Yeasayer has voluntarily dismissed their copyright lawsuit against Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd. Multiple sources reported the dismissal Friday, July 10.
Billboard obtained a copy of the lawsuit dismissal of the Brooklyn based act. The experimental rock band and its record label We Are Free withdrew their lawsuit. The plaintiffs have "confirmed to their satisfaction that no copyright infringement occurred." The defendants were The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, and Kendrick Lamar Duckworth.
The dismissal has also included Canadian record producers Doc McKinney and Frank Dukes. Record labels Universal Music Group, Interscope, Aftermath, and Top Dawg Entertainment were also named.
"Pray For Me" allegedly copied "Sunrise"
Yeasayer has previously split last December 19, 2019. About two months later, last February, members of the band have filed a lawsuit against Tesfaye and Lamar over the song "Pray for Me." The two artists allegedly ripped off the 2007 Yeasayer song "Sunrise."
The lawsuit alleged that The Weeknd-Lamar collab contained "the recording of a distinctive choral performance." The concerned performance was supposedly created and recorded by Yeasayer.
The lawsuit has further accused the defendants of extracting their vocal performance from "Sunrise." The defendants then "slightly modified it... via postprocessing to alter its pitch, among other qualities." The band alleged that The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar modified the sample with "intent to conceal the infringement."
According to NME, the Brooklyn band asked for undisclosed monetary compensation. Yeasayer has also requested an injunction. Had it pushed through, it would've prevented sales and licensing of the song.
The Weeknd has formally responded to the lawsuit. Court documents from Tesfaye denied the allegations. "The sound recording of 'Pray for Me' does not capture any actual sounds from the sound record, 'Sunrise.'"
A Tesfaye-Lamar hit from a blockbuster movie
"Pray for Me" is a hip-hop and pop track from the Canadian singer and American rapper. It marks the second collaboration between Lamar and Tesfaye. Back in 2016, the duo has released the single "Sidewalks." Their first collab appeared in The Weeknd album "Starboy."
The song appeared on the 2018 Marvel superhero film "Black Panther." It was a Ryan Coogler-directed part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "Pray for Me" was the music playing in the secret casino scene. The titular character, played by Chadwick Boseman, enters a secret casino in Busan, South Korea.
It was later released as a part of the film's official soundtrack released on February 16, 2018. "Pray for Me" was the last track in the fourteen-track album. The soundtrack also includes the Lamar and Travis Scott collab "Big Shot." Other songs from the landmark album include "Bloody Waters" by Ab-Soul, Anderson Paak, and James Blake. It also contained "King's Dead," by Jay Rock, with Lamar, Blake, and Future.
As a single, "Pray for Me" enjoyed global commercial success. It peaked at the top of the Billboard Rhythmic chart.
The Tesfaye-Lamar collab peaked at No. 4 at the Hot R&B/ Hip-Hop Songs. It reached No. 3 at the Mainstream Top 40. In the Billboard Hot 100, "Pray for Me" peaked at No. 7.
In The Weeknd's native Canada, it climbed to the top of the Canadian Top 40 charts. It also landed fifth place in their Hot 100 singles chart. It has also broken the Top 10 in multiple countries. "Pray for Me" was a hit in Australia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, and in the UK.
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