Rapper Plies has filed a lawsuit against Megan Thee Stallion, GloRilla, Cardi B, and Soulja Boy, alleging copyright infringement.
According to court documents filed Wednesday and obtained by TMZ, the 48-year-old artist claims that his 2008 track “Me & My Goons” originated an “infrared countdown beat” that these artists later used in their songs without permission.
Plies argues that Soulja Boy first repurposed this distinctive beat in his 2010 hit “Pretty Boy Swag,” setting off a wave of unlicensed use. More recently, he claims, the beat resurfaced in Megan and GloRilla’s collaborative track “Wanna Be” and again in its remix featuring Cardi B.
The original version of “Wanna Be,” released in April, made a strong debut on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 11. Its remix, which includes a fierce verse from Cardi aimed at her rival BIA, helped the song jump from No. 39 to No. 15 on the same chart in June.
Plies is seeking restitution from several high-profile music industry figures and organizations, naming Hot Girl Productions, Collipark Productions, Universal Music Group, Collective Music Group, and Interscope Records in his complaint. The suit reflects an ongoing debate in hip-hop and the broader music industry over the limits of creative influence and the boundaries of intellectual property rights.
While Megan, GloRilla, Cardi, and Soulja Boy have yet to respond to the allegations publicly, the case may bring attention to the increasingly contentious issue of sample and beat usage in contemporary hip-hop.
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