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Lawsuit Alleges Kanye Stole Child's Video

By William Vogeler, Esq. on March 06, 2019 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Kanye West has a way of stealing the limelight.

He's probably most famous for taking an award's moment from Taylor Swift, but now he allegedly took a viral video of a little girl without permission. In the South Carolina lawsuit, family representatives said the musician should pay for using it in his song.

The plaintiffs' attorney says it's not about Kanye. It's about paying to play.

"Ultralight Beam"

In the video, the young girl prays passionately while traveling with her mother and another woman. The child's mother uploaded it to Instagram, and a star was born.

Kanye saw the video and wanted to use the audio for "Ultralight Beam." It became a popular, Grammy-nominated song.

The problem, according to the lawsuit, was that he didn't have proper permission and didn't pay for it. The plaintiff's attorney said it is "just a matter of fairness."

"Obviously, Mr. West has received his benefit from this, and I think all my clients are looking for is just a fair shake," said attorney Jason Luck.

Smart Move

Luck said the prayer video was registered as a copyright before it was published. He said it was a smart move, and other performers can learn from it.

"You're going to see more issues like this, partly because there's just more content out there," he told reporters.

He said a viral video can become a cultural phenomenon. Anyone can take a video of themselves singing or dancing, he said.

Others may just take the video, but that's what copyrights are for.

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