Soul, Tisha Campbell, known for her role as Gina Waters-Payne on the show, previously speculated about Capri's involvement in the theme song. Lawrence, however, dismissed the claim, which Capri found frustrating.

"First of all, that was the dumbest thing to say, everybody know it's me," Capri continued. "Number two, I got videos of this. Number three, all you had to say was, 'Yo Kid, we used your stuff, is it aight? Here's a bag.' Or not."

Kid Capri Disputes Use of His Voice in "Martin" Theme, Considers Legal Action

Despite his frustration, Capri confirmed that he has not spoken directly to Lawrence about the issue and has no plans to do so.

He also acknowledged the possibility that legal rights to the audio could belong to HBO or a production company involved with "Def Comedy Jam," making it unclear if he would have had any control over its use.

Billboard has reached out to Steve Keitt and Martin Lawrence's representatives for comment.

This is not the first time Kid Capri has spoken out publicly about industry disputes. Last year, he criticized rapper Travis Scott for allegedly disrespecting a young fan who asked for a picture, HipHopDX said.

In a viral video, Scott appeared to push the fan's arm away, an action that Capri condemned.

"At one time, you would've wanted somebody to ask you for an autograph or a picture," Capri said in response to the video. "Celebs get where they get and then they forget."

Capri has yet to confirm whether he plans to take legal action but remains vocal about what he believes is an unauthorized use of his work.